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Discussion on McMaster Fecal Exam
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Member:
lhenning
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Posted on Monday, Jan 31, 2011 - 9:55 am:
My boarding barn is changing the deworming procedure. They are having a McMaster Fecal Exam done 12 weeks after deworming, then an individual deworming schedule will be created for each horse.
I have never heard of this exam. Is it something new or different than fecal exams in the past? Or am I just hearing a name that is unfamiliar. I also wonder if any others have experience using this method of individual deworming schedules. I thought it was necessary for all horses in a barn to have the same dewormer at the same time.
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Member:
vickiann
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Posted on Monday, Jan 31, 2011 - 5:15 pm:
There is all new thinking about deworming now where one treats those horses who actually are the wormy ones.
Of course some things do not show up on fecal exams so one still has to make sure to time getting the bots at the right time of the year a couple of times and the tapeworms too.
There is supposed to be a new blood test coming for tapeworms but I don't know if anyone is using it much yet.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Monday, Jan 31, 2011 - 7:45 pm:
Hello Linda,
The McMasters Fecal Exam has been around for a while and considered a more accurate test than a simple fecal float test in that it standards the amount of stool and uses techniques to concentrate the eggs for examination. I think this is all true. But I also feel well conducted fecal float exams and give usable information and we still conduct them as the main stay of our herd health programs. I watch the research and if this changes I will change but in the mean time this represents a big savings for my clients. To read more about the use of fecal exams in effective deworming programs see the "Special Deworming Classes" subtopic in the article associated with this discussion area.
DrO
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Member:
lhenning
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Posted on Tuesday, Feb 1, 2011 - 10:09 am:
Well the dewormers have a cost too, so if the test were to show I did not need to deworm, it might save me money in the long run? I like the idea of using less dewormer and my horse has come up with zero infestation using the float test in the past. Nevertheless, it seems prudent to treat each horse as an individual and over time improve the quality of the pastures. I think I will go ahead and use this method for a year and see how it affects my wallet.
Thanks!
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Member:
vickiann
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Posted on Tuesday, Feb 1, 2011 - 6:29 pm:
Don't forget to treat according to appropriate schedule for those parasites that do not show up in fecal tests.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Tuesday, Feb 1, 2011 - 9:13 pm:
We agree Linda. We have recommended the concept for over a year now.
DrO
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