Tape Worm

[Dalemma]

Hi is there any way to test for tape worm.........I know they can't be picked up on fecals.......is there any other way???

Dalemma

[JB]

I believe there is a blood test, but it's quite expensive, IIRC, and not readily available.

I know you have an allergy issue. But, I think you have to assume there are tapeworms present - you're just not in an area that isn't predisposed to them :(

http://equineresources.com/pdf/20030925_tapeworms.pdf

I wanted to read this one, but the site is blocked from work
http://www.horse-canada.com/?p=1003

This The Horse article (http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=11839&src=RA) dated May '08 indicates

"Over half of the included horses (56%) were diagnosed with tapeworm infections based on a blood test, whereas only 6% of the horses had tapeworm eggs in their feces," said Peregrine. The blood test, currently available in the United Kingdom only, will be available in Canada and possibly the United States in the near future.

[Dalemma]

Thanks for that info........according to the information my risk is low as I live of the Pacific coast with a risk of 12%.

I will talk to my vet about the blood test.

Thanks Dalemma

[Dalemma]

Well I just checked with my vet and the antibody test is still not available in Canada or the US.........plus she was at a vet conference in Montreal and the main topic was parasites........and consensus was that the test is very inaccurate........so we went back to the risk of worming verses not worming for tapes........and while both risks of death were low.......the risk of death for worming was higher......0.01 verses .0001 for death via a tape worm infestation...these numbers are not really supposed to represent much other than to show that both choices are risks are low risk but one is considerably lower than the other......plus you have to take in to account I live in a low risk area.

I will continue to do fecals and worm once a year with the only wormer that she is not allergic to which is panacur.

Dalemma