It was a very lean bag of post that we collected from the post office this morning, along with the news that our local sorting office at Team Valley, that serves the north east of England, suffered a walk out of staff overnight. We’re reliably informed that the morning shift hasn’t come in either.
🍂🍁🐴 Autumn is traditionally known as ‘tapeworm time’ as this was a good point in the year to worm hunting horses coming in from a summer at grass. It can be a useful way to remember to target tapeworm but there’s no reason to stick to this routine if another serves you better – and certainly no point in giving a wormer for the sake of it without knowing if there are parasites present to treat and if so, which ones?
Earlier this summer horse health experts raised concerns over the implications of tapeworm treatment options following the news that Equitape is to be withdrawn from sale in October 2018. In a turn of fortune for horse health, a specials manufacturer dedicated to the veterinary industry has stepped up to fill this gap. A new praziquantel-only equine product will be available to vets from- August 2018.
From October 2018 the wormer brand, Equitape®, commonly used to treat tapeworm infection will be discontinued from sale in the UK. This wormer is the only licenced product for horses containing praziquantel as a single active ingredient. Going forward it will only be available in ‘combination wormers’ also containing either ivermectin or moxidectin, the drugs most commonly used to treat small and large redworm (strongyles). Equitape’s removal from the portfolio of veterinary medicines available to target specific worm infection presents a challenge to prescribers and horse owners alike.
☀️🐴🕷🐛 Every season brings its problems and even though we look forward to the long light days, summer is no exception. So while the battle to control flies is a visible daily trial at this time of year it’s important to remember about other parasites too such as intestinal worms, pinworm, bots, ticks and summer sores that might affect the health of our horses.
📝🤒🐴 Westgate Labs has pledged to support the National Equine Health Survey. We are urging owners and keepers of horses and ponies to take part in the survey between 21-28th May, to help improve the future wellbeing of horses everywhere.
🥚🐣🥚 Counting eggs this Easter? Two bank holidays are definite cause for celebration but they mean no post in the lab and a bit of disruption to mail services. The laboratory will be closed both bank holidays, Friday 30th March and Monday 2nd April but open for testing on Saturday 31st March.
🐴🐛🆓📞 Are you unsure about parasite control for the horses in your care or would you find it helpful to sense check your worming programme for the year ahead? Book a FREE phone consultation with our friendly experts.
It’s that time of year when we all go gooey over foals! But how do we protect them from parasites that are in their environment and help them to develop to their best potential? “While foals and weanlings are literally just mini horses, the worms that they are likely to be infected by and the treatments for them can be very different” explains Carolyn Cummins MVB Phd MRCVS.