# Deworming pregnant mares



## MeganH (Feb 23, 2012)

I have recently read several places not to deworm a pregnant mare in the last month and a half of pregnancy. I am curious as to how most of you deworm when they are this close? Does anyone know why not to deworm a mare in the last month or so?

My mare is almost 300 days and is due for worming. Last year she foaled at 341 days so she may have a little over a month to go (due April 12). I do plan on deworming her with Ivermectin right after she foals.


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## Genie (Feb 23, 2012)

_ like to worm my mare a week before she foals. Because foals will eat the mares poop, this will help prevent the foal from getting worms. Usually the foal get the scours becuase the mare comes into heat and produced richer milk. Atleast thats what my vet told me. _

I read the above on another forum.

I will be interested in the comments you get from others on Lil Beginnings.


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## Matt73 (Feb 23, 2012)

I deworm my pregnant mares every 8 weeks, like my open mares. The only difference is I do not use pyrantel or praziquantel (which have not been approved as safe for pregnant mares). So I just use ivermectin and fenbendazole (5 day purge). Usually it works out that whether it's a month or two months before she foals that I deworm, I still deworm the mare within 12 hours of foaling. Has worked for me very well


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## Carolyn R (Feb 24, 2012)

Castle Rock Miniatures said:


> I'm the same, in that I worm my pregnant mares on the same routine as the non-pregnant mares. I use Ivermectin for "late term" worming. Then, regardless of the "schedule" she's on, I worm the mare on the day of foaling -- usually just before I give her my traditional dose of Banamine post-foaling.


When I bred/foaled out my girls this is exactly what I did (and was also the highly suggested protocol of the equine vets at the clinic I use).


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## supaspot (Feb 24, 2012)

my vet told me to worm 4 weeks before due date whether they are due or not


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## Miniv (Feb 24, 2012)

Castle Rock Miniatures said:


> I'm the same, in that I worm my pregnant mares on the same routine as the non-pregnant mares. I use Ivermectin for "late term" worming. Then, regardless of the "schedule" she's on, I worm the mare on the day of foaling -- usually just before I give her my traditional dose of Banamine post-foaling.



We do exactly the same...


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## drmatthewtaylor (Feb 24, 2012)

In a perfect world a mare would be wormed 10 days prior to foaling to limit transmission to the foal. Unfortunately, we don't know on exactly what day the mare will foal.

If you have only a few horses or only a couple of broodmares then worming each on its own schedule may work, but if you have more than a few then I just think the logistics of multiple different schedules just doesn't work. So, I generally recommend having the entire herd on a good program and worm all like animals at the same time (ie; worm all weanlings at the same time or all broodmares etc..). In the end the goal is to have a herd that is in a high health status rather than worrying about just this one or that one.

Dr Taylor


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## minifreishorsefarm (Feb 24, 2012)

I've never heard of only using Ivermectin in the last couple of months before foaling, why is that suggested? One of my mares last year was wormed with pyrantel 2 months before foaling and on the day she foaled. There were no problems.

Marsha


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## Joanne (Feb 25, 2012)

drmatthewtaylor said:


> In a perfect world a mare would be wormed 10 days prior to foaling to limit transmission to the foal. Unfortunately, we don't know on exactly what day the mare will foal.
> 
> If you have only a few horses or only a couple of broodmares then worming each on its own schedule may work, but if you have more than a few then I just think the logistics of multiple different schedules just doesn't work. So, I generally recommend having the entire herd on a good program and worm all like animals at the same time (ie; worm all weanlings at the same time or all broodmares etc..). In the end the goal is to have a herd that is in a high health status rather than worrying about just this one or that one.
> 
> Dr Taylor


Dr Taylor I am facinated by your comment.

I have been told to worm the mare with Strongid within 12 hours of foaling (as strongiles are the most common foal parasite). But I love the thought that I could worm her in advance of foaling, perhaps when she has bagged up and will foal within the 10 day window you mention.

Can you explain this theory in more detail?


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## drmatthewtaylor (Feb 27, 2012)

The point is to limit the foals exposure to all worms. If the mare is the largest supplier of eggs to the foals environment then the mare needs to be wormed to limit the supply. If the mare is 'allowed' to have her current worm burden right up until the foal comes, then the environment is already 'polluted' at her level of worms. Deworming the day of foaling isn't going to remove worms already on the gorund.

It was the habit of Vets to worm the mare on the day the foal arrived simply because that was the day we were there.

After worming a horse, eggs will continue to flow out for about 2 more days. The low egg feces should continue for at least 10-14 days, after which fecal eggs will start to rise.

Therefore, if you want to limit the foals exposure, worm 10 days prior to foaling and clean or switch environment 2 days after worming.

Dr Taylor


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## Joanne (Feb 27, 2012)

This is great new information and at a perfect time to learn it for me, just before foaling season starts.

Thank you so much for your explaination Dr Taylor !


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## MeganH (Feb 27, 2012)

Thank you for all the replies! Perfect time to know these things!


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## rabbitsfizz (Feb 27, 2012)

Praziquantel, as far as I can ascertain, is safe for use in pregnant mares.The product that has not been tested is the combination of the Ivermectin and Praziquantel- the reason given to me was that since they knew both products to be safe it just was not worth the extra money involved (apparently it is quite substantial) in order to prove that the combination is safe. So I worm, as usual, on the same rota. In fact have just done mine for Tapes, this time- I would rather not take the chance of having a pregnant mare with a tapeworm!


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## chandab (Jun 22, 2012)

It was mentioned in this topic, so brought it to the top again.

Is the 5-day double dose of Fenbendazole protocol safe for pregnant mares? I know a single regular dose is, just want to be sure the 5-day double dose course is safe, as well. [What little I read, says the 5 day course has not been tested in pregnant mares. But, I thought I'd ask the knowledgeable here, anyway.]


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## TuffyLynn (Jun 24, 2012)

I also use ivermectin and worm within 12 hrs of foaling..

question..i have banamine paste..how much to give my mare? She is 33.75 inches and a fairly good sized mare...any suggestions


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## chandab (Jun 25, 2012)

TuffyLynn said:


> question..i have banamine paste..how much to give my mare? She is 33.75 inches and a fairly good sized mare...any suggestions


I'm pretty sure the banamine dosage with liquid is 1cc/100# body weight. I have 35-38" mares, ranging from 325-375#; if its not serious, I usually low dose them at like 2cc just to take the edge off. Paste is buy weight, I think the tube is marked in 250# increments.


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