PREVENT EPM WITH A STRONG IMMUNE SYSTEM A strong, healthy immune system will help protect horses from contracting EPM. Keeping my client horses on Chlorella (species vulgaris, broken cell wall) helps remove heavy metals from their systems and provides them with a healthy food source. The more stress a horse is under, the more likely he is to have a weakened immune system. I see more cases of EPM in young horses who are just going into training and dealing with the stress of leaving home and being trained; and in performance horses that travel a lot. I like to keep these horses on the immune and digestive health booster, Karbo Combo. It comes as a small pellet that is fed in small amounts every day. All methods that maximize health will decrease the risk of neurological EPM – a high quality diet, fewer chemicals, stress management with appropriate time outdoors or a decreased show schedule, regular osteopathic treatments, etc.
When a horse presents with a mild case of EPM, is not in a stressful situation, and has a history of regular deworming, I begin with Karbo Pellets and Epic Liquid. I feed two scoops of the pellets and 60cc of the liquid two times a day for three months. If the horse is in a stressful situation, or the EPM is coming in fast and strong, I will add a product called Sefacon for ten days. The horse is usually very improved by the end of three weeks. It is very important to treat the horse with sufficient Sefacon for his weight. I will use double doses in a large horse (over 1,200lb). If the horse is already very ataxic and wobbly, I begin with Marquis to kill off some of the protozoa as quickly as possible before I start my regular treatment. I have not seen much true cure with Marquis. Often, the horse will get better for around four months, then relapse, or never return to his previous level of performance. My method of treatment allows for early diagnosis, so the horses return to their previous levels of performance. For those interested in pursuing osteopathy (which I highly recommend as it’s the best tool in my toolbox) visit vluggeninstitute.com. Janek Vluggen teaches equine osteopathy at my clinic in San Marcos, Texas.
the past four months, my recommendation is to begin with a dose of Ivermectin. Because Ivermectin causes a slow kill, it will prevent a worm impaction if the horse has a large number of worms. Three weeks later, I move forward with the rest of my L4 larvae protocol:
1. Because of the EPM, I also immediately start the horse on an immune system booster called Karbo Pellets, and another called Epic Liquid (from Gomer’s Inc). They feature some components that help with the digestive system as well.
2. I use a Panacur Powerpak with sufficient dosage for the horse’s weight. Ideally, this paralyzes the L4 larvae but does not kill them. This is a daily double dose of fenbendazole for five days in a row.
3. Next, I wait ten days to allow the horse to recover from the Panacur. Then I administer Quest Plus in an amount equal to the horse’s weight. Quest Plus enters the bloodstream and kills the L4 larvae that are already paralyzed and unable to move away from the blood vessels carrying the chemical.
4. After waiting ten more days, a regular Quest is administered to ensure as many L4 larvae as possible are eliminated.
5. After the last dose of de-wormer, I recommend waiting at least five days before starting Sefacon, an equine herbal health supplement that actually kills the protozoa (Endocrine Technologies).
IVC Summer 2017
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