How to Wage an Effective War against Equine Lungworms
Normally lungworms are associated with infecting donkeys rather than horses. However, increasing numbers of cases in horses are being reported each year. It is thought that much of this is brought about by shared grazing conditions.
As the name suggests, these parasites do their work in the respiratory tract of the animal. The most common symptoms will include coughing and other breathing problems; these are often accentuated when the animal is exercising.
Persistent Cough
When a horse develops a persistent cough there is chance that lungworms will be at the centre of it. This is increased when the animal has been in contact with donkeys. The likely solution will be to embark on a lungworm treatment program.
An animal that picks up this parasite will normally do so when grazing. The larvae are ingested whilst eating. The journey begins as the larvae travels through the body to the lungs where they mature. The mature adults will then set about laying eggs. These eggs will then hatch and migrate to the lungs. It is not uncommon to find lungworms that reach close to 8 cm in length.
Lungworms that go untreated will bring about a degree of respiratory distress, with the very worst cases causing lasting damage to the animal.
Specialist Treatment
For horses that are suffering from lungworms there is an effective treatment available in the form of Equimax. Two active ingredients are found in this horse worming product, these are Praziquantel and Ivermectin. Dosage is normally administered via a syringe, which will normally contain enough active ingredients to treat an animal up to 700 kg.
It is essential to develop a horse wormers schedule with your veterinarian. This way you will stand a much better chance of keeping this dangerous parasite at bay.
Equimax is not only effective in the treatment of lungworms; it can also be used to kill gastrointestinal roundworms, tapeworms and bots in horses, if you need to know more about this or any other brand of horse wormer then contact one of the many reputable dealers online or your local vet.
Aside from physically treating the disease it is important to consider changes to pasture management. Some solutions will include:
• Implement feeding trays rather than feeding directly from the ground
• Organise faecal sampling
• Separate horses from donkeys
Prevention is better than Cure
As with most other infections, the best form of treatment comes in the form of prevention. Steps should be taken to ensure that your animals are treated regularly. It is possible to purchase cheap wormers for horses online with many suppliers stocking Equimax horse wormer products.
In the event of your animal becoming distressed it is vital that advice be sought as soon as possible. Thankfully once a bout of lungworms is brought under control your horse will normally be free of any lasting respiratory issues. An effective combination of wormers alongside improved pasture management should help to keep your animal free of this nasty parasite.
Respiratory issues in horses can lead to serious and lasting problems. To help prevent the issue of lungworms and other parasites a treatment of Equimax can be administered.
Debbie Reade is a frequent contributor of articles for Wormers.co.uk and has written on many subjects pertaining to all animal needs including cats and dogs but mainly on the subject of Equine health.
