Quick Start Guide
A HEALTHY ROUTINE
Effective worm management begins with conducting worm counts and tests, administering wormers only when necessary.
This approach helps to mitigate the development of resistance to deworming agents while ensuring the health of our horses.
By using wormers judiciously, we can maintain their efficacy for instances when our horses truly require treatment.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
In the spring/summer/autumn grazing seasons you should aim to do a worm count every 2/3 months.
STEP 1
The first thing to do is buy a kit. You can order one here:
Once your kit has arrived in the post, open the packet and follow the detailed instructions enclosed:
Select a day for sample collection that coincides with the scheduled or overdue worming for the majority of the horses.
This timing is crucial to avoid obtaining inaccurate results due to the lingering effects of the wormer in your horse.
The dung should be as fresh as possible, it is recomended to collect and post the same day (Royal Mail is taking up to 6 days for some post to arrive).
FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY
STEP 2
Standard Worm Count Test Instructions:
When you take the sample, be sure to put a full teaspoon size amount (5g). If there is not enough sample we can not carry out an accurate test and will deem the test ‘invalid’. This will mean you will have to resend the sample in at your cost. At the same time, please do not overfil the sample pouch which can lead to leakage and becoming too deep for a large letter size postage mailer and will be stopped by the post office.
It is also important to take several pinches of the dropping to get an average reading. Also, be very clear when writing your details on the sample pouch, especially your email address.
Pinworm Test Instructions:
Follow step one, once you receive your Sellotape impression test kit used to determine the presence of pinworm eggs (Oxyuris equi).
Kit Price Includes:
- a clear sticky back test strip to take the sample for each equine
- an information leaflet
- a clear sample bag with a label to write your details on.
- a single pre-paid envelope to send the sample to the lab.
To test for pinworm take an adhesive tape impression from under the horse’s tail.
- Collect the sample in the morning, ideally before 9am. Pinworm are most active at night so this will give the best chance of detecting any activity that is present.
- Take a 6” length of clear sticky tape and press this firmly onto the skin around the anus (not the hair).
- Fold the tape in half, sticky side to sticky side.
- Put the folded piece of tape into the sample bag ensuring this is clearly labelled with your details.
- Post to VET-LAB in the prepaid envelope.
- The sample will be put under the microscope in the laboratory to look for the presence of pinworm eggs.
- Results will be emailed to you 24-48 hours after receipt.
POST YOUR SAMPLE
STEP 3
Post your sample on a Monday – Wednesday so it is not lingering in the sorting office over the weekend.
Royal Mail can take up to 6 days to deliver at present. We have a 6 day testing window, if the post is late, we will ask you to resend the sample in and refund your postage cost.
WAIT FOR YOUR RESULTS
STEP 4
Results are usually emailed to you within 24-48 hours after the receipt of the sample.
If you haven’t received your results, please check your spam folder. If they are not in there, there is a possibility that your email address has been entered wrongly, please contact us with your details so we can check for you.