The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Pets & Working Animals => Horses, ponies, donkeys & mules => Topic started by: ladyK on March 19, 2014, 09:07:29 pm
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I have had some confusing FEC results on my two donkeys this week.
I sent off a postal FEC sample to Westgate labs this Monday, result came back on Tuesday with a count of 1200 epg. Gulp.
Phoned the vet today as I'm new to all things equine and didn't just want to order a wormer online. Partly because the result didn't sit right (vet who knows my pasture set up didn't think the donks would need worming before autumn), partly because I didn't want to tell her I had done a FEC count elsewhere cheaper, I brought in another sample to be tested at the vets. Result came back as <100.
Vet says of course no worming is necessary now, test again in 3 months.
I'm inclined to trust the vets, but I know Westgate are highly recommended here. Is it possible they just mixed up samples? I now also have concerns over several sheep samples I had done by Westgate the week before (all came back clear - but who knows what they were looking at? I must also say I don't like their inconsistent reporting format, on the four samples I have sent in, every result has come back in a different format.
How is it possible to get such wildly different FEC results in the fist place? (samples taken 2 days apart).
Which result should I believe?
Anybody else has had this happen?
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I absolutely trust Westgate, but of course mistakes can be made. Have you rung them? They are very professional and helpful. Did you follow the correct instructions for collecting the samples both times - breaking up the balls of poo, taking pieces from several balls rather than one place? If you don't do that you could easily get a clean sample from an animal with a worm burden. This is the time when encysted redworm are emerging, had they been treated for that? Not sure about the reporting format, my results have always been reported in the same way and I have been using them for years.
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I will ring them tomorrow. But I rather not ring in a state of confusion.
I used a different postal service before, but westgate was a bit cheaper when doing their 4pack and that came in handy with all the animals to do here, plus everybody here so warmly recommends them.
I followed the instructions on collecting the sample, and yes, they were treated for encysted redworms last autumn, which my vet says was the correct time.
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I really wouldn't worry about ringing them, if they have made a mistake, they will certainly be keen to sort it out. Just explain your situation, they will understand why you are confused. Perhaps they might be a recount for you? Totally understand you not wanting to give your donks anything they don't need.
Autumn/Winter is the right time to worm for encysted redworm, after the first hard frost, so you know you shouldn't get any more after your treatment until spring.
Good luck!
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who does your FECs at the vets? and to play DA, why believe your vet over Westgate?
the problem with FEC is sample collection consistency, its not anyones fault just a difficulty of the process-and of course mistakes happen at the lab end although they'll have stringent procedures for booking in clinical samples.
Having seen how vets book in samples and labs like Westgate, I would put money on vets screwing it up lol over Westgate tbh (I handle vet samples almost daily, most of them completely incapable of labelling a tube). I do my own FECs so can't really comment on Westgate-but some vet practices back in the day would use a busy/uninterested member of staff with a bare minimum of training. Westgate have such a good reputation I would ring and discuss any results I thought odd.
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did you test both donks? Maybe one has a high count & the other low? Just because they're managed similarly doesn't mean the counts would be the same. Their own immunity could be completely different.
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That's a good point, FV
I did send in mixed samples both times. But it is possible the samples where less mixed than I thought.
And if each donk has a really different count...
Westgate have offered a retest, so will know soon what that says.
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Well, the recount from Westgate has come back at 1700epg (even higher than before).
So the vet's count is definitely far far off and you are all quite right to trust Westgate more than a vet.
Westgate explain the discrepancy with the fact that they put samples through a centrifuge first to have more eggs fall out. But if any other method produces such a low count that it is effectively a false negative then I really have to wonder why they even bother!
Obviously I need to worm them asap now, but still feeling very confused about how anyone, vet or otherwise, can base anything on the basis of such unreliable counts, whatever the method they are using is. Will have to take this up with the vet now...
Thank you all who have commented and encouraged me on.