When should a worming programme be commenced in foals?
Since this can vary from farm to farm depending on horse population numbers, etc, it is always advisable to ask the advice of the treating veterinary surgeon on recommendations and advice on vaccination and de - worming. Parasite control for a foal should typically begin 45-60 days after birth but it may vary according to the farm’s parasite burden which can be checked by a simple faecal egg count. What type of basic criteria are used in de worming programmes for foals and weanlings?
Young foals are generally more susceptible to parasites than adult horses.To ensure the foal remains healthy, it is best to develop a regular parasite control programme. The use of biannual faecal examinations in weanlings and yearlings is useful to evaluate the efficacy of the parasite control programme. It is important to use accurate dose levels of all de-wormers, i.e. as indicated in the product directions and instructions. If in doubt, use a weigh tape to estimate the foal’s weight, to calculate the dosage. Manure should be picked up frequently and disposed of along with used bedding, to prevent the foal from eating droppings on the ground. The high temperatures generated by composting can kill ascarid eggs. When creep feeding older foals on pasture, it is advisable to use raised containers,to decrease the number of parasite eggs ingested when they graze directly off the ground.If considered necessary, monthly de-worming can be started at two months of age with Fenbendazole. However this is not routine practice.At six months of age some use Ivermectin e.g. Eqvalan.Other parasite eggs can be shed in the dam’s manure. The foal may nibble at the manure and become infected through this route. Therefore de-worming the mare shortly after foaling, with a product that is effective against Strongyloides and a wide range of other parasites, is recommended. This is an important first step in protecting the foal from an overwhelming load of parasites.While any worm can affect the foal, the most significant parasites are Ascarids, also known as Roundworms which are long white worms.Is a newborn foal likely to have worms?
No but in some less commonly seen cases, a young foal can get worms in the first few days of life through ingesting worm larvae through the mare’s milk. This worm/ parasite is known as Strongyloides Westeri which if present can cause a diarrhoea in the infected foal. Are roundworms or ascarids a common problem in foals?
Ascarids are a problem in younger foals rather than in adult horses. They act on the naive immune systems of younger equines (less than 18 months of age). They can cause depression, respiratory disease, stunted growth, diarrhoea, constipation and potentially fatal colic. Immature ascarid larvae can migrate through the foal’s lungs and liver and may cause chronic cough, etc. Heavy burdens of adult roundworms can cause a life-threatening impaction in the foal’s small intestines where they can accumulate in such numbers and cause a blockage.As the horse matures into its his second year of life, it develops a heightened immune response to ascarids and the threat of ascarid infestation greatly diminishes. Therefore ascardis are not usually a problem in older horses.Could a young foal have a problem with lice in its first few weeks after birth?
Yes, this could occur through direct contact from a lice - infested dam. In these cases, it is important to remember that both the foal and the mare and all in contacts must be treated for lice.When should the foal vaccination programme be commenced?
Most vaccination programmes, for example ‘flu and tetanus vaccines, are commenced when the foal is approximately six months old. When a foal is born, it immediately inherits disease protection through its vaccinated dam’s colostrum but only if the mare has been vaccinated. Eventually those maternal antibodies decline and the foal needs the added protection that only comes through proper immunisation.Could a foal vaccination programme be commenced too soon or too early in its life?
If a vaccine is administered too early, the mare’s colostral antibodies that provide the foal with the temporary immunity, are the same antibodies that can prevent the foal from mounting the desired immune response to the vaccine.Therefore the timing of the first vaccinations is critical to ensure that the foal will get the full benefit in immunity from the vaccine.A well structured vaccination schedule should be developed in consultation with the treating veterinary surgeon. This programme will take into account any endemic disease on the farm, in order to protect the foal from risk of disease exposure. While generally a foal requires its core vaccinations at approximately four to six months old, this varies depending on the mare’s vaccination status and the diseases prevalent on that particular stud or in the area.Preventing disease through a strategic vaccination programme is safer, easier and more economical than treating the sick foal.What are the vaccines that can be used in foals or weanlings?
The following vaccines are available for use in foals:
Influenza/Flu TetanusStranglesHerpes (EHV) against herpes respiratory infection.Is there a vaccine available for immunisation against Rhodococcus?
Unfortunately there is still no vaccine against this condition though several pharmaceutical companies are engaged in ongoing research work to develop an effective vaccine against it.