HOW TO DEAL WITH INTERNAL PARASITES

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If, for some reason, you have to wait a day or two between the time that you collect the samples and your trip to the vet, put the manure (safely sealed in its jar, of course) in the refrigerator. When kept cool in this way, the samples will be "good" indefinitely.

Once you and your vet have determined what kind of parasites (if any) your animals have, you can decide what sort of worm medicine will most effectively eliminate the pests.

WORM MEDICINES (ANTHELMINTICS)

There are several things to consider before you choose the kind of wormer (these medicines are called anthelmintics . . . anti = against, helmins = worm) you want to use.

The anthelmintic that you select (with your veterinarian's help) should, of course, kill the particular worms that your critter has . . . and shouldn't be harmful to the host animal. Piperazine, for example, is an anthelmintic that is used in a number of worm preparations, and it's an extremely safe medication for almost all critters. However, while piperazine is effective against round-worms, it will kill few—if any—hook-worms, tapeworms, or whipworms.

So, ideally, the medication that you administer should be highly effective against many kinds of worms. Several recent anthelmintics have been developed that can destroy a variety of parasites, and some of 'em will kill nearly all of the worms that are commonly found in critters. These medicines are the broad-spectrum anthelmintics.

And, since these broad-spectrum anthelmintics allow you to use one medication for almost all of your parasite problems (some of 'em even destroy migrating parasitic larvae!), they can really simplify a do-it-yourself worm elimination program.

Finally, the anthelmintic you choose should be both economical and easy to administer. Most of the newer worm medications come either in powder or granular forms (which can be sprinkled on feed) or in a paste or liquid (that can be squirted directly into the animal's mouth).

Remember, though, that any anthelmintic should be administered in the prescribed manner . . . and in many cases wormers should be used at a particular time of year. Anthelmintics for bots (a horse parasite), for example, should—in most parts of the U.S.—be given at least once after the first frost. There also seems to be a seasonal increase in the release of parasite eggs ... so your control program had best include a treatment that correlates with this stepped-up egg "production".

And, of course, there are certain specific precautions that should be taken when using anthelmintics. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THE FOLLOWING CAUTIONS:

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