How many times can I drench my horse with one tube of Equimax?
It all depends on the size of your horse. The content of one syringe will treat one horse of 600kg bodyweight. Each weight mark on the syringe plunger represents one dose for 100kg of bodyweight.
Is it safe to use for a pregnant mare?
Yes, it is totally safe. There is no adverse reaction with up to twice the recommended dose. Pregnancy rate is unaffected.
How does a horse get tapeworm?
Infection is by ingestion of the oribatid mite, found in pasture, hay or straw. This mite contains the immature tapeworm. Approximately six to ten weeks after ingestion, the larvae are sexually mature and ready to shed segments. These segments, containing eggs can survive up to nine months on the ground. These eggs will be ingested by the oribatid mite, who will in turn, be ingested by the horse, and the cycle continues. The mites can exist for over a year in the pasture.
Will Equimax affect the libido or the behaviour of my stallion?
No it won’t affect any of your stallion’s abilities and seminal characteristics (tested at twice the therapeutic dose).
At what age should I start worming my horse?
As with most answers for worm questions, the correct answers depends on whether you know the worm status of your horses. If your current worming programme is effective and you worm the mare during pregnancy, you probably will not have to worm the foal for many months after it’s born. In many circumstances though, it is probably wise to commence worming once the foal is 6 to 8 weeks of age.
I am slightly confused about when and how often I should be worming for tapeworms?
If you’re using a highly effective product and, in general terms, your worming problem is not severe, then a minimum of two strategic doses (May and Sept) per year may be sufficient. If you have a particular problem or are concerned, a third dose in the middle of summer (Jan) is advisable. Furthermore, in the north of the country, tapeworms are more likely to be a year long phenomena.
Can you explain why some horses get irritated or colicky after being wormed?
There are two possibilities why a drench may cause colic. The one most people expect or fear, is that the paste or chemical itself damages or irritates the gut. The newer wormers available are unlikely to cause this scenario. The most common reason why horses get colicky is because the wormer is actually working. In the process of dying, the worms can damage tissues and cause general or local (e.g. the mouth) irritation. It may be a cause for concern, but it is better to get rid of worms than to attempt to avoid what is a minor development following worming.
