Does this horse have worms?

[horsegirl777]

Hi everyone! I need some advice on if one of the horses I look after has worms. This mare hasn't been dewormed for a long time and she is losing weight. I can see her ribs and her hips and tail bone are noticable. Her belly looks a bit bloated but she's six months pregnant so that I'm sure is part of it. Any advice would be much appreciated!

[ThoroughbredFancy]

She could have worms or she could me malnourished.

She might not be getting fed properly for being pregnant. A mare will feed the baby first. Perhaps she/they are not getting what they need.

[Simkie]

Yes, if she has not been dewormed in a long time, she probably has worms.

[Thomas_1]

Are you a troll? Is this a serious posting?

I'll presume not and this really is a poster with a pregnant mare and without a clue.

If she's not on a programme of worming then she'll have worms.

Just get the job done!

If she's gone bones prominent and in foal then she's severely malnourished so get the vet out and get the job done properly by getting everything thoroughly checked out.

[dwblover]

You would have to get a fecal test done to know for sure. She certainly could have worms if she has not been dewormed for a long time. What is she being fed?

[webmistress32]

I have a rescue with a terrible coat and pot belly. she was wormed twice with Pancur in Nov (arrival) one week apart. then mid-Jan we hit her with Ivermectin along with the rest of the herd.

this weekend I found huge fully formed segemented insects in her poop (everyone: "eeeewwwwwwwww") in response: I ordered a Pancur powerpak. I'll follow that up after two weeks with another Ivermectin.

[horsegirl777]

This mare is not my own so I can't deworm her myself. But is losing weight so I think she must have worms. She and the others have a winter pasture they are eating off of. The other pregnant mare seems fine - not losing weight at all. They also get oats. She started losing weight just recently so it seems to be a more sudden thing. Its not like this has been going on for months. I will talk to the owner about dewormer and some more food.

[dwblover]

Is a vet seeing this horse? Because sudden weight loss can also mean a lot of not so good things other than worms or nutrition.

[horsegirl777]

The owner hasn't got a vet yet. Hopefully she can as soon as possible because I am getting worried about her.

[jetsmom]

Well, if she doesn't worm her I doubt her teeth have been checked/floated either. If she is boarding her, have the BO insist she get a vet out to ck teeth/worm/vaccinate as needed, and advise her on feed/care of Preg mares.

[horsegirl777]

She doesn't board them - just rents the field from and owner. I don't think she's had her teeth check either. I'll mention that to her. I never thought of possible teeth trouble.

[JB]

Are you a troll? Is this a serious posting?

I'll presume not and this really is a poster with a pregnant mare and without a clue.

If she's not on a programme of worming then she'll have worms.

Just get the job done!

If she's gone bones prominent and in foal then she's severely malnourished so get the vet out and get the job done properly by getting everything thoroughly checked out.

Geeze, jump all over someone why don't you? She says she "looks after" these horses, judging by her user name I'd guess she's on the younger side, and not everyone is born knowing all the various issues that can make a horse look poor.

[jetsmom]

She doesn't board them - just rents the field from and owner. I don't think she's had her teeth check either. I'll mention that to her. I never thought of possible teeth trouble.

There are vaccinations that pregnant mares need. Also, there is Fescue poisoning to be aware of if the pasture is fescue. It can cause problems. Please encourage her to get a vet to give her horse a physical exam, worm, vaccinate, ck teeth, and talk to her about pregnant mare care. She needs to make sure that she requests the above. Some vets will assume the owner knows about vaccs or Fescue grass, and not bring it up if not asked about it.

[Sansena]

Hi everyone! I need some advice on if one of the horses I look after has worms. This mare hasn't been dewormed for a long time and she is losing weight. I can see her ribs and her hips and tail bone are noticable. Her belly looks a bit bloated but she's six months pregnant so that I'm sure is part of it. Any advice would be much appreciated!


Sounds lovely.
Try a fecal exam through a vet?
Has the horse SEEN a vet? Much better than speculating on a forum..

[findeight]

OP, please speak with the owner about this.

We can all assume she is wormy. They all are living outside in a group on shared pastures. But her pregnancy means you can't just go to the feed store and DIY as safely as you can with a gelding or barren mare. Worming is also no help if the rest of them are not also wormed and it needs to be done on all of them on a regular basis whether they look wormy or not.

Any time, with any horse, you get a sudden loss of condition? It is an indication things are going wrong. It could be anything from worms to bad teeth to getting pushed away from the feed by more dominate animals to any number of medical conditions. Especially with her being pregnant, a vet really needs to be brought in-they will do a fecal exam to establish what kind of worms and recommend a product safe for the foal. They can do her teeth. They can also pull blood to see why she is losing condition.

If the owner refuses to spend any money on this, the only thing you can do is try to seperate this mare from the rest for feeding. Make sure she is getting enough in her and that she cleans it up.

Winter grass loses nutritive value this time of year-it's almost dead actually, and in Alberta in winter?. Not enough to sustain a pregnant mare. See if you can get some hay for her, good hay. Maybe some soaked alfalfa cubes or beet pulp.

But owner really needs to consult a vet and get on the ball with caring for these properly, like worming and dental.

[horsegirl777]

I don't think there is any fescue in the field. I don't think she vaccinates her horses very much but I have emailed her about the horse and am waiting for a reply. I will try to have her get a vet. She usually gives the pregnant mares hay and sometimes grain. She has salt for them but I'm not sure what else.

No, Sansena, the horse hasn't seen a vet yet - but I hope her owner will get one. She doesn't always take them to the vet as much as she should since she has so many horses. She only keeps some here. She has lots of others at her stables.

[horsegirl777]

OP, please speak with the owner about this.

We can all assume she is wormy. They all are living outside in a group on shared pastures. But her pregnancy means you can't just go to the feed store and DIY as safely as you can with a gelding or barren mare. Worming is also no help if the rest of them are not also wormed and it needs to be done on all of them on a regular basis whether they look wormy or not.

Any time, with any horse, you get a sudden loss of condition? It is an indication things are going wrong. It could be anything from worms to bad teeth to getting pushed away from the feed by more dominate animals to any number of medical conditions. Especially with her being pregnant, a vet really needs to be brought in-they will do a fecal exam to establish what kind of worms and recommend a product safe for the foal. They can do her teeth. They can also pull blood to see why she is losing condition.

If the owner refuses to spend any money on this, the only thing you can do is try to seperate this mare from the rest for feeding. Make sure she is getting enough in her and that she cleans it up.

Winter grass loses nutritive value this time of year-it's almost dead actually, and in Alberta in winter?. Not enough to sustain a pregnant mare. See if you can get some hay for her, good hay. Maybe some soaked alfalfa cubes or beet pulp.

But owner really needs to consult a vet and get on the ball with caring for these properly, like worming and dental.

I don't know how much money she will be willing to spend on her but I hope at the very least she can get some dewormer, and get some good hay over her. If she won't I'll try to feed her what I can. I will talk to her about the teeth too.

[Sansena]

Does anyone know... Would AC become involved in this?

The way I understand it, OP is caregiver at a facility and this boarder is nearly neglecting her horse. At what level of neglect does animal control become involved?

[findeight]

See a red light here.

This owner has alot of horses and does not want to spend on them? As opposed to keeping fewer but taking care of them properly?

Oh, dear. Bit of a collector? Accumulating numerous animals not used for anything, just standing around? On dead grass in Alberta winter? Pregnant?

Not a good sign. Doubt owner will do a thing or they would not have so many horses they cannot get proper vet care for them.

[Thomas_1]

Geeze, jump all over someone why don't you? She says she "looks after" these horses, judging by her user name I'd guess she's on the younger side, and not everyone is born knowing all the various issues that can make a horse look poor.I presumed "looked after" meant responsible for. Then again, I'm a little old fashioned like that and tend to take things literally.

Actually though I checked the user profile before I posted and noted that this was a first posting and there was an Occupation so I wondered about a troll and presumed an adult poster.

I am very well aware that not everyone is born knowing about horses. But I hope like heck that folks know they need routinely managing to avoid worms and that bones sticking out means there's something gravely wrong and preferably before they own and/or looking after a horse and especially before they own and/or looking after a pregnant horse.

Seems though that the thread has moved on and this is just another owner that has a collection of pregnant mares that someone else looks after and who doesn't want to bother feeding or worming horses or getting their teeth done or indeed spend any money just to get the basics right.

So that will be all right then :confused:

[horsegirl777]

The mares have seemed to do fine before (even pregnant ones) but I think she hasn't done enough deworming and stuff this year as she has been quite busy. I've contacted her about it and I hope that she'll take care of this mare right away. I looked at her teeth and they don't look too long but I guess there could be other problems with them. I told her that she definatly needed to do something about her.

[rcloisonne]

I have a rescue with a terrible coat and pot belly. she was wormed twice with Pancur in Nov (arrival) one week apart. then mid-Jan we hit her with Ivermectin along with the rest of the herd.

this weekend I found huge fully formed segemented insects in her poop (everyone: "eeeewwwwwwwww") in response: I ordered a Pancur powerpak. I'll follow that up after two weeks with another Ivermectin.
Sounds like tapeworm. You'll need something other than plain ivermectin and fenbendazole to get rid of those. Something containing praziquantel like Equimax.

[merrygoround]

I have a rescue with a terrible coat and pot belly. she was wormed twice with Pancur in Nov (arrival) one week apart. then mid-Jan we hit her with Ivermectin along with the rest of the herd.

this weekend I found huge fully formed segmented insects in her poop (everyone: "eeeewwwwwwwww") in response: I ordered a Pancur powerpak. I'll follow that up after two weeks with another Ivermectin.

The segmented insect you found were bots!!! Unlikely she will require deworming again. Ivermectin is THE specific for bots. Just keep her on a regular protocol, or better yet, have a fecal done.

[merrygoround]

Sounds like tapeworm. You'll need something other than plain ivermectin and fenbendazole to get rid of those. Something containing praziquantel like Equimax.

Forgot about them in the desciption. I've only seen individual pieces, never a string. Lucky me!

You are right!!!

However do not immediately run out and deworm her with Equimax or Ivermectin Gold. They are both part Ivermectin. You may however do a double dose of Strongid paste or liquid. If though, she is on any thing in the same class as Bute or Banamine. I would hold off, check with your vet, and then deworm.

[webmistress32]

I was going to PowerPack her next week and then do another ivermectin a few weeks later.

maybe I'll get a fecal first.

ps yes I recognized the bot larvae. ick.

[horsegirl777]

thanks for all the help and info!

[summersjewel]

Check with your vet, but encysted strongyles will do this rapidly...and beware if her stools become loose...Quest PLUS is the only dewormer to really take care of this, and I would put her on strongid daily. I would definitley use a tube of Equimax first and if you can use Quest PLUS not just quest..on pregnant mares do that in 6 wks ater the tape worm treatment...For about 30 bucks you can take a fecal in....and have it checked...DO NOT WAIT>>> Her body is already stressed from being in foal and if she has an infestation of parasites, she could die. It is to treat for tapeworms especially like in early fall...they do not show up on a fecal....

[summersjewel]

I am not sure of Quest Plus on pregnant mares...You will need to check that out.

[goeslikestink]

Hi everyone! I need some advice on if one of the horses I look after has worms. This mare hasn't been dewormed for a long time and she is losing weight. I can see her ribs and her hips and tail bone are noticable. Her belly looks a bit bloated but she's six months pregnant so that I'm sure is part of it. Any advice would be much appreciated!

you need to get a vet in if the mare is underweight and in foal so he can worm her with the correct wormer that simpathtic to her condition
you also need to fed her small meals little and often and ab lib hay

if you dont this mare a - could die b- abort and have a still born foal
c could have a live foal but might not have enough to feed her

and judging by what you saying - then anyone passing the horse can call the animal control officer at any time as the horse is malnorished and neglected and in foal

if for heavens sake your looking after this mare and can not afford or the owner cant afford to keep her of which stands out a mile by her condition
then do the right thing by the horse and get hold of the aspca or animal control officer
and report the owner or the horse

if close to you then you can be anonmous -- and stll report them but do something to save the horses life and her foals

[JB]

Check with your vet, but encysted strongyles will do this rapidly...and beware if her stools become loose...Quest PLUS is the only dewormer to really take care of this,
It's not the only one. A double dose of fenbendazole, for 5 days in a row, is actually MORE effective in cleaning the encysted critters out. The downside to this protocol is that it can cause the same reactions as does the emerging critters out of their encysted stage.

Besides, Quest Plus is moxidectin + praziquantel. The prazi is ineffective against the encycsted stages. Regular moxidectin (Quest) is what gets those buggers. The prazi is just tagged along, in the Quest Plus, to also address tapeworms.

and I would put her on strongid daily.
Why do you recommend a daily dewormer?

I would definitley use a tube of Equimax first and if you can use Quest PLUS not just quest..on pregnant mares do that in 6 wks ater the tape worm treatment...
Pregnancy aside, why would you use moxidectin+praziquantel just 6 weeks after using ivermectin (good for 8 weeks) + praziquantel (good for 26 weeks)?

For about 30 bucks you can take a fecal in....and have it checked...DO NOT WAIT>>> Her body is already stressed from being in foal and if she has an infestation of parasites, she could die. It is to treat for tapeworms especially like in early fall...they do not show up on a fecal....
Keep in mind these are NOT the OP's horses, she is just looking after them.

[JB]

and judging by what you saying - then anyone passing the horse can call the animal control officer at any time as the horse is malnorished and neglected and in foal

if for heavens sake your looking after this mare and can not afford or the owner cant afford to keep her of which stands out a mile by her condition
then do the right thing by the horse and get hold of the aspca or animal control officer
and report the owner or the horse

if close to you then you can be anonmous -- and stll report them but do something to save the horses life and her foals
Not sure how things are where you are, but AC won't do anything if the animal has shelter, food, and water, unless it's VERY obvious the horse is being extremely neglected (ie a walking skeleton). Sad, but true.