Small Strongyles. Big problem.
Deworming has come a long way in the past 40 years - from products that were nearly toxic and required complicated tubing to the easy-to-administer dewormers we know now. As more and more people recognize the value of regular deworming, past troublemakers such as large strongyles (bloodworms) have become much less of a threat.
But there is one worm that regular deworming may not eliminate - small strongyles. Parasitologists consider it the number one nematode problem in horses today.
Signs of trouble.
Horses are exposed to small strongyles by grazing on pasture that contains larvae. These worms become dangerous when the larval stage enters the horse's digestive system, burrows into the intestinal lining and forms cysts. Encysted small strongyles can remain in this state for up to three years. Unfortunately, there's no way of knowing how heavy of an encysted small strongyle load your horse is carrying, since fecal analysis cannot measure worms in the encysted state. What's worse, since your horse may show no outward signs of a parasite problem, you may not notice the damage until it is too late. Encysted small strongyles can cause severe clinical signs and even death when thousands to millions of the fourth stage larvae (L4) emerge simultaneously from the intestinal wall. The resulting damage to the intestinal mucosa shows up in your horse as:
- Listlessness, weakness
- Anorexia
- Recurring colic
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Peripheral edema (swelling)
- Death
In less severe cases, you may notice decreased performance, poor food utilization, dull hair coat and an overall feeling that your horse just isn't doing right.
Why regular deworming isn't enough.
Here's a fact you need to know: Most of the horses affected by encysted small strongyles have been dewormed regularly. At any given time, 90% of a horse's total worm burden may be small strongyles - with as much as 75% of the encysted worms being early third-stage larvae (EL3). For a dewormer to be effective in preventing the mass expulsion of encysted small strongyles, it has to control every stage. Otherwise, larvae left behind can progress and cause problems down the road. Below is a breakdown of dewormers and the stages of encysted small strongyles they control.
Fenbendazole, the ingredient in Safe-Guard® Power-Dose™ is the only one FDA-approved to treat all stages of encysted small strongyles.
Other products may claim to treat encysted small strongyles, but only Safe-Guard® Power-Dose™ effectively controls all stages - including EL3's. In fact, studies show Safe-Guard® Power-Dose™ provides 98% reduction of encysted EL3's and as much as a 96% reduction in LL3/L4 populations1. In contrast, Ivermectin products at the labeled dose, and at five times the labeled dose, only have limited effect (0%-42% reduction) on EL3's and LL3/L4 stages2. Moxidectin (Quest®) is only labeled for the treatment of L4 and adult small strongyles, but not for the EL3 larvae3
Parasite Critical Care Kit
Get The Professional Treatment:
Safe-Guard® Power-Dose™
- Administer one 57-gram syringe per 1250 lbs/day (10 mg/kg) for 5 consecutive days.
- Controls all stages of small strongyles, along with large strongyles, pinworms and roundworms.
- 98% effective in killing encysted EL3's.
- Proven safe even after a single dose as high as 1,000 mg/kg and doses as high as 50 mg/kg for up to 15 consecutive days.
- Safe for use in foals.
Treat for encysted small strongyles with
Safe-Guard Power-Dose :
- 1-2 times a year for all horses.
- All incoming horses.
- 10-14 days before performance event.
- Before starting horses on a daily dewormer such as Strongid® C.
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