Horse Wormers
Tips for deworming horses
Like other animals, horses can fall prey to internal and external parasites. Some of the most detrimental parasites are worms; fortunately, they are also some of the most easily prevented.
Foals are more likely than older horses to become infected with roundworms (some believe that's because initial encounters with roundworms build up immunity). These worms develop inside the intestinal tract after eggs are swallowed and, when fully grown, can be up to 20 inches long. They siphon nutrition from the foal and can make the horse more susceptible to pneumonia or cause intestine ruptures.
Other common types of worms include tapeworms, bloodworms and pinworms.
Fortunately, all of these parasites can be prevented if you follow a consistent horse worming schedule. With regular horse worming, you can keep your horse healthy for years to come.
Horse Wormers
There are several different bases for wormers: moxidectin, pyrantel pamoate, praziquantel, ivermectin, oxibendazole and fenbendazole. They all have different strengths and weaknesses. For example, fenbendazole-based wormers are considered the safest, while moxidectin is the only wormer capable of killing larvae in a single dose (but is therefore less safe for foals).
Usually, discount horse wormers work just as well as more expensive brands, but always check with your veterinarian for advice on which wormer (and how much) to give at which time of year.
Wormers come in different forms, as well. Medicated pellets can be mixed with food, liquid suspensions can be given via a stomach tube (which can be a very tricky procedure) and gel horse wormers can be squirted right into a horse's mouth using a syringe-like applicator.
Organic Horse Wormers
Some horse owners may opt for organic horse wormers rather than the traditional chemicals. Natural wormers don't kill larvae or parasites, they simply produce an inhospitable environment in the horse's digestive tract. The effectiveness of some natural wormers hasn't been thoroughly tested yet, so many experts recommend giving your horse an initial dose of chemical wormer and then following up with an organic product.
