Worming
Worming is a very complicated subject and more
information can be found on the NADIS and SCOPS websites. There are many different types of wormer.
We are currently trying to steer away from routine
interval worm dosing as this is thought to increase resistance to wormers in
the worm population. It is recommended
that if possible animals are now wormed on the basis of need which can be
diagnosed based on worm egg counts or clinical signs. Management practices such as quarantining
newly purchased stock, co grazing with different species and pasture rotation
can also help.
A vet will usually need to discuss with you your
management practices, the time of year and any results from worm egg counts to
help choose appropriate an appropriate wormer.
Liver
Fluke treatment
A liver fluke is an internal parasite of sheep and
cattle which can also affect other species such as camelids and occasionally
horses. They have different lifestages
which migrate through different parts of the body, but the adult fluke live
mainly in the liver, causing structural damage to it. Liver fluke are controlled by using
flukicidal medicines such as Triclabendazole, Nitroxynil and Oxyclozanide.
Which one you need will depend on what type of stock you have and the time of
year. Liver fluke are more prevalent in
wet marshy areas because there are more water snails (they also have a life
stage inside the snail) so it is a common problem in Devon. As a general rule most stock should be dosed
at least twice a year in this area but sometimes more often. Camelids are especially susceptible. Diagnosis of liver fluke can be made by blood
test for antibodies, faecal examination at an external lab (need at least 40g
of faeces) or by post mortem examination of the liver. Occasionally we are now diagnosing a second
type of fluke called Rumen Fluke. These
live in the rumen of the animal and are only thought to cause disease if
present in significant numbers. They are
only susceptible to Oxyclozanide. They
can be diagnosed by faecal examination or post mortem examination of the rumen
and may be considered in cases of ill thrift in animals.
Treatment
for ectoparasites
Stock can be affected by a number of ectoparasites
(parasites that live outside of the animal). These include flies, lice and mites. Flies are more of a bother during the summer
and may be treated using fly pour ons or spot ons. Depending on the product many of these will
treat lice as well. Lice are often
visible using the naked eye and are often worse in winter when the animals are
housed, they can be biting lice or sucking lice. Mites, especially mange mites often require
different treatments such as injectable Ivermectin over a period of several
weeks to get rid of them. However
Ivermectin belongs to a class of wormers to which resistance can develop so we
need to avoid using this product when it is not necessary. This is why we like to try and get a positive
diagnosis between lice and mites using microscopy before we use these
treatments.
Vitamin
ADE supplementation for camelids
During the winter in this country it is difficult for
Camelids to make enough vitamin D as the day length is too short and the
vitamin needs UV light for its production.
It is recommended that camelids such as Llamas and Alpacas are given
supplemental vitamins between October and March. Vitamin D is essential for
growth and maintenance of the skeleton and a lack of it can cause abnormalities
in the extremities. Crias (baby alpacas) are most sensitive to Vitamin D deficiency.
You may choose to do this by oral paste every 4 weeks which can sometimes be
obtained online through livestock feed sellers.
Unfortunately due to manufacturing shortages sometimes these cannot be
obtained. There is also conflicting
evidence as to whether the absorption of these vitamins through the animal’s
stomachs is adequate enough.
As an alternative we can offer vitamin ADE in
injectable form, which will need to be given every 3 months in the winter
months. We try to keep bottle on the
shelf if possible to dispense individual doses, however this is not always
possible due to expiry dates. The
product has to be imported from Spain under a home office license as there is
not a UK licensed product to do this job.
This means that unfortunately if we do not have any in stock you may
have to wait a few weeks until it has arrived.
It is best to be prepared if possible and arrange it ahead of time.
Vaccines
We can vaccinate against a large number of diseases
and in many cases this is better than treating them when they arise as it
reduces fatalities and reduces antibiotic usage. You will need to discuss what you want to
vaccinate against with your vet as it will vary depending on management
practices and risks at your particular farm.
Some of the common things we can vaccinate against
(there are many more):
Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD)
Clostridial diseases
Enzootic abortion (EAE)
Erysipelas
Footrot
Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR)
Leptospirosis
Lungworm
Orf
Pneumonia (many different types)
Rotavirus/coronavirus/E. coli
Salmonella
Toxoplasma