Keeping an eye on parasites!

The thinking about deworming has changed so much in the 12 years that I have owned donkeys.
When I got my first donk in May of 2002, I was given advice by "reputable" donkey owners to
"give 1/4 tube of Eqvalan (Ivermectin) paste four times a year."  No mention of body weight just that "minis get 1/4 tube."

Another very credible internet source was adamant about rotating dewormers and using a product every 60 days in order to interrupt the cycle of egg laying.  And to deworm every animal in the herd at the same time.  Made sense!  Sort of ... except that I just hated the thought of feeding chemicals to my animals that often.

So I tried a variety of herbal products, again from credible suppliers who were (are still probably) adamant that these products (expensive too) work.  The one thing I couldn't bring myself to try though was feeding diatomaceous earth.  I know there are folks who praise it but to me, it's like feeding ground glass ... right or wrong ( and I'm not sayin' I'm right in this!)

Anyway, now I have a binocular microscope, a jug of sodium nitrate and a set of McMaster slides.  I do my own floats to check for internal parasites and I deworm when the count is higher than 200 eggs per gram.  I attended a 2-day clinic to learn how to do this, have read oodles about equine parasites and have gone to several talks given by vets and parasitologists.

What's amazing is how infrequently the donkeys actually need treating (if you keep your paddocks clean) and also how unique each animal is.  I started checking them in late Fall since deworming after the first frost is a good time, if they need it.  No one did!

When I get a low count of strongyle eggs (they are easy to spot!) I check again often, as perhaps they didn't happen to be shedding at the time I gathered a sample.  So I don't assume that the donkey has little or no parasites - I will check every week or two.  It's not hard to do and doesn't take very long.

So this past Fall Siog needed to be dewormed first, a month later Heather did too but not Rose or Dorrie.  I keep a journal of everything.  I checked Rose yesterday and again today but only counted 2 and then 3 strongyles (I'll deworm when I count 8 or more.) I'll keep checking Rose and Dorica frequently and will start rechecking Siog and Heather about 8 weeks after the dates they were dewormed.

My biggest challenge is dealing with encysted strongyles.  They're the ones that are not in the larval stage and therefore don't show up in a float.  It's a good idea to treat for them once per year but I'm leary of using the drugs on the minis.  Especially living, as we do, on an island where veterinary help is hard
to come by in an emergency.  My plan for treating them is to use Ivermectin in May and then again 3 weeks later - hopefully this will kill of the eggs in the larval stage, inviting the encysted ones to develop and then I'll hit them again.  That's my current thinking for now.  If anyone has a better idea I'm all ears!

More thoughts on Deworming your Donkeys

Here are some common "myths" that it seems we need to rethink when it comes to deworming our equine:

1. When you give a paste dewormer, the job is done - your animals are now "parasite-free!"

Not so!  Your donkey's parasites may have developed a resistance to the particular drug.
When I did a fecal egg count for Siog, 6 days after deworming her with Panacur paste, she showed exactly the same parasite burden as before, therefore Panacur was not effective.  Had I not re-checked, her, I might have thought she was clean!


2. The calendar says it's _____ month, therefore I had better deworm my donkeys!

Not so!  Although it's true that internal parasites may be more active at certain times of the year, for example, there is something called a "Spring rise" when more eggs hatch, it's also true that some animals carry heavier burdens than others and may not even need to be dewormed at that time.


3.  I took a manure sample to the vet and the results showed no parasites, therefore, my animal is clean.

Not necessarily so!  It could simply be that the eggs weren't hatching out in the sample you took or that 
the vet only sampled from a small amount or from the outside of the fecal ball instead of the inside.


4.  If one of my animals has internal parasites, then I need to deworm them all (batch deworming.)


Not so!  Some animals are prone to parasite burdens, some are not.  Treat them as individuals.





The best way to deal with all of the above, is to invest in a microscope and learn to do FECs (fecal egg counts) yourself and then to test fairly often, say once a month for each animal.  It's really not hard to learn!

An article from Riva's Remedies on Internal Parasites

Here is an interesting article with an emphasis on Natural dewormers but also with some very good equine/-keeping recommendations. Interesting to note that no scientific research has been done proving the effectiveness of natural dewormers on donkeys, however the UK Donkey Sanctuary is currently funding research into this, so hopefully we'll know more.  I am not "recommending" natural dewormers as such - even with herbs, one has to be very careful as some can be extremely detrimental to a donkey's gut, but read on 
and make informed decisions.
 

Parasites & Horses

Of all domestic livestock, horses have the largest numbers of parasites. Horses that graze on grass in a domesticated living environment are very susceptible, since parasites spend a part of their life cycle living on the grass blades. Horses are at greatest risk of parasitic infection if they are allowed to overgraze their pasture, because overgrazed, nutrient-poor grass favours higher larval populations. They are also at risk under confined conditions, because in tight quarters they are more likely to pick up eggs shed by one another.  Horses graze close to the ground and, more than other livestock, are always smelling, nibbling, and licking, whereby they can pick up large numbers of infective larvae.

Once in the horse’s digestive tract, female parasites lay eggs in the hindgut. These eggs are passed to the ground inside the feces. Under proper environmental conditions (including warmth and moisture) the eggs hatch into larvae in the manure. Under cold and dry conditions, the eggs can survive un-hatched for long periods, waiting to emerge when the conditions are right. The infective larvae migrate onto grass blades, where they remain until grazing horses ingest them. They then develop into young parasites in the intestines. In the fall, prompted by the changes in daylight, ingested intestinal larvae penetrate the wall of the large intestine where they encyst and begin another life cycle within the host.

The most common parasites to infect equines are small strongyles, large strongyles, roundworms and pinworms. Small strongyles are the most common, and their encysted larvae can cause colic, anemia, weight loss and mal-absorption. Large strongyles, known as bloodworms, enter the bloodstream and migrate for six to seven months along the walls of the arteries, the liver, the kidneys, the pancreas and the intestinal wall causing tissue damage. They eventually return to the large intestine as young adults.

Roundworms only affect weanlings and yearlings, with encysted larvae migrating to the liver, heart and/or lungs. Infected youngsters will generally show signs like malnutrition, colic, failure to thrive, unhealthy hair coat, pot belly and possible coughing.

Pinworms lay eggs around the anus, causing tail itching and hair loss.

General symptoms that are associated with infections from all worm types can also include poor appetite, diarrhea, itching, skin conditions, fatigue, poor body condition, depression, anxiety and ulcers. Interestingly it is not of benefit for these parasites to kill its host so most horses just continue to get sicker rather than die.

The treatment of equine parasites is not as simple as we think. Not only are there different types of parasites but each horse has different levels of resistance – some horses with a high count have no symptoms whatsoever and other horses with hardly any infestation have no resistance at all and show a variety of symptoms. As well, there is much concern about over-medicating horses with chemical de-wormers leading to the mutation and resistance of the parasites themselves. And conversely, for some horses, herbal and homeopathic treatments are not enough.

Chemical De-wormers

Chemical de-wormers came on the scene in the 1960s to target all species of worms. Only one new de-worming medicine has been introduced in the past 15 years and few new ones are expected. In recent years, however, the chemical war on parasites has become less popular for the following reasons:

1) Worms, especially small strongyles and roundworms, adaptive creatures that they are, have learned to build resistance. This has no doubt been spurred on by overly-aggressive parasite drug treatments putting selective pressure on worms to mutate. The indiscriminate and repetitive use of chemical de-wormers on horses, especially those horses who may not even be infested, leads to parasitic mutation, and puts the horses at risk for toxic chemical overload and compromised immunity. Some de-worming practices advocate double dosing for several days in succession! By testing with kinesiology I find that most horses require much lower dosages than the recommended full dose of 450 – 500 kg. And that these lower dosages are just as effective. In some cases the horses require a very small dose three or four days in succession or even once per week for three to four weeks.

2) Too frequent chemical de-wormings or excessive dosages contribute to intestinal imbalances, liver and kidney stress and overall toxicity. A horse’s health is often jeopardized by frequently repeating treatments without results.  Be cautious of de-wormers that claim to kill encysted larvae, since in order to do so the drug must chemically alter the intestinal membrane to access the larvae. In sensitive horses this can lead to leaky gut, malnutrition, colic, and weight loss – sometimes extreme. Adverse reactions to all chemical de-wormers may include drooling, colic, swellings, allergic reactions and laminitis.

3) Chemical de-wormers often trigger the unaffected encysted larvae to emerge and develop into adult worms as soon as the drug is gone from the horse’s system. These newly developed adult parasites begin to shed eggs immediately and, depending on the time of year, can begin developing into parasites almost immediately.

4) Chemical parasite control measures shift our focus away from more natural parasite preventions such as controlling environmental contamination and keeping our horses in optimum gut health.

Having said this chemical de-wormers are still often a necessity especially for horses that have a heavy parasite load, have a low level of resistance to parasite toxicity and/or have been left untreated for a long period of time. We also find a use for chemicals after forcing encysted larvae back into the intestinal tract with anti-parasitic herbs. However, these situations are very different from administering de-wormers every few weeks without knowing whether or not your horse even needs them. And given the fact that only 30% of the horses (usually the weakest) in any herd are carrying the majority of the parasite load, this means that nearly 70% of our horses are subjected to unnecessary chemicals on a regular basis. It is highly advisable to make use of fecal parasite tests to determine whether or not your horse even has an overload of parasites. Bear in mind that a fecal parasite count will not indicate the presence of encysted parasites however I do find that those horses with high levels of encysted parasites will most often have a high load of shedding parasites as well. In any case, horses, like all animals including people, are not meant to have a sterile intestinal system – it’s all about balance. A healthy ecosystem relies on a balance of microorganisms including bacteria, yeast and the occasional parasite. If horses are never exposed to parasites, they will never build natural immunity and a stronger resistance.

Chemical de-wormers or not, effective parasite control starts with prevention, environmental control and an optimum immune system. It is important to recognize that random treatment, chemical or herbal, in a parasite laden environment will accomplish very little. Parasite management consists of healthy immunity, balance and environmental control. It is not a relentless war of eradication.

Effective Natural Parasite Control

Poor resistance to parasites is caused by poor feeding practices, inadequate nutrition, stress and a toxic colon. The intestinal environment created by high sugar-carbohydrate diets from excess grass or grain is favoured by disease causing-pathogens and parasites that eventually damage the colon membranes (leaky gut). As discussed earlier, excess sugar fermentation produces a highly acidic environment that encourages the excess proliferation of bacteria, yeast and parasites. Horses in poor condition with toxic colons will be the most favoured hosts and hostesses for parasites. The good news is that you can build up the strength of your entire herd by building up the health and immunity of these particular horses. A natural diet, adequate nutrition, colon support and detoxification through the use of herbal cleansers and anti-parasitics, as well as probiotics , will keep a troublesome overgrowth of parasites to a minimum.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Parasite Control

What to Do

Do perform fecal egg counts to determine who needs treatment, what programs are effective, and which horses in the herd need the most attention. Egg counts are the only way to determine if what you’re doing is working. Horses at risk should be tested regularly since encysted parasites or those that have migrated into other body systems won’t shed.

Do keep stables, paddocks and pastures as clean as possible and free of manure. This breaks the parasite life cycle.

Do give your horse access to free choice weeds, trees, shrubs and brush whenever possible. This allows them more opportunity to select their own herbal de-wormers and intestinal cleansers. It is absolutely fascinating to watch what horses will choose to ingest when given a choice.

Do give your chickens and ducks and any other bug-eating farm critters free access to pastures and manure piles so that they can feed on larvae. Some farms keep their chicken coop on wheels and roll it to different areas in the pasture. Free run chickens are happier and lay better eggs! And chickens, like all animals, like to explore and forage and visit with their human companions.

Do concentrate on parasite programs in the spring and fall when adults and larvae are intestinally active. In springtime, parasites are migrating from the horse to the pasture whereas in the fall the horses eat the larvae which then hatch into adult worms. Take advantage of the lunar cycle too, since worms are more active during the full moon, making them more accessible to antagonists.

Do use herbal remedies and nutrients to prevent and treat parasites by maintaining a healthy colon and a balanced intestinal ecosystem. The best prevention is good digestion and a strong immune system.

Do consider having a kinesiology work-up completed to customize a complete parasitic program (see consultations and services).

What Not To Do

Don’t contribute to the parasite mutation problem and the toxic chemical overload by over-medicating. If you must chemically de-worm, keep it to an absolute minimum determined by fecals and/or kinesiology work-ups and treat your horse with probiotics afterwards.

Don’t chemically de-worm horses that don’t have a parasite problem – this is not appropriate or sensible prevention!

Don’t overcrowd your pastures and paddocks – this breeds parasites and is related to poor overall herd health and immunity.

Don’t harrow pastures in warm, wet weather – this merely spreads parasites in a favourable environment and enables larvae to crawl onto the grass. Wait for hot, sunny weather to harrow.

Don’t spread fresh manure on to the pastures – it must be properly composted first.

Natural Remedies

Para+Plus (dandelion, elecampane, gentian, kelp, sage, thyme, vervain blue, wormwood, yellow dock) – ¼ cup daily.

Has anti-parasitic, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal  and detoxification properties. Combines well with whole flax seed as the seeds help “push” the herbs into the hindgut before they digest in the stomach.

Gentian-Sage Tincture – ½ - 1 tsp daily

(Useful for disrupting and eliminating encysted parasites and larvae.)

Para+Win – one dose daily for 14 days.

A homeopathic formulation for horses with low resistance and high sensitivity to parasites and their toxins. Also helps to expel parasites.

Slippery Elm – 2-3 tablespoons daily

Very useful to protect the hindgut membranes from damage and irritation. It is also well indicated when parasites have encysted into the colon membranes causing pain, irritation, diarrhea and/or colic. Encysted parasites can migrate to the liver, heart and kidneys – at this point it is best to have a consultation done to determine the most effective treatment.

Horse-Keeping

Exercise your horses – exercise improves everything from digestion to immunity to parasite resistance. Ride them, pony them, chase them, hand-walk them…whatever it takes to keep them busy and get them moving. Don’t let them die from boredom.

Feed your horses frequently. Small frequent meals and/or slow feeders encourage strong digestion and prevent stress, ulcers and poor resistance to parasites. Don’t let your horses stand idle for long periods of time without anything to eat.

Marijke van de Water (B.Sc., DHMS) is an Equine Health & Nutrition Specialist, Homeopathic Practitioner and Medical Intuitive. She is the author of “Healing Horses: Their Way!” and “Healing People: The Marijke Method”. She is a regular speaker at equine seminars and conferences and is the founder, formulator and CEO of Riva’s Remedies.

Copyright March 2012

Doing fecal floats & the world of internal parasites!

I just spent an intense couple of days with two biologists, currently working in Vancouver in parasitology.
Wow - do they ever know their stuff!

We studied the various egg and larval stages of livestock parasites, focusing particularly on those affecting  equines and ruminants. Then we moved on to the lab portion of the workshop, calibrating microscopes and using various methods to float eggs from fresh manure samples that we had brought.

I have been doing fecal floats for the donkeys for several months now and had all sorts of questions.
Now I feel much more confident in being able to identify the "artifacts" (plant material, including pollen)
and the parasite eggs of strongyles, ascarids and tapeworm.

The thinking on deworming has really changed during the 10 years that I have lived with donkeys.  It used to be recommended that you deworm everyone in your herd approximately every 60 days according to the calendar and that you use a different product each time.

Now this is outdated, as it has been realized that:

1. Chemical dewormers completely alter the body chemistry, killing all of the beneficial bacteria in the body,
possibly contributing to ulceration of the stomach or intestines.

2. Not all animals are susceptible to parasitic infection, there are "low shedders" medium shedders and heavy shedders in every group of animals.

3. Deworming with frequency sets up resistance to the drugs which are then ineffective.

4. A small numbers of internal parasites is actually fine and even helps the animals to develop an immunity.

So it makes sense to do simple fecal floats on each animal, several times a year and then deworm only the animals that are carrying a parasite burden that is over the recommended minimum.  It may even make sense to offer some non-chemical support in the form of herbs or homeopathy, in the hopes of further reducing the need for chemical dewormers.

You'll need a binocular microscope and a set of McMaster slides from www.vetslides.com, a floating solution (I use Fecasol which is sodium nitrate.)

I find it very interesting to investigate the world of internal parasites and to know what's going on with my donkeys!

 *****