Useful Advice On Horse Wormers

By Cynthia Snyder


All domestic animals need to be dewormed from time to time to prevent worms from seriously affecting their health. However, there are very many worming products while they are growing resistance to a number of them. This may make it difficult for a farmer to pick the best horse wormers. This article provides you with guidelines for selecting and using the dewormers.

You should first start by establishing what level of worms are available in the horses. This can be done by a number of various tests. One of the main tests is the fecal egg count. It is capable of determining the number of adult worms that can produce eggs. It is basically done from three to four months. The test is able to identify those that have a higher burden which should be subjected to treatment. It can also be used in identifying horses which have grown resistance to treatment done.

Blood and saliva samples can be taken to test the level of worms. A blood sample identifies horses that have a tapeworm infection. A high positive result indicates that the animal requires to be dewormed. A low positive result indicates that there is a low level of infection and treatment may not be needed. For the saliva samples, a simple swab is taken and analyzed. This test is cheaper and can easily fit in a worming plan.

It is important you give treatment only when it is needed. This is because they have grown with the parasites and therefore a smaller burden will not harm their health. Uncovering a smaller number of them to drugs can greatly encourage resistance which can be a challenge. You should follow the deworming plan to prevent such issues.

The correct dose should be given at all times. Under-dosing leads to resistance whereas overdosing is not beneficial. The weight of the horses will help you determine the amounts that should be given. A weighing tape is normally used in determining the weight. When giving the correct dosage, tablets are preferred as compared to the liquid dewormers since the animals tend to spit out some of it which can result in under-dosing.

When switching the dewormers after a season, ensure that you switch the active ingredient and not the brand. This is the best solution in treating horses that have grown resistance. In addition, always consult a vet who can tell you if the active ingredient you are about to use is resistant in your area. This information helps you to rightfully decide.

It is important you reduce the usage of the drugs by worming less frequently. This is possible by using drugs that have longer dosing intervals and making use of fecal worm egg count which allows you to treat specific horses whose worm egg count have reached a given level. This normally two hundred eggs and above in a given gram.

It may be wise for you to remove droppings from pastures and shelter from time to time. This helps in getting rid of many worms that escaped treatment. The worms can become resistant after some time to the active element being used. Removing them prevents them from reinfecting animals.




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