# What is the best wormer for tape worms?



## Firewell (7 August 2011)

I'm thinking equimax, equest pramox and double dose Strongid P.
Which one is the most effective? 
Thanks


----------



## Puppy (7 August 2011)

I tend to use Equimax, or have also used Equest pramox on occasions, both of which contain praziquantel. I haven't used Strongid-P for many years as I think there's too much resistance to it these days.


----------



## Firewell (7 August 2011)

Ok thanks.
We have been told at my yard to worm all our horses for tapeworms 3x per year instead of 2 but the vet suggested using Strongid P which I thought was odd as I've heard the others are more effective!


----------



## ISHmad (8 August 2011)

If I was worming purely for tapeworm I'd use Equitape


----------



## Sparkles (8 August 2011)

Pramox


----------



## kezimac (8 August 2011)

just for tapeworm i use equitape - i dont use pramox or any combined wormers as i just think there are too many chemicals for the liver to cope with so i worm separately a few weeks later for encysted redwor, - anyone who has horses barefoot also should be aware that using combined wormers can make horses footy - everything shows in the feet if the liver cant cope - shod horses you dont notice as the shoes slow the circulation.


----------



## tallyho! (8 August 2011)

Agree with Kezimac. This happened to me last year. Had lami day after, in for 3 weeks. I now either blood test for tape first and do worm counts.

I haven't wormed since Nov '10. 3 worm counts, all clear. Blood test for tape in July, clear. 

Will do again in sept. Then again Dec.


----------



## Miss L Toe (8 August 2011)

tallyho! said:



			Agree with Kezimac. This happened to me last year. Had lami day after, in for 3 weeks. I now either blood test for tape first and do worm counts.

I haven't wormed since Nov '10. 3 worm counts, all clear. Blood test for tape in July, clear. 

Will do again in sept. Then again Dec.
		
Click to expand...

I would have thought that tapeworm would be evident on the derrier of the horse, and though a blood test might be definitive, is it not v expensive [if we include £40 for a visit?]


----------



## Firewell (8 August 2011)

I went with Pramox on the advice of the store.
I'm going to worm today and do a worm count next week so I will hopefully know then where to go from here!

My mums horse died of colic last week and despite worming properly and poo picking it was found he was ingesting a large amount of tape worm due to wormy soil that hasn't been rested (the joys of DIY livery!!) so of course we are all really panicking now. We don't know if the tapeworms did cause the colic but he was only wormed for tapeworms in May with Pramox yet he had got them back again.

Nightmare


----------



## sunleychops (8 August 2011)

Equest Pramox on my TB, tried Equimax before and its awful stuff and just doesnt work on him,


----------



## K27 (8 August 2011)

Sorry to hear about your mum's horse, you must all be so upset 

My vets recommend using 2 x dose strongid p for tapeworm as they say it seems to work better than the all in one wormers, especially on young horses too, have also used the equimax and the like and tbh haven't had a problem with it, Equitape which is praziquantel only is quite good as well.


----------



## Rueysmum (8 August 2011)

MrsD123 said:



			I would have thought that tapeworm would be evident on the derrier of the horse, and though a blood test might be definitive, is it not v expensive [if we include £40 for a visit?]
		
Click to expand...

I didn't know my horse had a tapeworm infestation until he had colic three times in a row within the space of two weeks (about 8 years ago).  The Elisa blood test confirmed that he had an infestation and he was treated for tapeworm four times a year for a couple of years afterwards.

Tapeworms gather in the horse's ileocecal junction and you very often don't know they have a problem until it's two late.  You are unlikely to see tapeworms on a horse's "derrier".


----------



## tallyho! (8 August 2011)

MrsD123 said:



			I would have thought that tapeworm would be evident on the derrier of the horse, and though a blood test might be definitive, is it not v expensive [if we include £40 for a visit?]
		
Click to expand...

Less expensive and less heartbreaking than a laminitis episode I assure you. You don't always see tapeworms, even if the segments burst.

Like I say, if you don't believe your horse is at risk of lami then of course you should worm for tape. 

Personally, I can't take the risk again so, this is the step I take to try and protect my horse.


----------



## galaxy (8 August 2011)

firewell said:



			I went with Pramox on the advice of the store.
I'm going to worm today and do a worm count next week so I will hopefully know then where to go from here!

My mums horse died of colic last week and despite worming properly and poo picking it was found he was ingesting a large amount of tape worm due to wormy soil that hasn't been rested (the joys of DIY livery!!) so of course we are all really panicking now. We don't know if the tapeworms did cause the colic but he was only wormed for tapeworms in May with Pramox yet he had got them back again.

Nightmare  

Click to expand...

Although the official line is there is no recorded known resistance to Promox I know of 2 horses which it hasn't worked on.  (and they definitly swolled it)

We were advised to go with a completely difference chemical group so wormed with double dose Strongid P.  Which then worked.

Worm count won't show for tapeworm, and I would double check with your vet that a week is long enough to wait.  We were advised 4 weeks and obv you have to blood test to check for tape worm, not worm count.


----------



## galaxy (8 August 2011)

tallyho! said:



			Agree with Kezimac. This happened to me last year. Had lami day after, in for 3 weeks. I now either blood test for tape first and do worm counts.

I haven't wormed since Nov '10. 3 worm counts, all clear. Blood test for tape in July, clear. 

Will do again in sept. Then again Dec.
		
Click to expand...

How do you test for encysted red worm?  They do not show on a worm count or blood test?


----------



## tallyho! (8 August 2011)

galaxy23 said:



			How do you test for encysted red worm?  They do not show on a worm count or blood test?
		
Click to expand...

Absolutely right. I do know that this is huge problem. It can kill horses in a very short time.

I can only work with the vet on this one and we have discussed starting next year on the SP 3 yr Worming plan and then have another year off... but it is a risk with the lami. Pasture management is high on my agenda obviously, rotation and sheep/cattle rotation helps keep larvae down and I am lucky to have this option.

The truth is, all horses have some encysted red worm in the gut. It has become resistant to the two classes of wormer that is effective against it but numbers are very low.

What is on my horses side is that he has had a good worming routine as a foal and growing up and until last year, his worming routine was regular. This reduces his risk significantly.

I will have to use chemicals this October probably for this reason but I'm probably going to have to be selective and possibly not Moxidectin... fenbendazole is my other option.

It's really difficult


----------



## galaxy (8 August 2011)

tallyho! said:



			Absolutely right. I do know that this is huge problem. It can kill horses in a very short time.

I can only work with the vet on this one and we have discussed starting next year on the SP 3 yr Worming plan and then have another year off... but it is a risk with the lami. Pasture management is high on my agenda obviously, rotation and sheep/cattle rotation helps keep larvae down and I am lucky to have this option.

The truth is, all horses have some encysted red worm in the gut. It has become resistant to the two classes of wormer that is effective against it but numbers are very low.

What is on my horses side is that he has had a good worming routine as a foal and growing up and until last year, his worming routine was regular. This reduces his risk significantly.

I will have to use chemicals this October probably for this reason but I'm probably going to have to be selective and possibly not Moxidectin... fenbendazole is my other option.

It's really difficult 

Click to expand...

Must be tricky.... fine line to hover over if your horse reacts badly to chemicals.


----------



## attheponies (8 August 2011)

I used Eqvalan Duo on my gelding, just had a bit of shock though - wormed my two in April (Mare with Eqvalan as shop only had 1x Duo) have just done a worm count on my mare and she has a huge count, possibly down to slightly under-dosing and also possibly due to moving her to an "unclean" paddock. She looks well, is well and I was really complacent as she was wormed and I poo-pick religously every day.


----------



## Firewell (8 August 2011)

I think the unclean pasture is what is affecting us at our yard. I'm lucky in that my field has been grazed by sheep and my horse is on his own so I worm and poo pick.
My mothers horses field has just had horses on it for years, we could see the tapeworms in the droppings so we knew they were there (like horrid Whiteish blobs!) but my mum was poo picking and worming so we hoped it would be OK. Apparently poo picking only works (according to vet) if you do it within 48 hours of the fresh dropping anyway, which is quite hard to do in a 10/15acre field as there is bound to be some that we can't find :/
I wormed with the Pramox today, id rather get all the little blighters if there are any and use Strongid P next time. I used equimax last time.
Its actually so worrying that we can worm our horses every 8 weeks with a decent programme, poo pick and there are still worms  .


----------



## tallyho! (8 August 2011)

galaxy23 said:



			Must be tricky.... fine line to hover over if your horse reacts badly to chemicals.
		
Click to expand...

Tell about it Galaxy - have to be careful with steroids, sedatives, anything that the liver has to deal with is a risk and even food. Alfalfa isn't really suitable either.


----------

