Re: Learned something about deworming

["Duncan Fletcher" <dfletche@gte.net>]

There is some controversy over this protocol. It has 2 possible purposes.
One is to get at parasites that have moved into the neural system and that
the track record there is not clear. The second is to get encysted small
strongyles. The treatment may increase liver enzymes. Given the recent
introduction of moxidectin (Quest) and its ability to kill encysted small
strongyles, it is not clear what advantage the 5X fenbenzandole has over
moxidectin, particularly given the cost and possible liver problems. And, of
course, if your worming frequency gets them before they become encysted, the
problem is also solved without the treatment.

Now given the unknown worming history of this horse, the treatment may have
been warranted, but I might have asked the vet why not moxidectin. For
routine situations, it shouldn't be necessary. Any vets care to comment.

Duncan Fletcher
dfletche@gte.net


-----Original Message-----
From: EAMULE@aol.com <EAMULE@aol.com>


>
>This may be common knowledge to some, but I learned something from my vet.
>
>I bought a 16 y.o, very malnourished, pregnant mare with foal by her side
the
>first of July. (She soon aborted.) I had immediately dewormed her with
>Ivermectin and again subsequent weeks later.  I took a fecal sample to be
>checked to see if my deworming was doing any good.
>
>No active parasites were found, but my vet strongly suggested that I give
the
>mare 2 tubes a day of fenbendazole (Panacur or Safe-Guard) for 5
consecutive
>days.  I inwardly raised my eyebrows.
>
>He explained that small strongyles will lodge in the colin and are
>undetectable, except by biopsy.  Ivermectin will not take care of these. (I
>have since read that Ivermectin is not good at getting these small
>strongyles.)  This  5 day fenbendazole program will get 100%.  A  7 day
>program of Ivermectin will supposedly get maybe 75%.
>
>Dande, the mare, received her last two tubes this past Sunday.  By
Wednesday
>night the change in her was incredible.  She has been gaining steadily ever
>since I bought her and starting to look like a fairly healthy horse, but
>proportionately speaking in the 3 days after this deworming program she has
>blossomed.  It could be that everything she has received in the previous 3
>months came together, but I believe this program really put the icing in
the
>cake.
>
>Of course, if one reads the instructions on the box containing anything the
>contents of the box usually work better. :)  I had never read the fine
print
>instructions on a box of dewormer containing fenbendazole.  It recommends
the
>same thing as my vet.
>
>Everyone I have told this to had never heard of such strong dosing and were
>surprised and a little concerned. (Nobody else reads the fine print
either!)
>Vet said that fenbendazole is not toxic until 25 times its recommended
dose.
>
>I wonder how many small strongyles are lurking in my 23 y.o. mare who has
been
>regularly dewormed all her life.
>
>Ellen and Dande who made it known she doesn't like to be paste wormed!
>Memphis
>