ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: An alternate strategy for worms

Re: An alternate strategy for worms

Kirsten Price (kirsten@vermilion.reno.nv.us)
Fri, 29 Aug 1997 13:52:38 -0700

Duncan Fletcher wrote:
>
> I am not aware of any effects of wormers on gut bacteria. If anyone has
> anything specific, please post. It seems unlikely that any drug that works
> on neurotransmission would have any effect on bacteria - they don't have a
> nervous system. Bugs is a pretty imprecise term. Parasites, while a lower
> life form compared to mammals are a hell of lot higher than bacteria.
> Anti-biotics can destroy bacteria - they are afterall designed to do just
> that and they are not always specific enough to spare the good gut
> bacteria.

No, you are right and I did not intend to imply that wormers had any effect
on gut bacteria. I just relayed it as an analogous situation where
medication may make room for more problems even though it may solve some. I
was thinking more along the lines of using wormers causing the horses not to
develop their own arsenal of weapons to fight worms off themselves. Or
side effects from basically overdosing wormers. Things like that.

>
> Having said that, however, is not to suggest that there aren't potential
> side effects to wormers. There is probably no clear answer where the line
> should be drawn in terms of wormer frequency. Good pasture management can
> probably reduce the frequency, but depending on the number of horses and
> available space that can only go so far.
>
> Duncan Fletcher
> dfletche@gte.net
>

Agreed.

Kirsten

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