Worming foals for bots??

[luv2ridesaddleseat]

After the first or second hard frost I worm my horses with Ivermectin Gold or a similar product with a boticide. Is it safe to worm my 5 month old filly for bots also? I assume it is, but I don't want to do it until I'm sure.

Thank you all for your help!

 

[MiLo Minis]

Ivermectin is one of the safest wormers on the market. Read the label or insert that comes in your wormer if you are uncertain. I have used ivermectin on foals as young as one month of age with no adverse effects.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Agreed.

I do not use anything else, just add Fenbendazole for encysteds and Praziquantel for Tapes.

I do use Fenbendazole for my first worming at ten days, after that I use Ivermectin.

 

[luv2ridesaddleseat]

I do know the Ivermectin is safe, but what about the Ivermectin with the boticide added to it? Or, what do you use to worm your minis for bots??

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Ivermectin is a boticide.

Are you thinking of the one with Praziquantel, for tapeworms??

There is little need to de-tape a five month old foal, they have not had time to develop a problem.

 

[luv2ridesaddleseat]

DUHHHHHH!!! I can't believe I did that! Yes, TAPEWORM!!!!!

Thanks Fizz, I'll go hide in a hole now.

 

[wildoak]

I did everyone with Ivermectin Gold recently, it is labeled safe I believe for horses over 2 or 3 months. They do say that it's not been tested in pregnant mares so they got plain ivermectin - although my vet said it is most likely safe for them as well.

Jan

 

[Becky]

There is little need to de-tape a five month old foal, they have not had time to develop a problem.

Some years back I took a client weanling filly to the AMHA National Show. She coliced right after the show and had to have surgery. It was an intusseption colic and the surgeon said it was likely caused by tapeworms.

I now deworm my foals with either Zimectrin Gold or Equimax starting around 5 months of age.

 

[luv2ridesaddleseat]

Excellent infomation! Thanks Becky!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

It is theoretically possible for a weanling over five months to get Tapeworms, but the dam would have had to have been infested and the foal would have had to have been ingesting them from birth.

This is obviously, although possible, rare.

A tapeworm's life cycle requires five months, so general Veterinary response is that foals under this age do not require routine worming for tapeworms.

There are always exceptions to every rule...

I have wormed a fool for Tapeworms with Praziquantel, without any undue reactions, foal was around six months and I had a colic from Tapeworms, so was taking no chances that year, but normally I will start "Tapeworming "at one year old.

 

[Becky]

Everything I have read regarding tapeworms is that they are carried by oribitid mites which a horse ingests by grazing low pastures. The tapeworms mature in horses in 1 - 2 months. It's my opinion (and the vets here) that foals who are grazing can ingest tapeworm eggs. Since over 90% of intussusecption colics are caused by tapeworms, I don't want to take the chance and do deworm my foals for them starting at a few months of age. I'd rather be safe than sorry!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

All I can say is maybe it is a regional difference, as my Vet gives the advice I have quoted.

Obvioulsy this is for my region.

 

[Becky]

Obvioulsy this is for my region.

I was thinking the same thing. Apparantly, one size does not fit all!