[QUOTE=Ambrey;3484421]
Two horses means 8 tubes… I was hoping for the other answer 
eta: I have two very itchy horses. My pony has some bumps… not oozy, but itchy for sure. I’m definitely doing this.[/QUOTE]
countrysupply.com cheapest I think!
Ambrey…see above for ivermectin OR go through Country Supply/Horse.com like LMH said for the Equimax. 
Yep, I’m placing an order with them now. Just trying to decide… LOL!
ivermectin 2.29
I ordered 50 tubes today. thank you HDFARM for sharing your information.
I figured as much.
In which case, I heart ChocoMare and LittleD too.
I had read a lot of articles and studies on google scholar and had noticed the use of Doxy. Maybe that’s why the field hunter did not have the same “instant” reaction of the other horses - he’s been treated for Lyme for several months. The other two just got a one month treatment of doxy. (high titers but not awful)
Guess I missed a bit of a derailing - I hope a troll wasn’t involved. :mad:
Also - I think this is a great article idea for COTH. The magazine doesn’t do a lot of fluff type articles on horse care - and NTW is the most nonfluffy subject I can think of. Especially if COTH included the picture of the worm coming out of that fly.
ChocoMare - it’s your fault that we’re having nightmares about worms - so why don’t you contact the moderators and suggest it?
I have a personal reason for asking - I had mentioned NTW to an acquaintance whose horse was rubbing himself raw - and was immediately poo poo’d by the surrounding experts. I was getting strongid confused with invermectin, doncha know. I’m so stoopid. :rolleyes:
Late to the party
I went through this whole thing about 4 years ago. Read all about neck thread worms and Onchocerca. Had a horse that came from Australia and was just eaten up by something. Real bad in the mane, cresty and all. Reading suggested NTW was common down under. I also read about River Blindness and it all fit together for me.
Took the horse to local vet college for exam by the parasite expert there. He said “no” to the NTW idea and swore it was all Onchocerca. Said only thing was to bring her in at night to a screened stall. That wasn’t practical. She survived and in subsequent seasons was not as torn up.
Other horses have had the itchies each summer but generally it has been different horses in different years. Those that get it really tear themselves up. I am getting to where I dispare at the thought of having horses with full manes and tails.
Oddly we have skirted around this so close without hitting the target. My trainer swears that daily wormer is the only thing that keeps hair on his mare here in Florida. Because I did all that reading about Ivermectin I was sure this was just a coinsidence.
I’m now spenting some $ on an immunization program for 2 horses. Have another with same condition as a control. Guess what? All three are improving at about the same rate.
I’m worming monthly with Ivermectin at 1X rate and thinking I’m getting the job done but I’ve been missing the piont that it takes a massive dose to get the NTW and the Onchocerca.
Now what’s bothering me is $. Dosing the whole herd at 2X rate 2 times looks like some serious jack. I think I’ll immediately hit those suffering ( about 8 out of 30 ) and then go forward with this in the worming program but with emphasis on those that are going out in public. I Power Packed this spring but double shot of Equimax would actually cost less I think.
One other thing. My farrier swears liguid injectable Ivermectin is cheaper (not true) and more effective than paste. Any thoughts on this??? We just draw up the dose of liquid and squirt it in thier mouth.
Thanks and I can’t believe I never gave the double dose a try just for the heck of it. The vets said it was safe but not necessary.
Dick
J Swan…
You know what I do about people who argue with me about it? I tell them “then don’t do it”. And I refuse to discuss it further. Same w/my feeding program and how I handle the IR horses. Don’t like it? Then DON’T DO IT.
I say that because I honestly don’t care. I mean in a sincere way… not in an ugly way… I don’t care. I don’t think twice about it. This is what I do, this is how I do it. If you chose to piece-meal the program and then wonder why it didn’t work, DON’T ASK ME WHY. I have no idea. I can only tell you what has worked extremely well for me. Again, if you don’t wish to do it, thats absolutely 100% fine. Don’t think that for a minute I have even give it a second thought.
I figure people have a choice, just like I do. What they do with their choice is not of my concern. Much more peaceful this way
I’m a bit confused here.
Neck threadworms are Onchocerca cervicalis.
[QUOTE=ChocoMare;3455870]
Hey! OP, JillTx and others who double dose two weeks ago… how are the horsies?[/QUOTE]
Just checking back in Choco. Luna is due for her second double dose tomorrow. I am happy to report that after the first double dosing of Equimax, she is no longer breaking her feeder and hay rack scratching her itchy bum and mane. The strange, little “moles” are still there though. 
I was catching up on the reading and it’s interesting to note that Luna had contracted tendons and surgery to correct when she was four months old. Her Dam was plagued with abscesses and skin problems for two years after I bought her (in foal), although they did get better with regular, consistent care. Things that make you go, “hmmmmmm…”
I will report back next week after tomorrows second double dosing (say THAT three times fast!!) :lol:
On a side note, I only had one “taker” at my barn, my pasturemate who also double dosed his gelding. he has had seasonal breakouts of hives along the midline and chest as well, so we figured “why not”!!
Hmmmmmmmmm, indeed!
I decided to split the difference and double dose equimax, then a double dose of invermectin 2 weeks later. I’ll let everyone know if my boys get any less itchy.
too fast
typing and thinking too fast. I meant to say the local expert blamed all the itching and scratching on CULICOIDES.
Sorry to mix up the parasites
Dick
Our update/progress
Well I have double dosed with equimax 2x. For my horse, he is less itchy, behind his knees and muzzle has 95% cleared up (which is great because those are the places I could not keep covered!). He still has bumps on his neck and shoulders that he itches the hair off of. Still itching his tail. I am going to do a single dose of ivermectin middle of next week, and repeat in two weeks as little d suggested.
Another symptom that I will say is clearing up is his “dandruff” issue. This horse has always had horrible dandruff (which I am now guessing was the normal cycle of the worms dying off). Despite feeding him flax seed and him having a very shiny coat, he always had a dry flaky mane.
Overall I would say his condition has improved 50-60% at this point. Hopefully if I continue with the ivermectin we will see further progress.
For Choco and JB
Poster: Jilltx
Horse: Luna, 6 yo IDSH mare
Symptoms:
1) Itchy, primarily in spring and summer mainly tail and belly.
2) Watery eyes (spring fall)
3) HIVES Spring summer
4 )Strange swellings on belly year-round ranging in size from golf-ball to grapefruit
usually with hard, open hole in center (like a bite or sting)
5) Between bouts of hives, skin looks swollen all over
6) Small black, hairless “moles” started appearing last summer. Vet has checked and
deemed “not an issue unless they change in size or appearance”
7) Gets scratches (Mud fever? Dew poisoning?? Everyone has a different name for
it here. Crusty lesions. Tx with zinc oxide usually helps, but they take forever to go away.
*8) as an aside, dam had skin problems, PSSM, aural plaques and chronic abscesses when
purchased in foal and badly neglected. Luna developed contracted tendons at
3-4 months in both front limbs and had HSD surgery to correct.
9) remains on minimal concentrates, flax, vitamin E, alfalfa/coastal so her coat always looks
pretty amazing. Hooves excellent. EASY keeper and very STOCKY all over. Not cresty.
Rubenesque. :lol:
Has been on Strongid c2x since she was ?? (I’ve forgotten) with regular paste wormings and fecals. Always negative. Paste worming has included Equimax.
Wormed with double dose of Equimax 8/17. Within one week I have noticed that she is SIGNIFICANTLY less itchy (as evidenced by her feed bucket not being molested, or the fence, or the trees, or the bushes…). Have not seen hives or bumps. Moles still present…no change. Scratches still present, although less angry.
Will re-dose with Equimax on 8/31 and report back with findings.
Well, you could argue that you were partly right–the culicoides are the vector…
3dazey’s horses “on the program”: Both 2x Equimax on 8/24, next dose due on 9/7.
18-yo OTTB, former UL event horse now retired from competition, doing some hacking and dressage. Long history of being a somewhat difficult keeper. Lives outside 24/7. Every summer has periods of weepy conjunctivitis. Sleep deprived, anti-hydrotic, goes on “high alert” in response to stimuli in his environment that don’t bother the other horses much, if at all. Various skin issues which are getting better as he gets older, but still gets the midline itch and rubs tail out near the end of summer. Used to get dreadful hives and painful body swelling all down his topline after being rained on. Seems to have developed an immunity to whatever caused that.
His pasture-mate, 7-yo OTTB, novice-level event horse in training. Low maintenance, properly functioning immune system, easy keeper, easy-going. No skin issues other than some rainrot this spring that resolved quickly, and the “cannon keratosis” on the hinds that the other horse has as well. He was going to be my control subject as I figured he really doesn’t have too many issues, but he’s the one who broke out in those small teardrop hives on his chest, shoulders & neck four days after the first 2X Equimax. That may just be coincidence because they did get rained on the night previous. Hives aren’t itchy or painful, but are still there two days later.
I am interested to see what happens after second dose.
Just a side note re: Anthelcide. Remember…the “threadworms” it says it kills on the box are a different species. These are the generic threadworms that live in the gut, NOT NTWs
Tank got her 2nd double dose today. She needed it! I put her in her stall during lessons today and she spent the majority of the time rubbing her mane on the manger. Body itchies are gone tho.
Hooves are going through some SERIOUS changes still. Old sole is crumbling away at a rapid pace. False sole is coming off in layers. I’ve been Keratexing still and padded/wrapped her right front today with yeast infection cream and triple antibiotic in it since she’s sore on that one.
[QUOTE=ChocoMare;3485762]
Just a side note re: Anthelcide. Remember…the “threadworms” it says it kills on the box are a different species. These are the generic threadworms that live in the gut, NOT NTWs ;)[/QUOTE]
Thanks!! Needed that… I was getting confused… which is not unusual, but… :winkgrin:
I took pictures, but hubby ran off with the cable this weekend! It will have to wait until tomorrow I think…
YUP> Me too… :eek: Thanks ChocoMare!!
Those tricky little charts and tables…
