Worms And Parasites - Importance Of Deworming Your Horse

A worm-free horse is a happy horse, but the only way to ensure a worm-free horse is the application of deworming medications. This is one of those hated tasks for horse owners who know the trials of trying to pry open a horse's mouth to squirt paste inside. It is essential though, as certain worms, aside from depleting nutrition, can pass into the bloodstream and do serious damage to a horse's vital organs.

Horses in certain situations may be much more likely to contract worms and other parasites. Horses that pass through stables that see a lot of horses, may need very frequent deworming. Very old and young horse are also much more susceptible to parasitic infestations, but care should be taken deworming them as their bodies will respond differently then horse in prime health and age.

It is vital for a horse owner to know how worms enter a horse's body. The primary way to transmit the worms is through contact with the fecal. A horse that is infested with worms are likely to produce feces that are contaminated with worms.

Horses that come in contact with these feces can eventually transmit those eggs or worms into their own bodies by ingestion. This does not mean that a horse has to eat the feces, it could be some form of contact with it and eventually passing it on in the feeding area. The worms will then travel to the intestines where they will experience a feast each time your horse eats.

One of the most common ways to deworm a horse is using oral deworming medication that has to be fed to your horse. Most Veterinarians recommend horse owners to deworm their horses six times annually. Naturally, squirting something in your horse's mouth can be something of a task. Many horses are not too fond of strange pastes or liquids put in their mouths. There is a dewormer in pellet form, to be mixed with feed, but it has shown to be far less effective.

Deworming Tips and Considerations

- A horse with food in its mouth is more likely to spit out the dewormer. Rinsing a horse's mouth with a lot of water before hand can help mitigate this response.

- Different types of dewormers are use against different worms. Consider rotating which drug you use.

There are no real perfect approaches to administering the dewormer. Only you know your horse best, and only you will be able to anticipate how she will react. Make an effort to move slowly, and thoroughly, but be sure that the dewormer does get swallowed.

Studies have shown that some dewormers can have a negative impact on worm control in the long run. The worms will start to develop resistance to the deworming medication if you overdo it. Do some research or discuss with your vet the possibility of using newer drugs, or possibly trying natural remedies, or substances such as diatomaceous earth which will actually suck all of the moisture out of a worm, killing it.