Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Are Natural Wormers Effective in Horses?

I don't know about you, but I am always wondering about the answer to this question so when I got a link to this article I couldn't wait to look it up. For the first time, I read a great explanation of what's happening in the world of innovation for parasite control and I learned something new about ivermectin. Hopefully this link will work so you can read the entire article written by an expert in specifically in the field of parasite control.

5 comments:

  1. I'm glad there are folks working hard to find newer solutions to an old problem (although I sure do wish they would hurry up ;o)
    I've never heard of using garlic for parasite control; only to keep the bugs off the horses - I wonder where they got that one. Weird.

    I sure do hope you're feeling better soon girl; the road back from such things is often a very long and twisted one (so speaks the voice of experience *grin*). Hugs!

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  2. I have heard of large doses of garlic to repel flies. It permeates the skin and the smell is what drives them off. That was for dogs. Also yeast tablets to repel ticks. Don't know what exactly the effect of yeast was, but the vet recommended that one too.

    For the most part- the article seemed a lot of common sense. Too much is not a good thing, know what the doses are- the effectiveness, the safety factors involved... be it chemical agents or natural.

    I have heard to use regular chewing tobbacco as a wormer too. Cowboys 'back in the day' used to do it, so they say. Again the dosing was the main concern- too much and you get ulcers, not enough and it wasn't effective. Wonder why not a lot of research is being done on the part of the manufacturers for Copenhagen, Skoal, Redman & the like? May not be good for humans all the time, but ok for horses once in a while to kill worms. Not that I like the stuff at all, but it could be cheaper in comparison- Who knows?

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  3. I am always hesitant to use herbal stuff cause its usually not as well tested and so many people believe its a herb (or natural) that it cant hurt. But so not true. If one was proven it worked in a lab and real life I would sure try one. We tend to have less resistance here becuse of our super cold winter and large pastures. I probly should do the fecal egg testing cause I can probly worm most of my horses less than the few tiems a year I do because of the pastures they never have to eat near poop.

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  4. After reading the article I guess it's going to be some time before they find some natural dewormers that will work effectively. Then more time to get it produced and out to the public. Hope they find it soon though.

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  5. Rather than a daily chemical dewormer, I do use a diatamceous earth product called Basic Mineral, throughout the growing season. I have had good luck with it and only chemically de-worm my healthy adult horses once a year. I use Ivomectrin because the DE does not have any affect on bots, which live in the stomach. I have had a few fecal counts done and they have all come back with very low numbers, even as long as 8-9 months after being chemically de-wormed.

    I do usually de-worm Moon again in the summer, as he has a naturally-occurring low immune system and is more prone to a higher worm load.

    The DE is also ineffective on Ascarids, which can be prominent in young horses (18 months or less of age), so the youngsters typically get de-wormed 3 times a year, with whatever is appropriate for that time of year.

    Of course, it also depends on what area you live in. I doubt my de-worming schedule would work if I was down south or other areas that are more prone to parasite problems.

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