Worming your horse

Worm control is a very important aspect of horse management and it is important to know which worms to target at different times of the year, and which wormer to use for each type of worm.

Worms are parasites which live within the horse and they are constantly evolving resistance to the wormers. For this reason the advice we give concerning how best to worm your horse changes - what you did ten years ago, or even two years ago, may not be appropriate now.

Currently we recommend one of the following regimes:-

Pyrantel (Strongid P or Pyratape) every 6 weeks for a year, but dose with Ivermectin+Praziquantel (Equimax) in the autumn (after the first frost of the winter) to kill any bots and tape worms and again in the spring.

2a. Ivermectin (Eqvalan, Furexel or Panomec) every 8 weeks for a year, with Ivermectin + praziquantel (Equimax) in the autumn and spring.

2b. Moxidectin (Equest) in the summer and winter, Moxidectin + Praziquantel (Pramox) in the spring and autumn

Alternate from regime 1 to regime 2a or 2b on a yearly basis.

The above regimes should provide for most eventualities. However, other wormers or regimes may be necessary in certain situations, eg. where a number of horses are kept together but are not all wormed at the same time with the same wormer, or where encysted small redworms or liver fluke are suspected to be a problem; horses grazing with donkeys may be at risk from lungworm and so may need a different worming regime.

Worm control with reduced use of wormers

In an attempt to control the parasite burden of your horse with the minimal use of drugs, then worm egg counts should be carried out.

Faecal worm egg counts indicate the number of egg laying adult worms in your horse. If the count is low then your horse may not need worming.

Regime - Send / take a small handful of fresh dung in polythene bag / jar to the clinic.

Worm egg count low - Repeat test at 3 monthly intervals
Worm egg count high - Worm your horse then repeat test in 1 month
Once 3 successive low counts have been achieved, go to 6 monthly testing

Only worm if the egg count is high

This will not deal with tapeworms - treat with Eqimax or Pramox at the beginning and end of the grazing season.
This will not deal with bots - Equest / Eqvalan / Furexel /Panomec/Equimax/Pramox after first hard frost
New horses should be wormed with Equest or Pramox and kept in for 48 hours to prevent pasture contamination whilst any delayed action of the wormer takes effect
To minimise pasture contamination droppings should be picked up twice weekly.