worming thoughts - pics added

[harveydales]

Mar 9, 2012 12:02:46 GMT -1 Tynedale said:

I have just read that the female pinworms are small but the males can reach 4 inches long

Mmm a male pinworm maybe? I don't know anything about their life cylce except they cause an itchy bum and the eggs are found around the anus. WIll go and check them up now.

Unfortunately Ali has deleted the pic but to my inexperienced eyes it really did look more like a round worm.

[colmworthdales]

That sounds nasty - never seen worms in my ponies poo but used to worm regularly. I poo pick quite often - but not daily but they do cross graze with cows which helps.

Just wondered if your roundworm could have come from a dog poo nearby as I have certainly seen that size worm appear in dogs which scavenge. Not sure if an adult worm can migrate from one poo pile to another but they do seem pretty active.

By the way, I had my ponies' poo tested by the vets a couple of months ago, and the result came back as 'Negative worm count in all samples'. That really made me laugh as how can it be a negative number!!

[harveydales]

I found 4 more of these worms this morning in 4 separate Dolly poos!! I've kept one in the fridge for identification as the vet is coming out on Wednesday for booster jabs but looking on the internet, they could very well be pinworms and the vet tells me pinworms can be reisitant to wormers.

[Tynedale]

Do a sellotape sample from her bum, fold the tape back on itself and vet should be able to examine it. I did 3 or 4 when I wrongly suspected them. One from the anus, one from under the top of the tail and one either side of that.
I did a 5 day panacur and 2 weeks later a double strongid p and Westgate said I should have got rid of them by doing that. I had also been putting vaseline all around her bottom so if they popped out to lay they would die!!!!

[harveydales]

Mar 12, 2012 9:35:28 GMT -1 Tynedale said:

Do a sellotape sample from her bum, fold the tape back on itself and vet should be able to examine it. I did 3 or 4 when I wrongly suspected them. One from the anus, one from under the top of the tail and one either side of that.
I did a 5 day panacur and 2 weeks later a double strongid p and Westgate said I should have got rid of them by doing that. I had also been putting vaseline all around her bottom so if they popped out to lay they would die!!!!

Thanks. I am convinced it is pinworm now.

[maggie]

I'd be very interested to see a photo of your sample Pam, and to know what the vet's verdict is.

I don't think there's a 'right' worming regime, it depends on your own circumstances. I've tried the worm count route and not found it satisfactory, so have a very regular worming routine and cross graze/rest the fields, also harrow when the weather conditions are right once the field is vacated.

[AliandDolly]

it seems so strange, ive not noticed her itch her bum and havent noticed rub marks on her tail flap on her rug.. it is very strange xx

[harveydales]

Mar 12, 2012 18:27:34 GMT -1 maggie said:

I'd be very interested to see a photo of your sample Pam, and to know what the vet's verdict is.

I don't think there's a 'right' worming regime, it depends on your own circumstances. I've tried the worm count route and not found it satisfactory, so have a very regular worming routine and cross graze/rest the fields, also harrow when the weather conditions are right once the field is vacated.

The sample is floating happily in a tube of water. I was going to use vodka as water will cause it to expand but then thought it would be a waste of vodka on a worm. Will take a pic tomorrow and let you know what the vet says. It just has to be pinworm which would account for the negative worm egg counts. Maggie, why do you say you don't find faecal worm counts satisfactory? My only reason for thinking they might be a waste is because I poo pick daily and worm for tape worm annually and also encysted red worm annually as they wouldn't show up in the count - and I now realise pinworm don't show up either.

[Debbie]

I was going to say roundworm can also be introduced via bird pooh, but it sounds as though its a different worm altogether.

I think its about a year back, but I did post a link from Equus magazine where blood testing was found to be more accurate for predicting worm burden than the fecal egg counts.

Worms are so tricky, it really does depend on the current situation of your ponies and their living conditions. What works well for one, doesn't for another, even on the same farm with the same routine.

[harveydales]

Don't look at these pics if you are squeamish........






I stored the worm in water so it does look slightly larger/thicker than in real life.

The last few mornings I've been finding several of these worms, all in only Dolly's poo. I've googled to see photos of various worms and these do look more like pinworms than anything else.

The vet came today to do boosters and took a few worms I collected for analysis. Unfortunately she wasn't able to say what they are - she isn't the chief vet. She did check all 4 ponies for signs of pinworm around the tail and anus and saw absolutely nothing. All very odd when you consider they were wormed at the end of January and worm counts have been clear.

I should hear more in a day or so.

[heathera]

I'm another who is watching this interest as we've moved to egg counting and just worming once a year for tapeworm and encysted redworm. This was on vets advice as there is too much resistance building to the chemical wormers and advice is to reduce our use of them as much as we can.

[Tynedale]

Have you considered e mailing Westgate labs about this and also send them the photo of the worm.
Did your vet not take samples from around Dolly's anus to look at under a scope?

[harveydales]

Vet finally got back to me and pinworm confirmed. What every one finds suprising and unheard of before, is that the pinworms showed up 5 or 6 weeks after worming with Equest. The vet says the laboratory told her there is no known pinworm resistance to any of the usual wormers but after searching the interenet I am not entirely convinced. I've been told not to worm again until 13 weeks after the Equest but then to worm with any other wormer. I think I will go for Panacur Equine Guard which, because it trickles the chemical through over 5 days, stands a good chance of getting the pinworms even though it may not be the ideal wormer for other worms such as round worms - which I know we don't have a problem with from feacal egg count results.

Because the pinworm eggs aren't passed out in droppings but rather spread where ever the pony rubs it's bum, I've got a lot of disinfecting to do.

There was no evidence of pinworm eggs (selotape test) on Dolly or Frankie but the worm sample I provided was of a male and a female pinworm. Nice I hav read that neem oil in an olive oil base is very good for killing off the eggs around the bum. Vet says himbiscrub which seems a bit harsh.

I suspect it was Lillie who intorduced the pinworms in the first place, even though I wormed her before bringing her over - I didn't wipe her bum. It just goes to show you can't rely on faecal egg counts for all worms or maybe I was just the only person who didn't realise Pinworm eggs won't show up.

[Debbie]

Don't beat yourself up, worms have some of the trickiest survival mechanisms known to man. I've done a lot of research for my area and it left me in shock some of the chemicals and conditions that worms will survive in my area.

I had no clue about the tape around the bum for pinworms.

Blossom picked up hairworms when she went to the trainers and brought them back That's with her trainer deworming her and me deworming her again when she returned to my place.

You do the best you can

[Deleted]

I'm pretty sure that Equest doesn't treat pin worm, speak to Westgate they are very good and will confirm what wormer is best for pin worm, The pinworm eggs are very hard to see, so I would do the seloptape test, Westgate do not charge for pinworm tests.