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Discussion on Winter Deworming in Cold Climate
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Member:
lhenning
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Posted on Friday, Mar 7, 2008 - 11:01 am:
I have studied the articles on deworming but have a few questions.
My boarding facility follows a program which does not agree with your recommendation. They have been using the same program for many years.
March Ivermectin
May Oxibendazole
July Fenbendazole
Sep Pyrantel Pamoate
Nov. either Ivermectin/ Praziquantel or Moxidectin/ Praziquantel (choice is left to boarders)
I want to use your program for my horse beginning this year with the Ivermectin year. He was just wormed yesterday, but after reading the article I plan on having a fecal done before his next deworming.
Under this current program, how likely is it there is infestation? All horses at this facility seem healthy though two died this past year. One was very old and coliced, the other had a twisted intestine. I am not sure if parasites were the underlying cause of those deaths, but it has me concerned.
My question is since we live in Wisconsin many farmers believe you do not need to worm during winter months. Is this true? Also, if I use the recommended deworming program and others at the boarding stable do not, will my horse be better off or worse?
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Saturday, Mar 8, 2008 - 9:59 am:
Hello Linda,
There is no way to judge what your horse's risk is Linda which is why we recommend fecals. As the management points in the overview article suggest, management is at least as important as deworming in controlling parasites.
The need for deworming should be based on fecals and if the fecals are positive not deworming in the winter is hard to justify. If a herd of horses are being exposed to parasites in the fall, some of the early infective larval stages in the horse are somewhat resistant to all dewormers. So they may not be well controlled by a fall deworming. Not deworming during the winter allows them to mature to adults and produce eggs which contaminate the pastures until the spring deworming.
DrO
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Member:
dsibley
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Posted on Saturday, Mar 8, 2008 - 10:07 pm:
Thank you, Dr. O! I have often heard the philosophy about not worming in the winter and never agreed with it. Thank you for your support!
It has always also been my opinion that in a boarding facility with many horses using the 'common areas', they all need to be on the same worming program. Is this true?
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Monday, Mar 10, 2008 - 7:17 am:
It works best that way dieliz.
DrO
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