has anyone ever heard of lung worm??

[CCC]

I was wanting to get a Miniature Donkey, but a friend told me that they're not safe to have in with horses (was going to have it in the same pasture as the mini horses and in the same barn obviously ) that they can carry something called Lung worm and it's deadly to horses??

 

 

I was wondering if this is something you can worm for, either the donkey or something I can give the horses to prevent them from being effected by these..??

 

 

Thanks for any info!

 

[Genie]

What I have read is that you have to worm for lung worm if you have donkeys with your horses. Lung worm is not covered in the regular wormer products that I have seen.

I saw it on the web.

 

[supaspot]

you can have a fecal count done on the donkey and I believe ivermectin will treat it , I would check with your vet first though

 

[Shortpig]

I thought this might answer your question.

LUNGWORMS (Dictyocaulus arnfieldi)

Lungworms are white in colour and are between 6 and 10 cm in length. The lifecycle of lungworms is different to other nematodes as adults settle in the lungs rather than the intestine. Eggs are laid then travel up the trachea, are swallowed and passed out in the faeces. Further development then takes place on the pasture, infective larvae are swallowed by horses or donkeys to further develop into egg laying adults.

It is extremely rare for lungworm larvae to develop to full maturity in horses as the horse is not a good host for that particular parasite. Horses can be infected with lungworm but as they do not mature in to egg laying larvae in any numbers to sustain a population on the pastures. Exceptions to this in horses can arise in very young or old horses and seriously depilated horses whose immune systems are impaired.

Up to 70% of donkeys carry lungworms often showing no clinical signs of infestation and it is in donkeys where the parasite reaches full maturity. Donkeys do not always develop the symptomatic cough that is seen in horses but if horses are grazed along side donkeys then particular care must be taken to treat for lungworms accordingly with particular attention to foals as they can sustain permanent lung damage if infected

 

[Songcatcher]

Interesting information.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Lungworm is pretty much endemic in Donkeys and I am pretty sure Ivermectin does NOT affect it.

The only really safe way, that I know of, is the Fenbendazole five day (this is how I became aware of it, long before encysteds were known of).

The same course will treat the Donkeys, and, so long as this is done twice a year, there should be no danger. But, then, the five day really should be done twice a year anyway

I am not sure if Moxidectin affects Lungworm, but that is not an option for us anyway.

 

[aBreeze]

Very good information to know, I have never heard of lung worm. Will a fecal sample show?

 

[supaspot]

this website says ivermectin IS used to worm against lungworm

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:Ft-KRuMagt8J:www.wormersdirect.co.uk/information-wormsheets-lungworm.asp+lungworm+horses+treatment&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk

it says it willremove migrating larvae and adult worms

 

[wantminimore]

I kept a donkey with my big horses and never had any issues with lungworms.

 

[supaspot]

my mother had 3 donkeys when I was a child , we had fecal counts done at the time of purchase (and sporadically afterwards) and they were all negative, they mixed with my ponies and got on great together

 

[CCC]

great! thanks for all the replies everyone! So as long as I have a fecal sample tested for it on the donkey as soon as it gets here and treat it (and then the horses) if it comes back positive, then we should be safe? if the regular Ivermectin kills them, that would be good! I don't do a 5 day treatment of Fenbendazole on the big horses.. maybe I should do this anyway?

thanks again

 

[iowa]

I would have the fecal sample done before they got to my farm and treated if they have them. I wouldn't want to accidently get some eggs in a manure pile and infect my horses before worming. Just a thought.

 

[Miniv]

Both Ivermectin and Moxidectin are supposed to be effective against Lung Worm. So far, the articles I've read say there isn't a problem pasturing donkey and horse together if taking the precaution of worming and fecal checks.

http://www.turningpointedonkeyrescue.com/lungwormswhatshouldiknow.pdf

 

[rabbitsfizz]

this website says ivermectin IS used to worm against lungworm

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:Ft-KRuMagt8J:www.wormersdirect.co.uk/information-wormsheets-lungworm.asp+lungworm+horses+treatment&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk

it says it will remove migrating larvae and adult worms

You are quite right! As does Moxidectin, allegedly. The thing they do not say is if it actually gets rid of them ALL, which Moxidectin does not do with encysteds, and you need to find a non, wormer selling site, ie a Veterinary site to get this information, or the fine print on the product. I know that Fenbendazole, in the five day course, does get rid of all Lungworms, so I have not bothered to keep abreast of the new findings, I am afraid. Since I no longer have Donkeys, and I do the five day course twice a year anyway, I have not had any need to.

Lungworm does not necessarily have any obvious symptoms in adult, healthy horses, but, if the Donkeys are carrying it, and a foal or debilitated horse gets them, it could die.

 

[hoofman]

I had a goat with lungworm. I have also had Donkeys as protections for my minis and have never had any problems as I worm regularly.