Hi
This is my first post and I got through about 40 pages of the NTW thread so far. I have a few questions:
I live in Florida and I have 2 mares who suffer from “sweet itch” from May through November and sometimes longer. I have tried every herb, lotion, shampoo and conditioner to no avail. I am curious to see if the DD of Equimax helps.
My questions: I usually use an herbal wormer and get FEC done before and after to make sure it’s working. Will this sudden outpouring of a chemical wormer be safe if their systems aren’t used to it? The thoroughbred has been herbally wormed for about 3 years and the cracker mare about a year and a half.
Also, what has worked to support them through the crazy itching that seems to happen as the worms die off?
Lastly, keeping the midges off of them will be difficult. They are pasture boarded so fans and stalls are not going to happen. I can barely keep a fly mask on the Cracker let alone a fly sheet and the pasture they are in doesn’t have the best manure management. Every time I go out there I pick up manure but with 13 horses in the same pasture, it’s overwhelming. Someday I will get land, but not anytime soon so I have to make the best of what I have.
I am really hopeful that this is going to work and I want to make sure I make them as comfortable as possible through this. I already plan to give them Prebiotic/Probiotic/Digestive/Enzyme and liver support.
Thanks!
Herbal dewormers don’t do anything, and definitely have not been killing juvenile NTWs, so now you have an adult colony you can’t kill. You haven’t killed tapeworms either.
Using Equimax now isn’t going to cause issues like you’re thinking. But with all these years of a likely tapeworm buildup, killing them may cause issues, so at least have your vet’s number handy
Look into the Equiderma line of products for the itching. Coat Defense has a pretty raving fan club as well.
Thank you JB.
I had always assumed that the herbal wormers were doing the job because the FEC would come back at either zero or really low. Should I start by using a single dose first before using this protocol or just jump in?
I use Equiderma and Coat defense now with minimal help in the itching department unfortunately.
I dont think FEC get tapeworms… but I could be wrong. As to keeping the midges off them, remember they “attack” a scrape or wound. Get on it quickly, cover it with a zinc oxide paste like equiderma or coat defense clay-based stuff… be sure it stays covered. Or the spray-on clear coating like the Farnum product (sorry dont know name right now) IF it looks like a summer sore is starting, your vet probably has a compound made up of trip antibiotic, ivermectrin, and perhaps DMSO… use it on the wound until it doesnt look like a summer sore any more. And keep it covered. Did I say that already?:winkgrin: (also in FL and battle them every year. Currently battling one on the tip of my mini’s nose. hoping the fly mask with nose keeps the flies off it enough to heal. Nothing will stay on it because of where it is…)
I think you’re right about the tapeworms and FEC lorilu. Hopefully now that I am going to be using this protocol regularly, it won’t be an issue.
I decided to do the DD tonight. I’m nervous about the possible tapeworm load, but excited to see if this helps them.
There’s a horse that is boarded where we are that is dealing with a similar nose sore. Such a bad spot to try to keep covered. Hope your mini recovers quickly!
How did your horses do with the deworming?
I use Smart Pack bug off ultra and it’s the first supplement I have ever had clear results with. My two that were rubbing their manes and tails out now have them growing in. No more rubbing! They live out full time with a shed.
But I do agree with their history, your horses also need a different deworming program.
Go for the double, which I see you did. Single or double is still going to get the tapeworms, but for whatever reason, the DD really helps the NTW issue if that’s what you’re dealing with.
I use Equiderma and Coat defense now with minimal help in the itching department unfortunately.
If you haven’t bathed with a medicated shampoo maybe start there.
So, I DD both horses twice. One mare had insane itching shortly after second DD. The other mare was pretty itchy as well, but probably about the same as before treatment.
I am now considering giving another dose of Ivermectin to make sure I am getting them all. I believe the protocol is a single dose monthly?
I also was curious about the small strongyles. I read in a post that they also don’t show up in fecals. Considering all the chemical worming my girls are currently going through, when would be a good idea to worm them for the encysted small strongyles? Would Quest be ok considering they hadn’t been used to chemical wormers prior to this?
I thought it was three double doses of Equimax spaced two weeks apart. So if it’s been two weeks since the first dd, do that again.
Is it 3? I thought I read 2. Well I single dosed them with ivermectin. Maybe I will do another tomorrow
