Intestinal worms are one of the most common parasites horses can get. Horse wormers can help with prevention. Daily feed through wormers and rotational worming kits also reduce the chance of re-infection.
Horses are highly susceptible to gastrointestinal equine parasites, more commonly known as worms. These parasites can often lay dormant in egg or larvae form, and once ingested, just need time to mature. There are dozens of varieties of worms, and different types of worms are prevalent at different times of the year, so a horse is always at risk. Luckily, there are many effective horse wormers available to get rid of these parasites, and help prevent them from getting into your horse in the first place.
Some wormers need only be used at specific times of the year to fight that season’s particular pest. Paste wormers and gel wormers are administered by syringe, inserted in the mouth and “shot” towards the back of the tongue. Pellet wormers are mixed in with a horse’s regular feed, and ingested while he or she eats.
Because worms are continuously breeding, and can develop resistance to pesticides, a year-round schedule of periodic worming is recommended. Daily feed through wormers and rotational worming kits reduce the chance of re-infection by decreasing the number of worm larvae in the horse's feces and, subsequently, the pasture. Rotational kits are one of the most convenient ways to plan your worming schedule for the year.
Along with manure management around the stable and monitoring fecal egg counts, implementing a regular worming schedule is the best defense against worms. Consult your veterinarian for the plan that best fits your horse, and check out our FAQ for even more information on worms and worming.
