What is a good deworming schedule for horses?
6 min read
Asked by: Byakika Minerich
Adult Horse Schedule
- Fecal egg count performed prior to deworming in spring (ideally spring and fall)
- Spring (March) – ivermectin (Equell®, Zimectrin®, Rotectin®, IverCare®), moxidectin (Quest®)
- Fall (October) – ivermectin w/ praziquantel (Equimax®, Zimectrin Gold®) or moxidectin with praziquantel (Quest Plus®)
What deworming schedule do most veterinarians recommend for horses?
Our Gillette vets recommend deworming most horses once or twice a year. Before having your horse dewormed in the spring, a fecal exam should be done in order to measure the number of worm eggs being shedding in your horse’s feces.
How often should I give my horse a dewormer?
Each horse should be dewormed every 6 months with an Ivermectin product (Spring and Fall). Ivermectin is a larvicidal (will kill parasite larvae), and if used every 6 months on each horse, large strongyles will be eliminated from your farm.
What months should I worm my horse?
All horses should be wormed in the late autumn with a combined round/tape wormer to remove bots, tapeworms and any adult roundworms. 4. For many horses once a year worming will be sufficient. Horses identified with higher worm burdens will need to be wormed more frequently.
Can you worm a horse too often?
Internal parasites are a natural part of horses’ digestive tracts. While different parasites can be beneficial to keep the gut healthy, an overload of worms can cause a wide variety of potentially dangerous problems for your horse.
What vaccines do horses need every year?
To recap, your horse should at least receive EWT/WN and Rabies vaccinations once a year. In general, we recommend that your horse receive EWT/WN, PHF/Rabies, Strangles, and Flu/Rhino in the Spring, and PHF and Flu/Rhino in the Fall.
What dewormer should I give my horse in the spring?
Here are the basics:
You will need to deworm all horses twice yearly (after the first frost and again in the spring) with an ivermectin or moxidectin product to kill large strongyles and bots.
Can you worm a horse every month?
Traditionally, veterinarians recommend worming your horse every two months.
What happens if you don’t deworm your horse?
Depending upon the worm burden, the clinical signs range from none to poor performance, dull hair coat, recurring colic, diarrhea, weight loss and even death. Large strongyles (bloodworms) used to be the greatest threat to horses. Although their role has lessened they can still cause problems.
How often do horses need farrier?
every 4 to 6 weeks
The average horse needs to see a farrier every 4 to 6 weeks, but not every horse is the same. Some horses may need to see a farrier more, or less, often than the average horse. Determining how frequent your farrier visits will depend on the growth rate and current health of your horse’s hooves.
What kind of dewormer do horses need?
Over deworming can promote the growth of resistant parasites. Most farms use a double dose of pyrantel or a praziquantel product once a year for tapeworm control. Farms with a high stocking rates may deworm more often or use daily wormers for individually fed horses.
What horse wormer should I use in January?
Between November and February, with the optimal time being in December – January to treat encysted redworm you need to give a wormer with moxidectin (Equest) as its active ingredient.
How often Equimax horse Wormer?
We recommend:
- Strongid-P repeated every 4-6 weeks or,
- Panacur repeated every 6-8 weeks or,
- Eqvalan or Equimax repeated every 8-10 weeks.
Is it necessary to deworm horses?
The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) recommends that all horses receive deworming treatments in the spring and fall, targeting key equine parasites of concern. For young horses, ages 3 and under, the AAEP guidelines recommend high-risk deworming treatment plans.
How do you tell if a horse has worms?
Common signs of parasite or worm infection include:
- Weight loss.
- Colic.
- Diarrhea or constipation.
- Rough hair coat.
- Poor growth in foals.
- Respiratory problems. (nasal discharge, cough)
What happens if you don’t deworm your horse?
Depending upon the worm burden, the clinical signs range from none to poor performance, dull hair coat, recurring colic, diarrhea, weight loss and even death. Large strongyles (bloodworms) used to be the greatest threat to horses. Although their role has lessened they can still cause problems.
How often should a horse be vaccinated?
Vaccination is often given as a combination vaccine with equine influenza. A primary course of two vaccinations is given 4-6 weeks apart, followed by a booster in 12 months. Subsequent vaccinations are usually given every 2 years.
How often do horses need their teeth floated?
How often should my horse be floated? Your horse should be examined and have a routine dental float at least once a year. Depending on your horse’s age, breed, history, and performance use, we may recommend that they be examined every 6 months.
What is included in the 5 way horse vaccine?
A “5-way” (EEE/WEE, Tetanus, Influenza, and Rhino) vaccine is administered to 4-H, exhibition, and breeding or boarding barn horses. Depending on the risk, these vaccines may be repeated in 6-month intervals. For the 4-H clients, we also vaccinate annually for Rabies virus.
How often do horses need strangles vaccine?
Administer a 3-dose series at intervals of 3 weeks between doses. Foals vaccinated when less than 3 months of age should receive an additional dose at 6 months. Annual vaccination is recommended.
What vaccinations should my horse have?
The AAEP considers the “core vaccines” which all horses should have regardless of their age or use to be Rabies vaccine, Encephalitis/Tetanus vaccine, and West Nile Virus vaccine. Many horses, based on their age and use, should also be vaccinated for the respiratory diseases- Influenza, Rhinopneumonitis, and Strangles.
How often does a horse need a tetanus?
All horses should be vaccinated against tetanus whether they are retired, companion or competition animals. The tetanus vaccination is very effective and requires an initial course of two vaccinations given 4-6 weeks apart. Boosters are usually given every two to three years depending on the brand of vaccination used.
How often do horses need Hendra?
The Hendra vaccine can be given to horses as young as 4 months of age and requires two doses, three to six weeks apart, followed by a booster every six months.
What vaccines do horses need every 6 months?
Spring Vaccines
| Vaccine | Who Should Get It? | Other info. |
|---|---|---|
| Rabies | All horses. | |
| Tetanus | All horses. | May be boostered at 6+ months if at risk. |
| West Nile Virus | All horses. | Boostered at 6 months if traveling to a warmer climate. |
| Eastern Equine Encephalitis | All horses. | Boostered at 6 months if traveling to a warmer climate. |
Should I vaccinate my horse for Hendra?
Vaccination is the single most effective way of reducing the risk of Hendra virus infection in horses. Human infection and death have occurred following high-level exposure to body fluids from an infected horse.
How much does Hendra vaccine cost?
The cost of the Hendra vaccine ranges between $100 and $200 per injection, which has been a deterrent factor for many horse owners.
What does Hendra virus do to horses?
Hendra virus can cause a range of symptoms in horses. Usually there is a rapid onset of illness, fever, increased heart rate and rapid deterioration with respiratory and/or neurological (nervous system) signs.
What does Hendra virus do to humans?
Hendra virus (HeV) infection is a rare emerging zoonosis (disease that can be transmitted to humans from animals) that causes severe and often fatal disease in both infected horses and humans. The natural host of the virus has been identified as being fruit bats of the Pteropodidae Family, Pteropus genus.
