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Horse sick after worming?
Has anyone else had a horse that became sick a few days after being wormed?
On Thursday I wormed my horse with Equimax worm paste (it treats worms as well as bots and tapeworm). Big deal, he has had this paste before with no problems.
However on Saturday, late afternoon when I arrived to feed my horse, it was clear that something was up. *He did not come greet me when I drove up- usually he is waiting at the corner for me. Instead he was in his shed, and didn't leave it until I dragged him out to rug him for the night. Very unlike him.
*He also had not finished his breakfast, and showed little interest in his dinner.
*He had produced less manure than normal, and did not look comfortable.
*There were no gut sounds until suddenly a loud rumble. His gums were a little pale.
*He started kicking at the right side of his belly, and started walking backward, which are all symptoms he exhibited when he had a mild colic attack a few years ago (caught that early on), and even hid behind his shed. After leading him around a few minutes, he produced a small pile of loose manure, but still didn't look comfortable. He didn't object to having me stroke his face, and even tried to hide his face in my side, which is completely unlike him as he likes his space and is not a fan of having his face touched.
So I went and contacted a local trainer to come drench him (nearest vet is over an hour drive away). However, before the trainer could arrive, my horse had finally started to slowly eat his breakfast hay. He seemed a little brighter too. The trainer said it probably was the worming paste that made him sick.
I was wondering if anyone else has had something like this happen to them, that their horse got colicky two days after being wormed? It has never happened to any of my horses before.
Sunday morning, he was back to his normal unpleasant self, as though Saturday had never happened. I made sure to give him the same amount as always.
The trainer also said that there had been several cases of colic in the area in the past couple months. Is it possible that it is not related to the worm paste at all, but something to do with the changing season? We are at the tail end of winter and the weather has started getting warmer.
7 Answers
- leegalen22Lv 67 years agoFavourite answer
It happens to a very few but yes some horses are more sensitive. That's why I got in the habit of sticking the worming box on the front of my stalls for a day or two so that people could call me if one of my horses started to act oddly.
I always keep a large vet style plastic syringe and 5 or 6 bottles of Mineral Oil in my medical kit for colic. Squeeze that stuff down them, walk them 5-10 minutes and do it again. On a mild colic it will take them
quickly out of it.
Try a different brand of de-wormer next time and then keep an eye on him. Then you'll be able to figure out which one is safe for him.
- ?Lv 47 years ago
The best thing for you to do is to give your horse Garlic powder (freeze dried) dose 50mg per day in the feed
THIS Herb WILL protect your from worms / equine flu / strangles etc, also to prevent a farther attack of colic
give your horse Linseed oil for a glossy coat / healthy skin and a healthy digestive system dose 50ml per day in the feed AND DO NOT
use over the counter de-wormers as they WILL cause MORE damage to a horses digestive system then
the worms will ever do!! SO BE WARNED!! (this includes cats and dogs)
Source(s): A Horse Master of 56yrs+ - Magenta DawnLv 57 years ago
I have heard that the Equimax worm paste can cause horse to have colicky symptoms, so I would avoid giving that brand to him again.
The colic could have been caused by a heavy burden of worms dying and making him sick. If your horse had been infected with small strongyles, the worm paste will have killed off the small strongyles but not the encysted ones that are buried into the intestinal wall. Once you kill off the small strongyles, the encysted small strongyles hatch from their cysts, burrow through the horse's intestinal wall and travel to the large colon to take the place of the worms that have been killed. However, as they hatch and migrate, they bring with them toxins caused from waste products while they were encysted, and this is what makes your horse get colic or even kills him.
This is why it is recommended that you keep your horse on a regular worming cycle, to prevent large worm burdens from forming. How often do you worm your horse?
Or from sand colic- is it possible that he could have eaten sand with his feed? That can cause sand colic too.
- 6 years ago
A few years back Equimax caused or induced stomach ulcer. Horse refused feed, lying down snaking head..Vet misdiagnosed for colic gave banamine, induced the ulcer even more causing horrific suffering.. Had another Vet gastroscope my horse, found bleeding laceration ulcers had to be treated with gastrogard.. I do not use toxic dewormers anymore... There are natural alternatives keeping the worm environment in control..
- 7 years ago
I have heard that it can happen. That the worm paste can reduce a horse's appetite, but I have never had it happen to me, or known anyone who has had it happen.
