A new pinworm sellotape test from Westgate Labs is now available to help you pinpoint the problem. It’s available direct from the lab and now as a retail test kit too alongside worm egg count kits.

Inside the kit you’ll find a test strip, a voucher plus information and advice

Kit Includes:

  • A clear sticky back test strip to take the sample for each horse
  • An information leaflet
  • A voucher for the laboratory examination of the test strip
  • A pre-paid envelope to send the sample to the lab
  • Veterinary approved worming advice available free of charge from our friendly team of SQPs.

With an RRP of £7 the pinworm test kit is a cost effective additional tool in your armoury to manage good parasite control in horses. For more info visit www.westgatelabs.co.uk, tel: 01670 791994 or email: info@westgatelabs.co.uk

Understand the problem of pinworm

Horses itch for many reasons including sweet itch and fly irritation but repeated tail rubbing could also be a sign of pinworm (Oxyuris equi), a pesky little parasite that has been on the increase in horses over the last few years.

Pinworms live in the hind gut and lay eggs outside the body under the horse’s tail

Although not a serious threat to horse health like other intestinal worms, pinworm can cause irritation sometimes so severe that horses will rub themselves raw around their tail head. This can lead to skin infections and further problems.
If a pinworm problem is suspected then a worm count is unlikely to show the worm eggs as pinworms live in the hind gut and lay eggs outside the body under the tail. Instead use the more reliable pinworm sellotape test from Westgate Labs to help pinpoint the problem, available direct from the lab and now as a retail test kit too alongside worm egg count kits.

If pinworm is confirmed then these parasites can be a persistent problem to get rid of, responding best to treatment with older chemicals such as Pyrantel and Fenbendazole.

Combine this with good stable hygiene to prevent reinfection by disinfecting places where the horse may rub and applying neem oil or similar to the horses bottom around the anus area to prevent the eggs from sticking.