Deworming your horse is an important part of horse ownership. It prevents your horse from becoming ill as well as preventing other horses from contracting those parasites. As our knowledge of equine intestinal parasites grows, the recommendations for deworming change as well.
Gone are the days of treating every horse with the same dewormer rotation at the same four month interval. Now we are taking in to consideration the worm count that each individual horse carries. This involves performing a fecal analysis. By looking at the actual number of worms in your horse’s manure, we can tell if they have a low worm count or a high worm count. Since every horse may have a different worm count, this allows for a deworming protocol tailored to each individual horse. It will also reduce the risk of drug resistant parasites and reduce the amount of unnecessary deworming treatments.
Adult Chart
Foal Chart
PLEASE NOTE: These charts are only a guideline as many factors contribute to the level of parasites horses carry. Contact your veterinarian to develop a personalized deworming schedule for your horse.
Equally important as deworming, reducing your horse’s exposure to parasites is another important step. Manure should be removed from paddocks and pastures at least twice weekly. If you spread manure as fertilizer, make sure it is well composted before doing so. If you are introducing a new horse, a fecal should be done to assess that horse’s parasite count before introducing it to the other horses.
