Part of the routine health care program for every horse is - parasite control.

Today it’s not just about knowing the type of equine parasites that torment your horse but also understand facts on resistance to ensure that your worming program works. Veterinarians will always be a great source of help and information regarding this matter. Your vet can also help you monitor your equine worming program to ensure its success rate and to avoid resistance as much as possible.

Here are points to ponder when considering a worming program:

  • Resistance is a serious problem. Currently, there are no new classes of wormers being developed so it is important to retain the efficacy of equine dewormers that are available today.
  • Know about the different class of wormers. All equine dewormers belong to either one of the three major classes of wormers: macrocyclic lactones, pyrantels or pyrimidines, and benzimidazoles.
  • Use the agent that works. It is important for all horse owners to understand a thing or two about different classes of wormers because experts believe that macrocyclic lactones are by far the only class of equine dewormers that have the capability of targeting key parasites in adult horses. Ivermectin (AbIver™) is a member of this class.
  • Avoid rotating for no reason. Rotating different products does not prove to slow down the development of drug resistance.
  • It’s alright to use fewer wormers. It used to be that the main goal of parasite control to completely eradicate equine parasites. However, today’s horse worming programs are more focused on reducing parasitic transmission, keeping worm burdens in control, and treating clinical symptoms in affected horses.
  • Gather useful information. Through fecal egg count reduction tests (FECRT),  your veterinarian can identify important parasites that are dominating inside your horse; find out which products work; and decide which wormers can still be part of your worming program.

More points to ponder:

  • Make sure exam results are right. FECRT results may be misinterpreted if collected samples are mishandled or are analyzed incorrectly. Be sure that you choose reputable laboratories or see to it that your vet performs the test properly.
  • Know the species found on your farm. The species and number of equine parasites vary from region to region. For example, tapeworms may be predominant in the southeastern or upper Midwest of the United States compared to the west coast.
  • Treat the horse that has the most serious problem. Some horses are high shedders, while some can be low shedders. Try to focus your treatment on the horse that needs it most; this way you can avoid the rapid development of drug resistance.
  • Go for products that can guarantee successful treatment. Keeping your horses healthy is important and one way to ensure the efficacy of equine dewormers is to choose products trusted by the equine industry.

Resistance to dewormers is a serious problem.

Abler offers you products guaranteed to be successful at targeting equine parasites. With these tips on resistance in mind, the assistance of your veterinarian, and a reliable source of equine dewormers, you are well on your way to control parasites effectively.