How Can I Tell If My Horse Has Worms?

Worms can cause a serious threat to the overall well-being of your horse and therefore it’s beneficial for you to become aware of the outward symptoms that may point towards the signs of worms in order to implement a successful horse wormersprogramme.

Weight

It’s important that you weigh your horse on a regular basis. If worms are present in your horse then they will absorb many of the nutrients that the horse is taking in from its feed. So, if your horse is losing weight, or failing to gain weight from increased grain, then this is one of the main symptoms that worms are present and a visit from the vet may be in order.

Coat

The simplest way of determining the presence of worms is to look at the horse’s coat. If it is dull and lifeless, or patchy in places, then the nutrients from the horse’s grain are not being digested properly and are not stimulating healthy hair growth.

Stool

If these symptoms are evident then the next step is to either examine the horse’s stool. If the stool is continually loose then this points towards a digestive tract that is being tampered with by worms. Upon closer inspection it may be possible to identify the presence of worms in the stool sample itself. However, for a more definitive diagnosis, taking a stool sample to your vet will help to identify the types of worms present and the extent to which the horse is infected.

Before you spend a lot of money on vet’s fees, these three simple steps of monitoring the horses weight, coat and stools will help you to determine the problem if you suspect the presence of worms. Indeed, these are the common symptoms of worms in any animal, such as a cat or a dog, so it is worth bearing these signs in mind before embarking on a trip to the vets.

Treating Worms

The good news is that, whilst worms are a common problem in horses, the treatment of worms is a straight forward and relatively inexpensive process. Some of the cheapest horse wormers available are combination wormers that offer protection against a variety of parasitical strains. Something like an equestpramox year pack, for example, offers a worming plan that will cover your horse for the duration of the year and is widely available for around £70, although discounts maybe found through companies that specialise in wormers online.

Whilst the thought of worms in any animal is rather off putting the treatment is always cheap and simple. Domestic pet wormers, such as Drontal for cats or Drontal Plus for dogs, offer protection in the home environment, whereas more industrial strength products such as equimax horse wormer and equest horse wormer offer protection for your horse.

There are a variety of different horse wormers available on the market designed to combat worms in all their stages and forms.