Deworming - Rogue Equine & Companion Animal Clinic

Deworming your horses promotes vibrant health, and supports a healthy immune response to many illnesses.

Signs that your horse may need deworming are a dull coat, rubbing the dock of the tail, loss of weight eventhough food intake has not changed, and generalized lower energy than usual. Research has shown, however, that too frequent deworming or using an inappropriate dewormer can have adverse effects. The best way to know your horse’s need for deworming is to provide us with a fecal sample to test. We recommend using the results of an early spring fecal egg count to determine the best deworming schedule for each individual horse. This egg count should be done before any dewormer is given for the year, at least 8 weeks following a deworming with Ivermectin, or Strongid and 12 weeks following a deworming with Quest or Quest Plus. Doing this enables you to deworm only the horses that need it, resulting in much less dewormer administered to your horses. During the month of March, we promote the Wellness Program and substantially discount the Fecal Egg Count, to encourage owners to check their horses prior to worming.

Fecal Sample Directions
To bring fecal sample to the office:
1. Place fresh sample in sandwich bag.
2. With a sharpie put your name, horses name and phone number on the bag.
3. Please have a check or credit card for the cost of the fecal testing.

Appropriate deworming varies according to specific climates and terrains, so what works well in Texas or Virginia is not appropriate for horses here in the Rogue Valley. Keeping in mind our climate and that parasite transmission is primarily limited to the spring and fall we have developed the following recommendations.

Deworming Schedule

Recommended products and the timing of the dewormings according to fecal egg counts.
Low horses are those with FEC’s of less than 150 eggs per gram (EPG)
Moderate horses are those with FEC’s from 150 – 400 eggs per gram.
High horses are those with FEC’s above 400 eggs per gram

• APRIL: Deworm all moderate and high horses with an Ivermectin product or Quest. Deworming of low horses is optional.
• JULY: Deworm all moderate and high horses with Strongid. Do not deworm Low horses.
• OCTOBER: Deworm all horses with Quest Plus.
• DECEMBER: Deworm only High horses with Ivermectin.

Young Horses

At 2 months and 4 months of age deworm with Strongid or Fenbendazole
(Panacur or Safegard)
At 6 months of age, deworm with Quest or Panacur Power Pack.
At 8 months and 10 months deworm with Ivermectin or Strongid.
After 12 months, deworm as above.