# Worming Schedule



## MajorClementine (Dec 17, 2011)

I didn't want to hijack the Z. Gold thread so I thought I'd just start a new one. Since we are discussing wormers and what is safe (I read the label on Quest and thought twice before giving it to my minis. Glad I did!) I thought it would be helpful to some of is if a few people would post their worming schedule and what wormers they use.


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## wingnut (Dec 17, 2011)

Because our 6 girls are kept in close proximity to each other, our vet has recommended we continue the bi-monthly rotational deworming program vs. having fecal tests done to see what worms we might be dealing with. She said if we had more acreage (4 or 5 acres vs. the 1.25 we have now) or less horses living so closely together, she'd recommend the fecal test route. We had this discussion last spring when reports were coming out about whether year-round deworming on a rotational basis was doing more harm than good.

This is her recommendation:

Jan/Feb: fenbendazole (Panacur or Safeguard) - 5 day "power" or double-dosing

Mar/Apr: pyrantel pamoate (Strongid, Strongyle Care, Rotecin P)

May/June: ivermectin + praziquantel (Equimax, Zimectrin Gold)

July/Aug: Same as Jan/Feb

Sept/Oct: Same as Mar/Apr

Nov/Dec: Same as May/June.


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## rabbitsfizz (Dec 17, 2011)

Since there is no resistance in horses to Ivermectin, and Fenbendazole is not that good a wormer for anything except encysted small strongyles (as there is a high resistance rate to Fenbendazole) I would never use Fenbendazole as the only chemical.

So I use Ivermectin every eight weeks as a "base" wormer, and then add Praziquantel (tapeworms) and Fenbendazole (encysteds) twice a year. "rotating" wormers leaves you far more open to under worming, which is what leads to a resistance building up, so I prefer to stick with a tried and trusted base chemical and add whatever is needed as and when.

Of course, faecal testes at least once a year are a great help, but I would not trust one that told me my horses had no worms at all as all horses have some worms, it is only ever a matter of how many!

The five day course needs to be done in spring, around Jan/Feb and agian in September, and the Taper wormer at the same times.


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## MajorClementine (Dec 17, 2011)

We always wormed our big horses spring and fall. But I've noticed a lot on here worm the minis more often. Just trying to figure out what is best for them. Don't want to be overdosing but don't want to be under dosing either.


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## JMS Miniatures (Dec 17, 2011)

Here's what I do.

Jan/Feb Safe-Guard Power Dose

March/April Equell (Ivermectin)

May/June Strongid

July/August Safe-Guard

Sept/Oct EquiMax (ivermectin + praziquantel)

Nov/Dec Strongid


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## Lewella (Dec 17, 2011)

rabbitsfizz said:


> Since there is no resistance in horses to Ivermectin


Actually that's not true. A study conducted by Gluck Animal Research Center at the University of Kentucky determined that large roundworms were becoming resistant to ivermectin in 2007. A later study by the University of Minnesota reached the same conclusion. In 2008 a study was conducted by Gluck to determine if small strongyles were becomming ivermectin resistant and it was determined that they are. These studies are exactly why the trend has gone from recommending bi-monthy deworming to using fecal counts to determine which dewormers are needed. There are no new dewormers in development to take the place of ivermectin (and moxidectin which studies are also indicating is no longer as effective as it once was against large roundworms) so we need to use caution in deworming to delay full resistance as long as possible.


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## Wings (Dec 17, 2011)

I'm a seasonal wormer so mine get done every 3 months. I rotate active ingredients once a year on a 3 year rotation and in one of the doses I'll use a strong 'clean up' wormer to hit any nasties that survived any previous doses.


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