Westgate Labs

10/10/2025

💬 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸! The results from all the polls will be discussed with our expert panel during our Live on Facebook 'Horse First - Autumn Worm Control' webinar, with EquiSal Tapeworm and Hackett Equine, on Thurs 16th October at 7pm.

✅ Take part in today's poll by answering the question in the comments!

🐴 Find out how to join the free webinar 👉 bit.ly/Horse-First-Webinar-Info

09/10/2025

💬 Poll number five! The results of all the polls running this week will be discussed with our expert panel during our Live on Facebook 'Horse First - Autumn Worm Control' webinar, with EquiSal Tapeworm and Hackett Equine, on Thurs 16th October at 7pm.

✅ Take part in today's poll by answering the question in the comments about tapeworm testing.

🐴 Find out how to join the free webinar 👉 bit.ly/Horse-First-Webinar-Info

08/10/2025

💬 Poll number four! The results of all the polls this week will be discussed with our expert panel during our Live on Facebook 'Horse First - Autumn Worm Control' webinar, with EquiSal Tapeworm and Hackett Equine, on Thurs 16th October

✅ Take part in today's poll by letting us know how often you do a worm egg count in the comments.

🐴 Find out how to join the free webinar 👉 bit.ly/Horse-First-Webinar-Info

07/10/2025

Great research that highlights the importance of seasonal tapeworm testing, to help avoid infected horses contaminating paddocks with tapeworm eggs when mites are most active 👇

Did you know that horses become infected with tapeworm through tiny mites that live in the soil and spread infection?👀

This new research uncovers new details through closely monitoring horses, pastures and the mites in UK yards, and this information isn't something you want to miss...

The EquiSal team and Royal Veterinary College monitored horses, pastures and the mites in UK yards to look at tapeworm infection across throughout the year, and here are the findings⬇️

• The tiny mites were found to be present all year in pastures, and tapeworm infected mites were found most frequently between March and September. This means that this period of time is when horses are at a higher risk of infection.

• On yards where paddock management procedures, such as poo picking, were not performed, EquiSal® Tapeworm testing found that horses were infected year-round. This shows how important it is to remove dung to help break the tapeworm life cycle to reduce the risk of re-infection after worming.

What does this information mean for me?🌾
While autumn testing (towards the end of the grazing season) is important, spring testing should also be carried out to decide on treatment. Targeting treatment in spring avoids infected horses contaminating paddocks with tapeworm eggs when mites are most active.

Want to read the full paper? Head to the comments for the link to the paper which can be read Open Access🍂


Note: Tapeworm live at the junction of the small and large intestines and is known to be associated with colic—a serious and potentially life-threatening condition. Oribatid mites are a group of microscopic creatures that live in soil and on pasture that act as intermediate hosts of tapeworm – meaning that these mites are needed for the parasite to complete its life cycle. The study looked at the presence of oribatid mites on paddocks, including mites that were infected with tapeworm by detecting their DNA in the mites.

07/10/2025

💬 Our third poll of the week! Have your say and be part of the conversation. The results of all the polls will be discussed with our expert panel during our Live on Facebook 'Horse First - Autumn Worm Control' webinar, with EquiSal Tapeworm and Hackett Equine, on Thurs 16th October

✅ Take part in today's poll asking how often you poo-pick, by providing your answer in the comments.

🐴 Find out how to join the free webinar 👉 bit.ly/Horse-First-Webinar-Info

06/10/2025

💬 Did you see yesterdays poll? There's still time to have your say and be part of the conversation. The results of all the polls this week will be discussed with our expert panel during our Live on Facebook 'Horse First - Autumn Worm Control' webinar, with EquiSal Tapeworm and Hackett Equine, on Thurs 16th October

✅ Take part in today's poll by letting us know your horse's parasite risk in the comments. Not sure if your horse is low, medium or high? Use this handy, free parasite risk assessment tool 👉 bit.ly/Whats-Your-Worm-Risk

🐴 Find out how to join our free webinar👉 bit.ly/Horse-First-Webinar-Info

05/10/2025

💬 𝗪𝗲'𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂! In the run-up to our Live on Facebook 'Horse First - Autumn Worm Control' webinar, with EquiSal Tapeworm and Hackett Equine,we’ll be running a series of polls on parasite control and worming. The results will help shape the conversation and be discussed with our expert panel during the webinar that tackles the real issues horse owners are facing.

✅ Take part in today's poll about parasite risk, by providing your answer in the comments, and be part of the conversation that’s shaping smarter parasite control.

🐴 Find out how to join us free, on Thurs 16th October 👉 bit.ly/Horse-First-Webinar-Info

03/10/2025

⚠🐴 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻. 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸! This autumn, our lab has seen a noticeable rise in worm egg count results that required treatment, with the unusually dry summer weather a likely contributor.

🆘 Anything that adds extra pressure on the body, whether that’s illness or environmental conditions, can make it harder for horses to cope with parasite challenge. After this summer’s burnt-off grazing, horses have also been cropping closer to the ground and near dung piles to find forage, helping to raise the chances of infection.

Find out more 👉 bit.ly/Extreme-Summer-Autumn-Risk

🔬If you haven’t tested since July or earlier, now is the time to test 👉 bit.ly/WestgateLabsShop

01/10/2025

🤔📅 Is your parasite control up to date this autumn?

If your horse was last tested in July or earlier, it’s time to test again. A healthy adult horse should have a worm egg count every 8–12 weeks during the grazing season to monitor infection levels, with wormers only added if needed. Foals, youngsters and veterans are more vulnerable, so they should be tested more often, at least every 8 weeks.

💡 Need a reminder? Every customer has access to a free online account where you can:
✔️ Check when your last test was
✔️ Update your reminder settings so you never miss a test
✔️ See when a sample has arrived in the lab
✔️ View all your results in one place

Just log in with your email and if it’s your first time, use the “forgotten password” link 👉 bit.ly/westgate-account-login

😘 Already on a subscription plan? We’ll send the right tests at the right time so you’re always covered 👉 bit.ly/AllSeasonsSubscription

🛒 Shop tests 👉 bit.ly/WestgateLabsShop

29/09/2025

🌱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗺𝗻? Research shows that they're especially vulnerable to parasites while their immune systems are still developing. Worm egg counts are great for monitoring small redworm (cyathostomins), but they can’t tell the difference between their eggs and those of large redworm (Strongylus spp), which look identical under the microscope.

⏰ If you have a spring foal that’s been grazing for 6–7 months, now is the time to consider screening for large redworm. Large redworm, or bloodworms, migrate through the horse’s blood vessels, where they can cause severe, often hidden damage, including colic, haemorrhage and even intestinal infarction.

🔬 We’re proud to be the first UK lab to offer a commercial test for this, available for individuals or as a composite sample for up to four horses.

🐴 Give your youngsters the best start with early detection and peace of mind. Contact us for expert advice and learn more here 👉 bit.ly/Large-Redworm-Parasite

26/09/2025

Have you signed up yet? Join us live on Thursday 16th October at 7pm 👉 bit.ly/Horse-First-Webinar-Info

24/09/2025

🌍💚 We’re thrilled to share some exciting news… our little green sample pots have been shortlisted for the Sustainability Award in the Material Innovation category of the Plastics Industry Awards 2025!

✅ In partnership with Adreco Plastics Ltd we’ve created the UK’s first 100% compostable veterinary diagnostic kits. This was the final piece of the puzzle to making our range of test kits 100% sustainable and zero waste.

🌱 From your field, to our lab, once processed the used pots go directly onto our muck heap with the rest of the compostable packaging. The result is a 90% reduction in waste-to-landfill! ♻

Find out more 👉 bit.ly/Sustainable-Pots-Plastic-Awards