Worming Products & Advice
Available in store only.
We have an SQP in store to advise and prescribe the appropriate wormer for equines and companion animals.
A Suitably Qualified Person (SQP) isa legal category of professionally qualified persons who, under the Veterinary Medicines Regulations, are entitled to prescribe and/or supply certain veterinary medicines.
Horse Worming Guide
There are many worming products available on the market and devising a worming programme can be challenging.
Each horse will carry a different level of worm burden and will need a personalised worming programme.
General Rules to help reduce a horse’s exposure to worm eggs:
.Regularly remove droppings from the grazing pasture at least once a week to reduce the number of eggs and larvae that may be ingested by the horse when grazing.
- Provide 1.5 acres per horse to ensure the pasture is not overstocked (please note that individual requirements for the horse may vary due to size and weight)
- The number of worm’s eggs in the pasture will be reduced if the horse can share the pasture, for example, with sheep (ruminants). The worm’s specific to equines, when ingested by ruminants, cannot develop and therefore cannot produce eggs so as a result reduce the number of eggs in the pasture.
- Rotate pastures and rest grazing ideally for 3 months. Strong sunlight and hard frosts help to reduce the number of eggs and larvae that survive in the pasture.
- Only worm when necessary. For example it is not always necessary to treat for roundworms so using a FEC (worm count) should be carried out in the Spring, Summer and Autumn.
- Give the correct dose at the right time. Under-dosing can lead to wormer resistance and likewise overdosing is not beneficial. To determine the correct dosage the weight of your horse can be estimated using a weightape or if possible a more accurate weight can be determined using a weighbridge.
- Always treat new horses (or those where the worming history is not known) for encysted small redworm which can’t be detected using FEC (worm counts). If the horse has a high burden of encysted small redworm this can cause severe colic when they emerge from the gut lining in the Spring. Also, use a EquiSal tapeworm test to determine if the horse has a high burden of tapeworm before treating. The EquiSal test is a simple saliva test that is collected using a small swab that is then sent off for analysis. Another available tapeworm test is the blood sample ELISA which is can identify if the horse has or has had a tapeworm burden.
- It is also a good idea to rotate the active ingredients to reduce the chances of a resistance developing. For example if you use Moxidectin one year to treat encysted redworm change to using Fenbendazole the year after.
If you need any help or advice on worming please feel free to contact us or discuss with your vet.
As a guide only, the plan below outlines key parasites that need to be targeted at certain times of the year:
Autumn (September/October) – worm for tapeworm (Praziquantel or elevated dose of Pyrantel)
Products:
Equitape (single dose Praziquantel)
Strongid-P (elevated dose Pyrantel)
Equest Pramox or Eqvalan Duo or Equimax (single dose, containing Praziquantel)
Winter (November – February) – target encysted larval stages of small redworm with a product containing Moxidectin (can use an elevated dose of Fenbendazole but this will not target botfly larvae unlike Moxidectin)
Products:
Equest (single dose Moxidectin)
Panacur Equine (5 day course Fenbendazole)
Spring (March – April) – target tapeworm with a Praziquantel product or use an elevated dose of Pyrantel (a combination wormer is ideal if a treatment for roundworm is also needed)
Products:
Equitape (single dose Praziquantel)
Strongid-P (elevated dose Pyrantel)
Eqvalan Duo or Equest Pramox or Equimax (single dose, combination wormer containing Praziquantel)
Summer (May - August) –carry out FEC (faecal worm counts) to determine if worming is necessary. If so use Fenbendazole or Pyrantel
Products:
Panacur Equine (Fenbendazole)
Strongid-P (Pyrantel)
Worms in Cats
Cats are at risk of developing worms at any point in their life and the 2 mains groups of worms are: roundworms and tapeworms.
Roundworms – some roundworms are passed from the mother to their kittens and can remain as dormant larvae for many years that then become active in later life. The dormant larvae are not killed by worming products. Most types of roundworm live in the gut and if they build up can cause an obstruction in the gut (Lungworms are a type of roundworm that can cause breathing problems).
Tapeworms - these can be picked up when the cat eats intermediate hosts such as fleas, or mice and rabbits. Tapeworms are rare in kittens and usually not found in cats that have effective flea control and do not hunt. Multi-wormers will kill all types of worms in one dose.
Product Guide:
Drontal Cat – safe and effective against roundworms and tapeworms in one tablet.
For full product information on each product please see the datasheet link on the product page.
Worms in Dogs
Parasites can be a worry for dog owners and some parasites are able to pass from infected bitches to puppies. Many of the worms have complex life cycles requiring more than one host and have numerous symptoms in both dogs and humans. In order to control worm infestations good hygiene practice and regular worming practice.
General symptoms of a worm infection:
- Worms found in faecal matter and vomit
•Bloated belly
•Worms around the animals anus
•The animal dragging their rear end along the floor (which can often be confused with gland problems)
•Coughing
•Change in general health and wellbeing including weight loss and constant hunger
Two main types of parasites in dogs - Roundworms and Tapeworms
Product Guide:
Drontal – effective worm control tablets against roundworms and tapeworms at every stage of the worm life cycle. Tablets can also be used to treat infections in pregnant bitches but care must be taken not to exceed the recommended dose. A suspension is also available for puppies from 2 weeks of age (1ml of 1kg bodyweight).
Active ingredients – Praziquantel, Pyrantel embonate (pamoate) and Febantel
Panacur – worm control treatment effective against immature and mature gastrointestinal and respiratory worms. Suitable for worming puppies and kittens from 2 weeks of age.
Active ingredients – Fenbendazole
Active Ingredients
Fenbendazole – starves parasites by blocking energy metabolism in the same way as Febantel (members of the same drug family). Most active against egg and larval stages as they require the most resources because they are growing and developing therefore the deaths are more rapid.
Febantel – blocks metabolism and the worms die after depleting all their resources and suffering internal damage from waste products causing death.
Praziquantel – key for targeting tapeworms and effective against both immature and adult stages. It prevents the tapeworms activity to avoid digestion by the host animal, causes paralysis detaching them from the gut wall so undigested worms are broken down and passed out in the faeces.
Pyrantel embonate – works to clear roundworms allowing clearance from the gut
Accreditation
Nantwich Saddlery is registered is sell worming products.
Registration number: 2030477
Registerd SQP: Miss A Parker QE8877
How to Confirm the SQP registration status
Visithttp://www.vmd.defra.gov.uk/registers/sqpregister.aspxor alternativelyring the VMD on 01932 336911 and quote the code of the staff member you would like to verify the status of.
Further Product Information
This can be found onthe VMD’s Product Information Database:http://www.vmd.defra.gov.uk/ProductInformationDatabase/
How to make a complaint
If you have any comment or complaint about our internet services please contact info@nantwichsaddlery.com initially orcall us 07944 086189.
If for any reason our response does not satisfy you then you may contact the Veterinary Medicine Directorate (postmaster@vmd.defra.gsi.gov.uk)
Adverse Reactions to a medicine
Any adverese event must be reported to the the VMD (Veterinary Medicines Directorate (for animal medicines)) at the following address:
http://www.vmd.defra.gov.uk/adversereactionreporting/