Making Our Contribution to the Scientific Community
OUR CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS
With any change in practice, there's a large amount of research that needs to be carried out to fill the gaps in our knowledge. Here at Target Worm Counts, we are passionate about contributing to that research to further improve the standard of advice available to animal owners.
We are currently running a couple of research projects however, if you are a researcher and feel we could collaborate on a project or benefit your own project, please get in touch using the form at the bottom of the page.
STRESS AND PARASITISM IN HORSES
Date of Project: March-September 2017
In many species, stress can lend an individual to being more susceptible to disease.
Domesticated horses are exposed to an increased number of stressors as a result of human intervention. However, the link between increased stress and a horse’s susceptibility to parasitic infection is yet to be studied in detail.
Project Outline
All owners who present a sample from their horse for routine worm egg counts will be invited to join this study. Owners will be required to complete a questionnaire which contains questions surrounding the grazing management, feeding, behaviour, exercise regimen, transportation and medical history of the horse. Those who participate in the study will receive a voucher entitling them to get their horse’s summer worm egg count carried out for just £5.
Time-Line
6th-17th March: Trial Questionnaire (Q1) will be circulated to current customers
18th-24th March: Feedback on Q1. All participants will be contacted to give feedback on the questionnaire i.e. wording of the questions, ease of understanding etc.
1st April - 31st August 2017: Data collection
Resources
You can access the full questionnaire below, should you wish to participate. There is also a guide to Body Condition Scoring and Stress Scoring in horses should you require further guidance.
BHS Body Condition Scoring Guide
Stress Behaviour Score Guide
Declaration of Intent and Right to Withdraw
All data will be anonymised during the study and will remain confidential. Should any substantial findings be made, a manuscript will be submitted for peer-review and publication in an academic journal. All participants retain the right to withdraw their horse from the study at any time by emailing lead investigator, Chloe Dix at chloedix@connect.glos.ac.uk.
DRUG RESISTANCE PROFILE OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Date of Project: Ongoing
In light of reports of parasites becoming resistant to the wormers that we use, it is important to know exactly what is going on where you keep your animals. Levels of resistance will vary from location to location dependent on the history of the product use on the land. To date, there have been no studies evaluating the level of drug resistance in the parasites of horses in Gloucestershire.
Project Outline
All horses presented for routine worm egg counting will receive a free follow-up resistance test if treatment is recommended based on their routine worm egg count result for redworm or roundworm. This follow-up test must be carried out 14-17 days after administration of a wormer.
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Declaration of Intent and Right to Withdraw.
All data will be anonymised during the study and will remain confidential. It is our intention to submit any substantial findings for peer-review for publication in an academic journal. All participants retain the right to withdraw their horse from the study at any time by emailing lead investigator, Chloe Dix at targetworms@hotmail.co.uk with the email subject ‘Drug Resistance Profile Study Withdrawal’.
CONTACT US
Address:
Target Worm Counts, Puddlesworth Lane, Eastington, Nr. Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, GL10 3AH
Email:
Phone:
07930119200