What brand of ivermectin paste do you use?

[HappyHorsey]

I have always used Ivercare, but now I guess it is not being manufactured anymore? I'm just wondering what brand of ivermectin other people are using?

[Tee]

I use whatever is the least expensive at Jeffers. It's all the same amount of stuff, so why pay more?

[mothermucker12]

what ever is on sale at dover, usually a generic
but we are going to start fecal testing because there are places where ivermecin isnt working anymore....why treat if you dont have to

[JB]

mother - what issues are being seen, where, with ivermectin?

[DraperEquine]

I think over worming and over vaccinating are huge problems so I definitely think fecal testing is a must in any barn. It's really inexpensive and it will tell you the actual types of worms your horse has so you can treat it effectively.
As far as ivermectin paste goes, if you look at the active ingredients, they're all the same. You can either pay more for a brand name or get a generic. Think of your prescriptions, it's all the same.

[dalpal]

I do agree with the overworming/overvaccinating sentiments already on this thread. My vet suggests fecals in the fall/spring and deworm according to the results....however, to answer the OPs question, I like Equimax the best...it also gets tapes and is a 1320 pound dosage.

[TikiSoo]

I don't buy generic wormers anymore.
My horse was on a regular 3 month rotation (4 times/yr) which I always thought was the recommended schedule. Last summer both her and her pasture mate (on the same worming regimen) came up with lice about two weeks before the next worming was due. Ivermectin is supposed to kill lice and that was the last wormer they received.

I have also discovered a completely empty tube before when cracking open a generic. I just don't think they receive the same quality control.

I now rotate wormers every other month (6 times/yr) and steer clear of generics. I'm not sure which factor was the cause of the outbreak, but it's simply not worth it; taking chances, vet bill and meds to correct the problem.

[JB]

I like Equimax the best...it also gets tapes and is a 1320 pound dosage.
But you don't always need to target tapeworms, so you don't always need the added praziquantel :)

I don't buy generic wormers anymore.
My horse was on a regular 3 month rotation (4 times/yr) which I always thought was the recommended schedule. Last summer both her and her pasture mate (on the same worming regimen) came up with lice about two weeks before the next worming was due. Ivermectin is supposed to kill lice and that was the last wormer they received.

However, ivermectin is only "good" for 8 weeks, max, so add another 2 weeks to that (making it 2 weeks before the 3 month mark) and it's absolutely reasonable to find a horse with parasites of any sort. He could also have had a strongyle count as well.

I now rotate wormers every other month (6 times/yr) and steer clear of generics. I'm not sure which factor was the cause of the outbreak, but it's simply not worth it; taking chances, vet bill and meds to correct the problem.
Just adopting an 8 week schedule isn't helping things either ;)

[TikiSoo]

However, ivermectin is only "good" for 8 weeks, max, so add another 2 weeks to that (making it 2 weeks before the 3 month mark) and it's absolutely reasonable to find a horse with parasites of any sort. He could also have had a strongyle count as well.
Just adopting an 8 week schedule isn't helping things either ;)

Really? Thanks for the response.
I moved barns and just follow their worming schedule. I thought upping worming to 6 times a year would kill anything. How often SHOULD I be worming?

[JB]

Tiki, head over to www.thehorse.com and look at the Webinar link on the left side. Watch the Strategic Deworming webinar :yes:

Or, search here for numerous deworming threads and you can also find useful information.

If you still have specific questions, come back :)

I say that because the answer to your question depends on your environment, manure management, pasture management, and the individual horse.

[dalpal]

JB...we use Ivermectin twice a year on the program that we use, so it isn't a bad idea to hit tapes twice. ;)

[Dawn&Reno]

When I do use ivermectin, I typically end up getting whatever's cheapest at the store. (Sometimes generic, but that's usually the first thing they run out of. Ivercare used to be the next least expensive. I wasn't aware they don't have it any longer?)

Reason being, I usually run a fecal. If I run the fecal, find that I actually need the ivermectin, then order it, wait for it to get here, etc...it can be a very drawn out process. Now, if I can find some online that has a long expiration date (a couple of years), I'll go ahead and get it. Otherwise just too likely that it'll expire before I actually need it.

I only use ivermectin once a year, sometimes never, occasionally twice a year. And with only one horse, stocking up on it when it's on sale just isn't feasible.

Does anyone know of an approximate date when either ivermectin/praziquantel or moxidectin/praziquantel will be available for generic production? That's one I'm looking forward to.

[deltawave]

Whatever's on sale. I've never run across any obvious poor quality visually and occasional fecal checks show my horses are virtually worm-free on their every-8-week schedule. I definitely am a few days late from time to time, but try to keep it pretty steady year-round.

[JB]

JB...we use Ivermectin twice a year on the program that we use, so it isn't a bad idea to hit tapes twice. ;)

Yep, if you use ivermectin just twice, might as well do Equimax and get the tapes that you need to get too :D

[JB]

Whatever's on sale. I've never run across any obvious poor quality visually and occasional fecal checks show my horses are virtually worm-free on their every-8-week schedule. I definitely am a few days late from time to time, but try to keep it pretty steady year-round.

It would be interesting to see if at 10 weeks they're still clean, then 14, then 18, etc. You may be able to deworm a good deal less than every other month :)

[Fairview Horse Center]

I always order Jeffers ivermectin. I HATE the other brands, as the tubes are so long, I can't reach the plunger. The Jeffers tubes make deworming SO easy.

My hands are NOT that small, but most ivermectin tubes seem to be designed for MUCH larger hands.

[deltawave]

It would be interesting, but on the scale of "important things to do" serial fecals don't even make the long list. :) And dewormer resistance is also not on my long list of things to fret about, so I stick with my routine, realizing that it may not, in fact, be absolutely perfect in every way. But at $2/month or thereabouts, I don't begrudge the extra dosages. Cheaper than the vet coming out to do fecals, and although I have a microscope and know the rudiments of looking for worm eggs . . . well, there's yet one more thing not making the "to do" list! :lol:

[Fairview Horse Center]

And dewormer resistance is also not on my long list of things to fret about

When I tested Strongid, my horses fecals were exactly the same both the day before, and 14 days after. NO change at all. It is obviously not working for the S Strongyles on my farm. I learned to save my money, and make sure a product is working before just giving it. I might as well squirt Strongid on the ground.

If you test each horse when fairly overdue, you will find out who is naturally resistant to worms. Those horses you only need to deworm twice a year for their lifetimes.

[deltawave]

That's one way to determine resistance, but I'm not sure I'd hang my hat on it and base a whole program on it. It's better than not thinking about it at all, I'll definitely concede that. But fecal egg shedding is not (as I understand it) uniform, predictable, or even all that powerful a predictor of parasite burden. One random poop ball or handful of turds may or may not give you as accurate a picture of the whole horse, or the whole worm picture. :)

Still I applaud those who make the effort and do their deworming thoughtfully. :)

[Fairview Horse Center]

Actually it is, and the new research points to its importance in a deworming program.

We have to begin to think about deworming like doctors need to think about antibiotics - only use when needed. Overuse is causing a huge problem. Resistance IS a huge problem, but if we are down to a single classification of drugs (ivermectin & moxidectin) that work, we need to protect them NOW, so in 10 years from now we are not stuck with nothing.

[deltawave]

Do you do the fecals yourself?

[Fairview Horse Center]

No, I drop them at the agriculture lab that does the Coggins Tests. $7-10

Deworming Your Horse webinar
Log into thehorse.com

Then click this link to see the seminar that is very worth taking the time to watch. http://www.thehorse.com/Video.aspx?vID=183

Testing each (adult) horse once or twice gives you their natural resistance.

Occasionally testing the drug (before and after) on a horse that is known to not have a high resistance will tell you if the drug will work on your farm's worms, or what percentage will die off.

Some horses are always negative or very low, even if never dewormed. Even once a year will make sure those horses do not develop a L or S Strongyle problem.

[JB]

TBut fecal egg shedding is not (as I understand it) uniform, predictable, or even all that powerful a predictor of parasite burden. One random poop ball or handful of turds may or may not give you as accurate a picture of the whole horse, or the whole worm picture. :)

You're right, you can't just take a single fecal check and proclaim a horse always immune or always burdened. It takes subsequent testing to start to see a pattern. Any given ball or balls might have a very low count, but the horse have a high enough load to warrant deworming. But over time, with regular checking, the chances of having that situation every single time are really very low. So yes, you'd have to routinely check a horse to see if his count remains high after deworming, stays low after not deworming, etc. That's part of setting up each horse to see what his natural immunity is.