Horsemen’s Laboratory receives questions from clients about deworming medications in two different situations. Though the situations are different, arriving at a decision about the correct medication considers the same factors.
Answers to dewormer dilemma for horse owners
There is no single answer to the question about which dewormer to use for a particular horse because deworming medication should be chosen on a case-by-case basis.
FAQ: My horse had “no eggs seen” on the last fecal egg count or is considered a low shedder. But according to the new selective deworming protocol, I should deworm him twice a year anyway. Which deworming medication should I use?
FAQ: My horse tested positive on his last fecal egg count. Which deworming medication should I use?
There is no single answer. The deworming medication should be chosen on a case-by-case basis, and the product selected depends on a number of factors:
- Is the horse kept on dry lot or turned out to pasture?
- Is the horse kept in a stall except for exercise in an arena?
- Is the horse turned out with other horses? If so, are fecal egg counts performed on these horses?
- What deworming medication was last used to deworm the horse?
- What is the age of the horse?
- What is the gender of the horse? If the horse is a mare, is she in foal or nursing a foal?
- What is the fecal egg count history of the horse?
Dr. Byrd can help horse owners answer these questions and decide on the most appropriate deworming medication for their horse. He is also available to answer questions about deworming whether or not horse owners are clients.
His answers are based on more than 20 years of experience viewing and identifying worm eggs and interpreting fecal egg count results for thousands of horses in many different living situations.
Contact: John Byrd, DVM, Horsemen's Laboratory, phone; 800-544-0599, email: hlab@horsemenslab.com