Horse Health
Deworming Schedule
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Foals
• First deworming at 2-3 months of age
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1. Dewormer – Fenbendazole (Panacur) or Pyrantel Pamoate (Strongid)
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2. Dewormer – Ivermectin/Praziquantel (Equimax)
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Adults
• Paste Deworming Schedule
| January -------- | Ivermectin/Praziquantel (Equimax) |
| March ---------- | Pyrantel Pamoate (Strongid); Semi-annual fecal egg
count analysis should be preformed 10 days post deworming. |
| May ------------- | Ivermectin (Eqvalan) |
| July ------------- | Ivermectin (Eqvalan) |
| September ----- | Double dose of Fenbendazole granules once a day
for 5 straight days. Semi-annual fecal egg count analysis should be preformed 10 days post deworming. |
| November ------ | Ivermectin (Eqvalan) |
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Pregnant Mares
• Follow adult deworming schedule. 2 weeks prior to foaling deworm with Ivermectin (Eqvalan).
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Daily Dewormer
• Horses on a daily dewormer such as Pyrantel Tartate (Strongid C2X) will also need twice yearly deworming with:
| January -------- | Ivermectin/Praziquantel (Equimax) |
| July ------------- | Ivermectin (Eqvalan) |
Preventative Care Program
Monitoring Parasite Levels
Monitoring parasite levels is important in determining the effectiveness of a parasite control program and is easily achieved by a routine fecal egg count analysis. Farms on a parasite control program should take fresh fecal samples from each enclosure and submit them to their veterinarian semiannually (spring and fall). The fecal sample should be collected ten days after the last deworming. Fecal analysis can be preformed more frequently on farms entering parasite control programs or if parasite problems are suspected.
Pasture Maintenance
Good pasture maintenance is an important part of any parasite control program. Pastures become contaminated by the manure of infected horses. Healthy horses can become infected with parasites by ingesting parasite larvae while grazing on contaminated pastures. The goal of pasture maintenance is to reduce the number of parasite larvae in the environment and thus decreasing the horse’s exposure. Pastures should have manure physically removed on a regular basis. The frequency of manure removal will depend on the number of horses and size of the enclosure. Routine fecal egg count analysis should also be performed semi-annually for good pasture management.
New Horses
Outside horses entering a farm with an established parasite control program are the major source of re-contamination. New horses on the farm should be dewormed and have a fecal egg count analysis performed upon their arrival regardless of the deworming history. The new arrivals should be isolated from other horses for two weeks and then be placed on the farm’s deworming schedule.
Common Causes of Program Failure
Even farms with established parasite control programs can experience parasite problems. There are several reasons these problems arise. One of the most common is failure to properly administer paste dewormers such as spillage or under dosing. Another problem that occurs is certain parasites may become resistant to some dewormers. This situation may require temporary modifications to the program. A less common cause of program failure is not necessarily a farm problem but an individual horse problem. There are some horses that are very susceptible or sensitive to parasites, these horses may require intensive management.