330.410.4899

Equine Deworming

 

Internal parasites are silent killers. They can cause extensive internal damage, and you may not even realize your horses are heavily infected. At the very least, parasites can lower resistance, rob the horse of valuable nutrients, and cause gastrointestinal irritation and unthriftiness. At their worst, they can lead to colic, intestinal ruptures, and death.

 

Using deworming agents, as indicated by fecal exams, with good management procedures is critical to relieving your horse of most parasites. Since parasites are primarily transferred through manure, good management is key.

 

To get rid of parasites before they attack your horse, follow these suggestions from the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP):

 

1. Pick up and dispose of manure droppings in the pasture at least twice weekly.
2. Mow and harrow pastures regularly to break up manure piles and expose parasite eggs and larvae to the elements.
3. Rotate pastures by allowing other livestock, such as sheep or cattle, to graze them, thereby interrupting the life cycles of parasites.
4. Group horses by age to reduce exposure to certain parasites and maximize the deworming program geared to that group.
5. Keep the number of horses per acre to a minimum to prevent overgrazing and reduce the fecal contamination per acre.
6. Use a feeder for hay and grain rather than feeding on the ground.
7. Remove bot eggs quickly and regularly from the horse's haircoat to prevent ingestion.
8. Use regular fecal examinations to determine parasite load and to target problem species of parasites.
9. Consult with us to set up an effective and regular deworming schedule.

 

A good parasite control program will go a long way toward maximizing your horse's appearance, performance and comfort.

 

Due to many parasites developing drug resistance it is important that we do no over-medicate as this could lead to multiple drug resistances and super-bugs that are difficult to eliminate. Many horses develop natural immunity to parasites and only require deworming a few times a year. A fecal exam and a veterinary consult can ensure a proper deworming strategy. We utilize fecal egg counts, using a Modified McMaster's technique, that provides a quantitative value to your horses' worm burden. Using the FEC allows us to categorize each individual as low, medium or high risk for internal parasites and allows customization of a deworming strategy.

 

Additional information from Zoetis can be found at idmyhorse.com

 

We would be happy to discuss parasites on your farm and design an appropriate deworming protocol to suit your needs: 330.410.4899