Archive for It's About The Horse The Free Forum for those Doing Parelli - and a whole lot More! "Anything forced and misunderstood can never be beautiful." Xenophon (430-355 B.C.),
 


       It's About The Horse Forum Index -> Medical and Nutrition Discussions
PasoBaby_CarolU

Equimax

I am passing this on that I got in e-mail.  I have tried to look into this and not gotten any more information.  It might be a good idea to avoid this product until more is known.

Quote:
Hi Everyone:

Dad I spent a couple of hours with Tom and Martha Anne Shires yesterday regarding the details of losing a young healthily Thoroughbred horse that was just ready to go to the race track. They wormed with a NEW wormer by Pfizer called Equimax.

Equimax contains:

1.87% Invermectin
14.03 % Praziquantel (this is for tape worms)

There regular wormer is Equalvan Gold which contains:

!.55% Invermectin
7.74% Praziquantel

Equalan Duo contains also:
!.55% Invermectin
7.75% Praziquantel

>From this you can see the Praziquantel in Equimax is double the amount than the other two wormers.

After giving the horse the wormer it developed severe colic, then a hole was burnt in the horses small intestine. The horse was passing parts of the small intestine in his manure, then blood showed in his urine and his kidneys shut down. Peritonitis set in and the horse didn’t have a chance. He died in 7 days. The vet says the Praziquantel was too strong at 14.03 % and killed this young horse.

The Equimax was purchased at the feed store in Addison Dixie and Egan. Tom and Martha Anne went to Ritchie Feed and Seed store in Brockville and talked to Andrea the horse expert. Andrea said she was not carrying the product as it was too NEW. Andrea called her representative and she obtain the telephone number of the vet who made Equimax. He refused to give information as he thought a class action law suit might occur.

Shires have had their horses fecal samples check when they used Equalvan Gold and their samples where clear of parasites. So why has Pfizer double the dose of Praziquantel For tape worms?

I did find a company in the US that has pulled Equimax from there product line saying it was no longer available.

Please pass this warning to your horse friends and if anyone has had an experience with this product please let me know.


Sincerely Ruth Freeman
ShannonE

I've used this product twice and won't use it again.  About 3 years ago my old vet suggested we use it in the fall for getting tapeworms and all the other worms.  My old horse (27) at the time had a nasty case of cow paddies for 24 hours after and was simply off.  My mare who has no immune system but guts of steel was not affected.

Like an idiot, I did the same thing the following year but reduced the dosage for both.  The old boy was still affected.  Back then this product could only be purchased through vet clinics here.

This past fall I smartened up and changed to Eqvalan Gold and the old boy was fine as were my new 2 year olds.

Shannon
Chablis

Wow. I'm making an assumption here but is this the Equimax product you are referring to? http://www.cyberhorse.net.au/virbac/ It says it is made by Virbac & not Pfizer though?

I've used Equimax (above URL) on my horses for years (obviously rotated with other wormers) and never had a problem.  

Providing it is the same product, it is very commonly used in Australia (was introduced in late 90s) and can be purchased in any feed store/saddlery (tack store).

I have always been taught that you should never worm a horse in poor condition (whether it is from an illness/neglect etc) as it can cause the horse to colic - you need to build the horses strength up a bit more first - even if only for a few weeks and get a worm count done prior to worming the horse.

Very sorry for the loss of the horse - what a terrible time the poor thing went through prior to dying.
Pyrgirl

Hmmm.  I've been using this for about 2 years.  Twice a year.  I was trying to avoid Zimecterin Gold which I read caused oral ulcers.  
Now what to use?
thelmanelle

I used it on my thoroughbred mare, Summer.  We were feeding well with no weight gain.  She got a dose and did fine, then we did the 5 days panacur routine and followed again with the equimax, as recommended.  

Her mouth got swollen and stayed that way two days.  So no more of that product for her.  My other horses did not react that way.  I will say she has put on 150 - 200 # since the worming and is now, eating three full meals a day.  Her coat is better and the rain rot gone.  Immune system is better, but she will not get the equimax again...the next reaction could be worse?
mariab

WOW I bought 3 lots of it this spring but still not used it now not so sure if I will, bugger I don't normally worm as natural worming programme and only 3 y.o TB had srongyloids last fall the other 2 where clear but wanted to dose for tape worm, might just do a faecal sample and the see

Thanks for the heads up
creekwood

Quote:
Regarding EQUIMAX® (ivermectin 1.87%/praziquantel 14.03%) Paste Erroneous Internet Message

An account of a horse death in Canada has made unverified allegations regarding the role of EQUIMAX anthelmintic and boticide in that incident. This account has been disseminated via e-mails and blogs throughout the veterinary and horse care communities.

Bimeda markets EQUIMAX under license in the United States and Canada from Virbac Corporation, which is the manufacturer of the product. Bimeda is aware of this incident and has been in contact with the veterinarian who treated the horse. Both companies take such matters very seriously.

There is no medical evidence to support EQUIMAX as the cause of the horse’s illness and subsequent death. Both companies stand behind the safety and efficacy of EQUIMAX when used as directed.

EQUIMAX was approved by the U.S. FDA in 2003 and by Health Canada in 2007. In accordance with stringent FDA and Health Canada regulations, EQUIMAX underwent extensive testing before its release to ensure that it is safe for all horses, including foals four weeks of age and older, pregnant and lactating mares, and breeding stallions. Since its release, EQUIMAX has been dispensed to millions of horses in the United States and around the world.

For questions or concerns please call Bimeda 888-524-6332
Chablis

Thanks for the update, Kelsey.  Did you have a link for the article? Thanks.
HorseLoverAtHart

Quote:
I was trying to avoid Zimecterin Gold which I read caused oral ulcers.  


I have been using that with my horse..... I didn't know it caused that! Our friends told us the Zimecterin Gold was the best to use. What is really the best to use?


Becca
cokey

I've used equimax several times with no ill effects.  I guess it's horses for courses (scuse the pun..).  Some horses will react to some wormers. Just the way it goes. Same as some horses react to vaccinations, and some horses react to fly spray.  

YOu pays your money and you takes your choice.
creekwood

Bimeda posted it in a reply on a board, I just did a search for & couldn't find it, sorry  

I can tell you that many, many people double dose it without problems for Neck Threadworms. Ivermectin & Praziquantel both have a wide safety margins.
appellativo

The latest findings on deworming all recommend against blind rotational deworming without doing fecal checks. Only 20% of horses shed 80% of the worms; you need to know which horses in your herd are the shedders, get them tested (fecal exams) and deworm them, not only to rid them of worms per se, but to PREVENT them shedding to all your other horses (this is per an article in The Horse Journal magazine, and also a recent article in Equus and similar article in Horse Illustrated, all articles written by veterinarians). There is also the reason to do it this way, to slow down the resistance problem.

So if you are confused as to what to worm your horse with, have your vet fecal test them and give a recommendation which is the most appropriate dewormer to use.

Not the cheapest answer, but the most effective one
tchofclas

If you have a microscope, you can do your own fecals. Most children's microscopes are strong enough. Make a super saturated solution of sugar and water and mix your manure in it. If you've never seen a fecal done, you would use roughly 1/2 cup solution to (I'd use 1/2 of 3 different road apples), stir it well, and pour liquid into an old well cleaned prescription bottle so it is right full to the top. Set a slide on top and leave for a few minutes to allow eggs to come to top and adhere to slide. Take off carefully, turn over, add the other little piece of glass, can't remember name, and check with microscope. You should be able to find pics of eggs on internet if you don't have a book that shows them. I found mine in a book  just called "The Horse" Gives you a pretty good idea of what your horse has, other than tapeworm, as I don't believe they shed eggs if I remember right. However, if you've ever seen what looks like a small piece of narrow (less than inch wide) clear  plastic that appears to have been folded back and forth in manure, you are looking at a piece of tapeworm.
It was a number of years ago the Vet said tapeworms are usually introduced to a herd from an outside source, such as purchasing a new horse that has them. Thinking on this may have changed, but the recommended wormer at the time was a double dose of Stronget T
gaitinalong

I am convinced there are "sidebar" issues when horses have these types of severe reactions to wormers.

It can be anything from an overload of worms to being the oddball horse that really is going to have an allergic reaction to the product.

I have wormed all four of my horses (including the one with mild gastric ulcers) every Fall for several years with Zimectrin Gold with no adverse reactions.

I even over-wormed all of them for their weight (I use the whole tube on the Walking Horses and wormed the little 840 lb Arab with the ulcers at a 1,000 lb dosage.  The Arab is also 25-1/2 yrs old.  He's still out there kickin' up a storm and being second-in-command:)

I have used Equimax in the past, without ill effects but the new stuff with 14.03 % Praziquantel is pretty scary.  Thanks for the warning on that
PasoBaby_CarolU

As I recall, the problem with Zimectrin Gold was in the multi-dose syringes.  It would settle and all the irritant part would be in one dose.
       It's About The Horse Forum Index -> Medical and Nutrition Discussions
Page 1 of 1
Web Advertising
Join the free co-op advertising network and increase your traffic.
|
Online Advertising
Join the free co-op advertising network and increase your traffic.
|
Advertising
Join the free co-op advertising network and increase your traffic.