Equine Worm Control

Effective Worm Control in Horses

The days of blanket interval worming with anthelmintics as the sole method of worm control in horses are over. Wormer resistance is an increasing problem, one which we ignore or dismiss at our peril.

We need to learn to deal more with acceptable levels of worm burden rather than trying to achieve parasite free horses. There is some good evidence of the potential beneficial effects of a low level of parasite burden.

Research and development in wormers is limited and new classes of anthelmintics are not being developed en masse so we need to look after the chemicals we currently have available.

Unfortunately, there is no quick, simple solution and no “one size fits all” solution, this means that well educated veterinary advice is crucial in ensuring horse owners adopt the most suitable control measures for their horses.