I am trying to research the latest issues that have been experienced using Zemecterin Gold. I wormed my two mares on Tuesday with ZG and both had severe reaction. Exactly as has been described throughout this particular thread. However I am unable to find recent reportings. Is this because the problem has lessened? or perhaps people are not actively reporting? would appreciate help… am new to COTH
Still happening, and not reported just on COTH. It’s a regular discussion on FB groups as well
https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/forum/discussion-forums/horse-care/306026-warning-reactions-from-zimectrin-gold-wormer
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COTH horsemen have declined drastically as many have left the forum. Unfortunately there are still plenty of horses having reactions. If you search on FB you will find many threads where people are reporting reactions. Sorry your horses were victimized by this horrible product. Make sure you spell it correctly when you search.
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Also, since this has been going on for 10+ years now, many of us know not to use it anymore - so no reporting of problems.
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I can’t remember where I read this or maybe it was my vet to told me, but I heard the reaction tends to be worse when the wormer gets on the horse’s lips versus in their mouth where they can swallow it.
Whenever I give my horse his wormer (twice a year only), I make sure to avoid getting the wormer on his lips and I always take a clean rag to his mouth to clean it.
Considering there are horses who were scoped and had their mouths looked into, and found these “burns” inside the mouth and down the esophagus, don’t count on this being safe just because it didn’t get on the lips.
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Hence why I typed “tends to be worse”. I still watch my horse like a hawk for 1-2 hours afterwards and tell the barn staff for when they are feeding too.
Now that I’ve seen this thread (and read back a number of pages), I certainly won’t be using Zimecterin Gold again. I suppose I should count myself lucky that my three boys have never had a reaction like the ones described. I’ve used it as my fall wormer for years. As a matter of fact, its what I used just this past September. I have used EquiMax in the past - my horses seemed to like the flavor of the Zimecterin Gold better, so that’s why I used it instead. Feel like a bad horse mom that I was unaware.
Come on people, FB is 100% a ridiculously poor “news” source. Twitter is not a news source, etc. I’m not defending ZG, just pointing out that if you want real information regarding the % of horses who have reactions, find a real news source, don’t rely on what you read on social media.
Don’t take your science from social media. That’s a REALLY BAD IDEA!!!
Be part of the solution and not part of the problem.
If you have an adverse reaction go here:
Put a demand on the system. It will make the system work better for all of us.
G.
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I just had this same problem on November 1st, and I reported it in a different thread, although only one of the two mares I wormed reacted. The other had no problems at all. For reference, here’s a link to my report:
Don’t feel too bad, 4LeafCloverFarm. I made the same mistake on November 1st, and it seems the knowledge is not that well known. Even my vet brushed it off at first when I told him I thought she was having a reaction to the Zimecterin Gold. He said “such reactions are extremely rare” and he doubted that was what was going on. Never the less, he eventually advised me to administer 10 cc dexamethasone via IM injection. I did so, and about an hour later, she was infinitely better. So yes, there is no doubt in my mind that this was a reaction to the Zimecterin Gold. But again, don’t kick yourself too hard over not knowing. Even vets seem to think the reaction is extremely rare.
Zimecterin Gold does include a warning on the package insert. But they greatly downplay it by saying that the mouth soreness and drooling is “rare and transitory in nature.” Of course, if I got overly worked up about package inserts that say “rarely, such and such has occurred,” I wouldn’t give my horses any medication at all. After all, the package insert with the dexamethasone bottle itself says “rarely, this medication and other similar corticosteroids have caused anaphylactic shock.”
If anything, Zimecterin Gold needs to at least include a stronger warning that these reactions are more common than the package insert suggests, and they are often more serious than “transitory mouth soreness and drooling.”
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I think that’s the wrong place to report this type of thing. Dewormers are not biologics. So I think the place you actually want to report this is FDA’s animal drug adverse reaction form. Here’s a link to what I think is the right place to report problems with drugs like dewormers.
https://www.fda.gov/animalveterinary/safetyhealth/reportaproblem/ucm055305.htm
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YES, there does need to be a No Zimecterin Gold Sticky. I did not know this either and like @4LeafCloverFarm have used it every year on my horses. Thankfully without issue. I did end up switching to QuestPlus this fall even before seeing this thread.
@CL Moonriver - I saw your thread as well. That’s what got me reading the other threads on Zirmectin Gold - since this was news to me. So glad your mare recovered nicely.
@Guilherme - I wouldn’t say I take my science from the internet. But when there are numerous threads on a single product with almost identical reactions, I do take note. Then I look for articles on the same topic elsewhere (to see if its real or just drama). Then typically talk it over with my vet. I’ve used Zirmectin Gold for years without any ill effects. But I will stop using it now, simply because I don’t wish to temp fate.
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