What does low shedders mean in horses?

Low shedders are those horses that are considered to be below the threshold for deworming (generally between 100 to 500 eggs per gram; high shedders are generally over 1000 EPG. Just deworming the high shedders significantly reduces the eggs that are put into the environment.

What makes a high shedder?

For instance, within a group of mature horses (>3 years), only 15-30% generally shed approximately 80% of the eggs. These would be considered “high shedders.” High shedders usually have to be dewormed three or four times a year, but an individual deworming schedule should be created for any particular horse.

When should you deworm a horse?

Each horse should be dewormed every 6 months with an Ivermectin product (Spring and Fall). Ivermectin is a larvicidal (will kill parasite larvae), and if used every 6 months on each horse, large strongyles will be eliminated from your farm.

When should you worm a horse with moxidectin?

You will need to deworm all horses twice yearly (after the first frost and again in the spring) with an ivermectin or moxidectin product to kill large strongyles and bots.

What is a good worm count in horses?

200 epg – 1150 epg (Medium count) If the count is between 200 epg and 1200 epg it is a MEDIUM count and the horse needs worming.

What is a normal egg count for horses?

The worm egg count is not a direct correlation of the number of worms the horse has but does give us an indication to the level of infection and amount of egg shedding. We classify horses as one of three types of shedders; low (0-200 eggs per gram), medium (200-500 eggs per gram) and high (over 500 eggs per gram).

What is a high worm count in horses?

1200 epg or more (High count) If the count is more than 1200 epg it is a HIGH count, the horse needs worming and the worming programme needs attention.

How do you tell if a horse has worms?

Common signs of parasite or worm infection include:

Weight loss.
Colic.
Diarrhea or constipation.
Rough hair coat.
Poor growth in foals.
Respiratory problems. (nasal discharge, cough)

What months do you worm horses?

All horses should be wormed in the late autumn with a combined round/tape wormer to remove bots, tapeworms and any adult roundworms. 4. For many horses once a year worming will be sufficient. Horses identified with higher worm burdens will need to be wormed more frequently.

How can you tell if your horse has worms?

What month do you worm horses?

Which is the best dewormer for a horse with ascarids?

Pyrantel, fenbendazole and oxibendazole are good for treating ascarids in young horses. Ivermectin resistance is common in ascarids. 3. In herd situations, fecal egg counts should be used to select moderate and high egg shedders for deworming.

Why are so many people deworming their horses?

The advent of readily available, easily administered and effective deworming agents—along with recognition that a particular parasite, S. vulgaris, causes a destructive colic problem (verminous arteritis)—has resulted in a deworming frenzy, particularly among horse owners.

How often should you Deworm a high egg shedder?

Moderate and high egg shedders may need a third or fourth treatment for small strongyles, ideally using moxidectin and a daily feeding of pyrantel tartrate, or a dose of moxidectin. Any additional treatments would be given on an as-needed basis. 5. Low shedders likely need only one or two treatments a year, at most. 6. Deworm at appropriate times.

How often should a three year old horse be treated?

1. Horses, especially those over three years old, should be treated as individuals and not according to some routine. The baseline program should be one or two yearly treatments, depending on climate and whether the patient lives with other horses.

How many worms does a shedder horse produce?

Another 30 to 40% will be “moderate shedders” (200 to 500 EPG) and will require more anthelmintic treatments per year. About 20% are “high shedders” (600 to 3,000 EPG), and they often produce more worm eggs than the rest of the herd combined. Clearly, this subset requires the most intensive deworming program.

When to treat high shedders in the north?

Moderate shedders might benefit from one additional treatment during the main seasons of pasture transmission (spring through autumn in the North; autumn through spring in the South). Treat high shedders intensively all through the main seasons of transmission.