Internal parasites are a common problem in horses, particularly those managed on pasture. In addition to being a nuisance, internal parasites can cause serious health problems. These health issues include conditions such as weight loss, poor performance, colic, and intestinal obstruction. Establishing and maintaining a routine deworming schedule for your horses is an essential step to keep them healthy. However, a good deworming program should be tailored to the individual horse. The program should be based on factors such as age, pasture type, climate, and management style. Strategic deworming takes these factors into account. Additionally, a good deworming strategy helps prevent the development of resistance and strives to keep the deworming medications you use on your farm effective.

Strategic Deworming for Horses

In the past, deworming horses often meant giving a broad spectrum deworming medication to every horse in the barn a few times each year. Nowadays, it is recommended that horse owners use a strategic deworming program that addresses the needs of each individual horse. A strategic deworming protocol involves three steps:

Plan

Planning is perhaps the most important step in any strategic deworming program. To start, your veterinarian can help you monitor fecal egg count for the horses on your farm. This easy testing will identify high, moderate, and low egg shedders, and this information will be used to determine the frequency of deworming needed for each horse. In addition to fecal egg counting, you will also need to understand the types of parasites that are prevalent in your region and their infection cycles. This will help you make informed decisions regarding your horse’s management and the types of deworming medications available to target these species.

Purge

Purging involves the use of a broad spectrum deworming medication such as ivermectin to interrupt the infection cycle and kill the parasites that are currently established in your horse. Purge dewormers like Farnam IverCare (ivermectin) Paste 1.87% target a wide variety of parasites including small and large strongyles, pinworms, ascarids, and bots in a single dose. This medication is easy to administer using the adjustable dosing syringe. The frequency of purge deworming should be customized to fit the needs of the individual horse. High egg shedders may need more frequent purges, while low egg shedders may only need a purge dewormer twice per year. Monitoring fecal egg counts before and after the use of purge dewormers can also be useful to identify resistant parasites and ensure the deworming medication you have chosen is effective.

Protect

Daily deworming medications such as Farnam PyrantelCare Daily Dewormer 2.11% (pyrantel tartrate) provides continuous protection against more than 31 of the most common species and stages of equine parasites. This product utilizes pyrantel tartrate, a safe and effective anthelmintic that targets large and small strongyles, pinworms, and ascarids. The palatable medicated pellets are simply added to the horse’s normal feed daily. Once ingested, the medication works in the horse’s digestive tract to control parasites and help to prevent parasites from migrating through your horse’s digestive system, which can cause serious damage. While daily dewormers are a great tool for controlling new parasite infections, they do not treat all stages of parasites. That’s why it is important to use these products in conjunction with a routine purge deworming plan.

Summary

There are many different deworming products on the market today. Choosing the best options for your horse can seem daunting. While there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to equine deworming, a strategic deworming program is easy to implement. It will also provide your horse with protection to meet his unique needs. With the right products and a customized approach, you can have peace of mind knowing that you are doing what you can to help your horse remain healthy and protected from parasites.

Elizabeth Racine

Original article from Farnam.

Signs That Your Horse Has An Insect Problem: We’ve all had times where we wish our horses could talk and tell us what’s bothering them. The truth is, horses do communicate as best they can. It’s up to horse owners to pay attention to behaviors and physical signs to interpret what’s wrong. (And don’t forget to visit KVF for your horse supplies!)

You know fly season is in full swing when horses are reacting to flying pests. Stomping feet, swishing tails and shaking heads are all normal behavioral responses to flies and insects. Is there a pond or mud puddle available? Horses will often roll or stand in it in an effort to avoid flies.

But some horses also exhibit physical signs that insects are bothering them more than normal.

• Is your horse’s hair falling out in clumps?
• Does his mane have places where he’s rubbed out some or even all of the hair?
• Does he vigorously scratch his tail on fence posts, stall walls or trees?
• Are there places where his skin is irritated or even raw?

These are obvious signs your horse is having trouble with insects that shouldn’t be ignored.

When your horse acts “itchy”

It’s not unusual for a horse to use stationary objects, like a fence post, to scratch an occasional itch. But when a horse walks away from food to scratch or repeatedly rubs his ears, tail, mane, neck or belly to the point that his hair is falling out and his skin is raw–or even bleeding–there is a definite reason.

How can you know if your horse is actually allergic to insect bites, or if he just has irritated skin from being bitten?

“A horse with substantial hair loss or incessant itching likely needs to see a veterinarian who can do some diagnostic testing to nail down a cause,” notes Martha Mallicote, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, veterinarian and large animal clinical assistant professor at the University of Florida.

“With skin disease, it’s very temping to label it as ‘not that important’ and just treat with over-the-counter ‘remedies.’ But the reality is that some horses with significant allergies need really aggressive therapy to improve their actual quality of life–not just the quality of their hair coat,” adds Mallicote.

She explains that there is not a definitive way to differentiate “itchy” from an actual sensitivity other than allergy testing, which would show any allergens that are affecting the horse. In such cases, your veterinarian’s expertise can get to the root of the problem and help your horse be more comfortable.

“A vet will complete a physical exam, including close inspection of the abnormal skin, and likely choose to take skin samples for culture, cytology or other testing,” says Mallicote.

Signs of insect allergies

Unfortunately, in addition to the aggravation factor, some horses are actually allergic to insect bites. Signs of substantial insect allergies include:

• frequent itching to the point of destruction of fences and stall equipment from the horse’s rubbing
• welts or swelling in the affected area
• hair loss from intense rubbing due to itching
• broken skin, sometimes to the point of bleeding

If your horse has intense itching and hair loss in specific areas, this can indicate an allergic reaction to specific pests known as culicoides.

“The classic distribution of hair loss for a culicoides-sensitive horse is the mane/neck, tail head and ventrum (belly) of the horse,” explains Mallicote.

Culicoides sensitivity

Tiny biting midges, sometimes described as “no-see-ums,” but properly identified as culicoides, can cause extreme distress by biting the horse’s mane, tail and belly, especially if the horse is allergic to the insect saliva. Affected horses will scratch themselves on almost any stationary object in an attempt to relieve the extreme itching.

Culicoides sensitivity may also be referred to as “sweet itch.” In addition to severe itching, it’s common for horses with this condition to have patches of skin with broken or missing hair, scaliness and even oozing lesions. Secondary infections are possible when the skin is broken.

“Culicoides sensitivity is quite common, especially in the Southeastern U.S., but most horses have a more manageable case of the disease,” says Mallicote. “There are certainly those horses that are especially sensitive and do develop those really severe signs that indicate they are so terribly itchy that they cannot stop scratching.”

For those horses, Mallicote says it’s important to minimize exposure to culicoides. These biting midges are most active around dusk, so protecting horses that are sensitive typically means stabling them at this time of day and using fans that create a strong enough air current to keep midges from landing on the horse and biting.

Veterinarians treating such horses may have to prescribe strong anti-inflammatory medication to help get the itch under control.

Be proactive

If your horse has had issues in the past and reacted to insect bites by rubbing his mane and tail until his hair is falling out, you’ll want to take proactive steps before he’s under assault again.

“Get started with fly spray early in the season. Apply an effective product at least once daily and make sure to use enough product to really cover the horse,” advises Mallicote.

Farnam’s Endure Sweat-Resistant Fly Spray for Horses is an effective choice for hard-working horses that will be sweating, while Nature’s Defense Water-Based Fly Repellent Spray is a non-chemical, botanical-based option that also offers great protection.

Read all the directions on the spray bottle to be certain you are applying the correct amount. Use the product as recommended. Many horse owners inadvertently don’t apply enough insect repellent to perform as the product label promotes.

Physical barriers–such as Farnam’s SuperMask II Horse Fly Mask, boots and sheets–may be needed for those horses that are overly sensitive to insects. For pastured horses, spot-on repellent products may also be beneficial.

“As for some situations, long-acting products are also helpful. Not in place of the fly spray but in addition to it,” adds Mallicote. “For sensitive horses, start using fly sheets and fly masks before they are needed to minimize exposure.”

Mallicote reminds owners that these horses will benefit from being stalled with a strong fan. Especially during the time of day when pests are most active.

Keep an eye on your horse’s behavior and watch for physical signs that indicate insect irritation or possible allergy. This way, your horse won’t have to “shout” to get your attention if he’s suffering from pests.

Farnam, Cynthia McFarland