Deworming Your Horse

admin — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 21:20:03 +0000

If you want to keep your horse happy, healthy, and free from energy sucking parasites, it is vital to implement a deworming routine that is both varied and regular. Most horses should be dewormed about every two months. If your barn typically has new horses arriving all the time, or if your horse is either very young or very old, you might wish to talk to your veterinarian about a more frequent deworming schedule. Conversely, if your horse spends most of his time in a large pasture with a relatively stable herd and few newcomers, then you might be able to decrease the regularity to just a few times per year.

It is important to remember that not all deworming products kill all worms. There is even some evidence to suggest that over time worms can develop a resistance to particular products. Therefore, it is important to change your dewormer throughout the year. Each time you treat your horse, you should be using a product that deals with strongyles, roundworms, and pinworms. Once per year you should use a product that also handles tapeworms, and twice per year one that takes care of bots, if you live in affected areas.

It’s best to use an ivermectin product in late spring and early fall to deal with bots and other worms, and Strongid P in the summer for tapeworms. The remaining treatments can alternate with different products – try checking with your vet to find out what works best in your area. Dewormers are conveniently sold in paste form, so the procedure should be relatively simple. Just be sure to do it before feeding time, or else rinse his mouth with water and a clean syringe, or the paste may get caught up with his food and be spit out. Be sure to get the paste all the way back or it will spill out all over the floor, and likely on you too! For particularly finicky horses there are many new flavored products available as well.

Ask the Farrier » deworming

Deworming Your Horse

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