I JUST RECEIVED THIS EMAIL FROM A FRIEND
Candie, our 5 month old mini filly, was hospitalized in Fayetteville this morning, and died a little while ago. I wanted to let you know what happened, so this won't ever happen to you.
She was still not gaining weight well, despite all the supplements & worming etc, so Dr. Helton suggested trying Zimecterin Gold (ivermectin + praziquantel) just in case she had tapeworms. I don't usually use that wormer, and wouldn't normally on a foal anyway, but Tracy thought it might help since nothing else had worked.
We gave it to her, a tiny amount, Saturday afternoon. She did do a lot of lip-smacking/chewing right after.
Yesterday afternoon she was quiet and didn't eat as well as usual, but nothing dramatically different, and she was drinking. Early this morning she was sticking her whole face down into the water bucket, splashing, & wouldn't eat her mash. When I looked in her mouth, thinking maybe she had a tooth problem (like Trinket did), I was totally shocked - her inner lips, gums, and tongue were covered in awful ulcers & blisters, everywhere inside her mouth. We called the horse hospital in Fayetteville & rushed her over there. She was put on IV fluids, two IV antibiotics, steroids and pain med, and would need a feeding tube tomorrow if not improved. Dr. Smith said he's seen this before, and that "Zimecterin Gold is like battery acid, I don't use it". A bigger stronger horse might have been able to tolerate a reaction, but not little Candie.
After hitting the internet, it does look like there have been others who have had similar reactions, many with massive mouth swelling.
PLEASE think twice before using this wormer. This tiny filly did have some problems anyway, but massive mouth ulceration from a wormer was not one of them, and that's what caused her death, in under 48 hours. It may have been esophageal & gastric as well. I'm glad that it was ME who gave it to her, not Anna or Meredith, because from now on it's going to be really hard for us to worm our horses.