Is it safe?

[MountainMeadows]

Hi All

Well, a lot of us have been experiencing some really low temps and with that in mind I like to do my double-dose deworming. I don't think I have ever double dosed any of my pregnant mares, but I have one mare who is new to me and I am thinking that she may need it (runny poop) - so do you know if it is safe to double dose Panacur to a mare that is PG?

Stacy

 

[valshingle]

Stacy -

Not sure, but I've given other minis a Panacur Power Pac, which is five days in a row of Panacur. This is great to do with those poor doers with the big bellies that don't put the weight where you want them to. Also works well for chronic colics. I actually just called my vet and I will let you know what they say.

Val

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Panacur is Fenbendazole, you would have to immerse your horse in it and hold it under to do any harm, honest!!!

It is also not a particularly useful wormer except in the five day course.

Ivermectin is much more efficacious.

 

[MountainMeadows]

Hi Jane - yes, I am looking at the 5 day double dose course. I use Equimax every other month here as well - altho last night when I called my vet about deworming Sonata (the one with kidney failure) she mentioned that the "latest & greatest" protocol is to actually QUIT doing as much deworming as we'all have been doing and do fecal counts 2X a year to determin what/who needs to be dewormed - of course a $25/head this is a pretty good money maker for the vets!

Stac

 

[Miniequine]

Hi Stacy

I have double dosed my pregnant mares under my vets direction

but that was 2 years ago, with no problem..

My vets are also suggesting less deworming and more fecal counts.

I take samples to the local state health lab. 5 dollars each.

But.. I still believe that double dosing once a year is something I will continue to do..

because...

for example... (I realize babies are more suseptable to certain parasites)

I had a yearling filly... got her when she was weaned.(don't know her deworming program if any before I got her)

She was dewormed every thirty days here and went to a trainer, where she was on daily

strongid. I brought her home,,we just cold not get this belly off.

I did fecal counts.. all neg, vet checked her, everything we could think of.

Finally,, my vet suggested double dosing her with panacur for 5 days.

OMG.. day 4.. she shed a SNAKE worm!!! IT was just shy of 11 inches long,

identified by the lad as "parascaris" a round worm. a year later, she still has the big belly

I don't know what kind of damage the giant worms did or if that is even why she has the belly..

but the worming program she was on clearly was not working for her!!!

And it left me thinking that a fecal count is hit or miss.. and not ok to base your worming program

totally on.

Glad Sonata is doing good

)

~Sandy

 

[Knighthawke]

I know they have changed deworming protocol a lot. I was told you should deworm then ck a fecal 14 days after worming to make sure the wormer is working in your area and that the parasites in your area have not built up a resistance.

 

[valshingle]

I heard from my vet and she said that studies have not been done on pregnant mares on the double dose for 5 days. However, studies have been done on pregnant mares with a 5X single dose and there were no problems. And studies have been done on pregnant mares on a regular dose for 5 days in a row - that is also proven safe. She feels that a double dose for 5 days should be safe. There is the very remote possiblity that a heavy parasite kill could release toxins that could trigger a strong prostaglandin release. The prostaglandins could theoretically trigger the mare to go into labor early. To be absolutely safe, she suggested a double dose then wait 2-3 days, then double dose and wait 2-3 days, etc. If the mare showed any colicy signs, the worming should be stopped. On the whole, as was said earlier, Panacur is one of the safest wormers out there.

 

[MountainMeadows]

Thanks for checking with your vets Ladies -- I think I will play it safe and do a single dose every other day and see what happens - might just "help" enough to get her thru this trimester - she is due in April - so not far off.

Stac

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I only single dose anyway, as that is what is recommended in Europe.

NO idea why!!

I have asked , on a number of occasions, too.

But you do need to do it every day in order for it to have any effect, every other day, well, maybe if you went on for ten days it might work, not sure though!!

I am a great advocate of faecal tests BUT you do have to remember that faecal tests will not show encysteds (which is what the five day course is for) or tapes.