How to Prevent Parasites in Horses
Develop a deworming program with your vet., Include an insecticide in the deworming program., Use caution when deworming foals., Treat and quarantine all new horses., Have your vet perform regular fecal exams.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Develop a deworming program with your vet.
Antiparasitics, commonly known as dewormers, kill parasites in different ways, including paralysis and interrupting the life cycle.
Many types of dewormers are available and they come in several formulations (e.g., oral paste, feed additives).
In addition, there are various strategies to give dewormers, including rotating drug types several times a year and targeting specific parasites.Examples of dewormers are ivermectin, fenbendazole, and pyrantel pamoate.With so many possibilities for giving your horse dewormers , it could be hard to know what will work best for your horse.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ deworming program for horses.
Your vet will recommend an individualized deworming strategy for your horse.
This strategy will depend on various factors, such as geographic location and the number and age of your horses.Follow the deworming program carefully to ensure your horse does not suffer from parasites. -
Step 2: Include an insecticide in the deworming program.
Adult bot flies lay their eggs on a horse’s hair coat, causing annoyance and irritation.
If the horse bites or licks at the area where the eggs are laid, the eggs enter the body and eventually hatch into larvae, called bots, that live in the stomach.
These bots can cause stomach inflammation and ulcers.Using an insecticide will break the flies’ life cycle and prevent a bot infestation.
Strategies for using an insecticide are below:
Use an external insecticide after the eggs are laid but before they hatch.
Apply the insecticide by rubbing it into the affected areas with a sponge soaked with warm water.
In response to the warm water and insecticide, the eggs will hatch and then die.
Wear gloves when applying the insecticide.
Use the insecticide weekly when the flies are most likely to lay eggs.
This time period may vary according to your geographic location.
Your vet can help you determine when to use the insecticide.
Talk with your vet about using an internal insecticide. , Foals are especially susceptible to parasites called ascarids, which are thick, white worms that can grow up to 1 foot (12 cm) long.
Ascarids can cause poor body condition, colic (abdominal pain), and respiratory problems.To help a foal grow into a healthy adult, start deworming it at 4‒8 weeks of age and repeat every 30‒60 days according to your vet’s recommended deworming schedule.Do not give daily dewormers to your foal.
Foals need some exposure to internal parasites so they can build up immunity to the parasites.
A daily dewormer would kill the parasites before immunity could develop, possibly causing more severe reactions to parasites later in life., To prevent the introduction of parasites into your horse’s environment, quarantine and deworm new horses.Your vet will recommend how long the new horses should be quarantined and dewormed before being introduced to your horse. , Regular fecal exams are essential to an effective deworming program.
Before beginning the deworming program, a fecal exam will allow your vet to identify specific parasites, determine the severity of infestation, and decide which dewormers to prescribe.
During the deworming program, regular fecal exams will help your vet determine if the dewormers are effective and if you should give them more or less frequently.Your vet will examine a sample of fresh manure to identify parasites and count the number of parasite eggs.
Twice-yearly fecal exams are recommended, but your vet will let you know how often they would like to perform the exams.Be aware that a negative fecal sample does not always mean that your horse is free of internal parasites.Some parasites have developed resistance to certain dewormers.High parasite egg counts could indicate dewormer resistance. -
Step 3: Use caution when deworming foals.
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Step 4: Treat and quarantine all new horses.
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Step 5: Have your vet perform regular fecal exams.
Detailed Guide
Antiparasitics, commonly known as dewormers, kill parasites in different ways, including paralysis and interrupting the life cycle.
Many types of dewormers are available and they come in several formulations (e.g., oral paste, feed additives).
In addition, there are various strategies to give dewormers, including rotating drug types several times a year and targeting specific parasites.Examples of dewormers are ivermectin, fenbendazole, and pyrantel pamoate.With so many possibilities for giving your horse dewormers , it could be hard to know what will work best for your horse.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ deworming program for horses.
Your vet will recommend an individualized deworming strategy for your horse.
This strategy will depend on various factors, such as geographic location and the number and age of your horses.Follow the deworming program carefully to ensure your horse does not suffer from parasites.
Adult bot flies lay their eggs on a horse’s hair coat, causing annoyance and irritation.
If the horse bites or licks at the area where the eggs are laid, the eggs enter the body and eventually hatch into larvae, called bots, that live in the stomach.
These bots can cause stomach inflammation and ulcers.Using an insecticide will break the flies’ life cycle and prevent a bot infestation.
Strategies for using an insecticide are below:
Use an external insecticide after the eggs are laid but before they hatch.
Apply the insecticide by rubbing it into the affected areas with a sponge soaked with warm water.
In response to the warm water and insecticide, the eggs will hatch and then die.
Wear gloves when applying the insecticide.
Use the insecticide weekly when the flies are most likely to lay eggs.
This time period may vary according to your geographic location.
Your vet can help you determine when to use the insecticide.
Talk with your vet about using an internal insecticide. , Foals are especially susceptible to parasites called ascarids, which are thick, white worms that can grow up to 1 foot (12 cm) long.
Ascarids can cause poor body condition, colic (abdominal pain), and respiratory problems.To help a foal grow into a healthy adult, start deworming it at 4‒8 weeks of age and repeat every 30‒60 days according to your vet’s recommended deworming schedule.Do not give daily dewormers to your foal.
Foals need some exposure to internal parasites so they can build up immunity to the parasites.
A daily dewormer would kill the parasites before immunity could develop, possibly causing more severe reactions to parasites later in life., To prevent the introduction of parasites into your horse’s environment, quarantine and deworm new horses.Your vet will recommend how long the new horses should be quarantined and dewormed before being introduced to your horse. , Regular fecal exams are essential to an effective deworming program.
Before beginning the deworming program, a fecal exam will allow your vet to identify specific parasites, determine the severity of infestation, and decide which dewormers to prescribe.
During the deworming program, regular fecal exams will help your vet determine if the dewormers are effective and if you should give them more or less frequently.Your vet will examine a sample of fresh manure to identify parasites and count the number of parasite eggs.
Twice-yearly fecal exams are recommended, but your vet will let you know how often they would like to perform the exams.Be aware that a negative fecal sample does not always mean that your horse is free of internal parasites.Some parasites have developed resistance to certain dewormers.High parasite egg counts could indicate dewormer resistance.
About the Author
Anthony Torres
Committed to making pet care accessible and understandable for everyone.
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