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DEWORMING A
MINIATURE HORSE:
WHAT IS DEWORMING? Paste
dewormers are safe and effective ways of controlling internal
parasites and important part of horse ownership. They are available through your local veterinarian, feed stores or order
on-line. The dewormer paste comes in a tube which you dose by weight.
WHAT IS A WORMER ROTATION
SCHEDULE?
Rotation simply means to use a different class of
wormer rather than using the same wormer all of the time. Some of the
wormers are better at controlling certain internal parasites at certain times of
year. This rotation also helps to prevent the parasites from developing a
resistance.
WHEN SHOULD YOU DEWORM YOUR MINI? Deworm your
horses every 6 to 8 weeks using recommended dewormer rotation schedule for the three classes of
dewormer ( fenbendazole, pyrantel and ivermectin ).
HOW MUCH DEWORMER SHOULD YOU
USE FOR YOUR MINI?
Adults: 300 pound dose for 34"
and under minis,
Foals/Weanlings: 150 pound dose.
Read the label on the dewormer, some should not be given to foals younger than 6
months.
HOW DO YOU GIVE A PASTE WORMER
TO A MINI? Halter your mini and
make sure that your horses mouth is empty: free from grass, hay or grain so the
wormer isn't spit out. Administering the dewormer is as easy as turning
the dial on the dewormer tube to correspond to your horses weight, insert into
the corner of the horses mouth, then, gently depress the tube's plunger.
Make sure your mini swallows the dewormer and doesn't spit it out.
Deworm in March/April and September/October with
products containing Ivermectin and Praziquantel, "Zimecterin Gold" contains both
of these which will kill tape worms in the horses.
Another option to control tapeworms is double dose of Pyrantel.
USE OF MOXIDECTIN DEWORMER?
I cannot tell you if the stories of bad reactions and fatalities using this
wormer with minis are true or not. I am not one for experimentation, so I
avoid this product.
Brand names of products indicated in blue below:
The schedule below takes into account when certain
parasites are likely to be found in the pastures and passed on to your horse
through ingestion.
J anuary/February
fenbendazole - a safe and effective wormer paste for the control of large and small
strongyles, ascrids & pinworms in horses. Panacur,
Anthelcide EQ, Safeguard
March/April
1.87% ivermectin - Paste wormer and boticide that
controls bots, ascrids, large and small strongyles, pin, hair, stomach and threadworms. For
use in all horses of any age, including pregnant or nursing mares. For safe effective
control of 34 species & stages of worms and bots. Foals should be treated initially at
6 - 8 weeks of age and routine treatment repeated as appropriate. Equimax, Equimectrin, Zimectrin or IVERMECTIN GOLD**
May/June
pyrantel pamoate - Removes internal parasites in all types of horses and ponies: large
strongyles (bloodworms), small strongyles, pinworms & roundworms. Horses and ponies (
over 8 months) should be treated every 6 weeks. Mares should be treated 1 month before
foaling and again 10 days after foaling. Foals dose (2-8 months of age) every 4 weeks. Strongid Paste, Strongid C, Rotation 2, Exodus Paste
July/August
fenbendazole Panacur,
Anthelcide EQ, Safeguard
September/October
1.87% ivermectin Equimax,
Equimectrin, Zimectrin or IVERMECTIN GOLD**
November/December
pyrantel pamoate Strongid
Paste, Strongid C, Rotation 2, Exodus Paste
Type of Worm |
Description |
Strongyles
Large Strongyles
|
Small Strongyles
|
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Large Strongyles
Also known as
bloodworms or roundworms. Eggs that are present in manure hatch into
larvae and can be consumed by a grazing horse. The larvae continue to
develop in the intestinal tract. Strongyles will travel through blood
vessels to various organs until they reach the intestine again.
Extensive damage can be caused to the lining of the blood vessels.
Horses with this type of parasitic infection may lose weight, become
anemic or develop colic. In the worst case scenario, the intestinal
blood supply may become completely blocked causing sever, sometimes
fatal, colic. Blood vessels in extremely infected horses may swell and
even rupture, causing sudden death.
Small Strongyles
Small strongyle larvae
lay dormant in the intestinal wall waiting for the right conditions to
materialize. When this happens they may become encysted. If this
occurs, small strongyle larvae are not vulnerable to most dewormers.
Severe damage may be
caused to the intestinal wall if large amounts of small strongyle emerge
simultaneously. Diarrhea and colic may be apparent. Wright loss, poor
coat condition, slowed growth and loss of condition are other signs of
small strongyle infection. |
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Ascarids
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Ascarids are also
called large roundworms. These parasites are found more often in young
horses than older horses. They can grow to 12 inches long and can be
found in the hundreds in the small intestine. This can lead to poor
nutrition. Common signs of ascarid infestation is coughing, colic and
diarrhea. They can cause blockage or even travel through the horse’s
lungs causing pneumonia.
Ascarid eggs are
acquired through feces from other horses which can be found in
contaminated hay or water. Once the eggs hatch in the intestinal tract,
the worms push through the intestinal wall. It usually takes about a
week for the worms to reach the lungs. After leaving the lungs,
ascarids continue to travel to the horse’s mouth to be swallowed again.
They reach full maturity in approximately 2 to 3 months. At this time
the parasites lay eggs that are passed in the feces and the cycle begins
again. |
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Pinworms
|
Pinworms are less
dangerous to a horse’s health but are still annoying. They cause severe
anal itching which causes the horse to rub its tail and the anal region
creating bare patches and sometimes injury around the tail and broken
tail hairs.
Pinworms can be
acquired by drinking contaminated water or eating infested hay, grain or
grass. Maturity is reached within 3 to 4 months. Pinworms then crawl
part of the way out of the anus and lay eggs on an outside surface.
After the eggs hatch outside of the horse’s body, the parasites become
infective within 72 hours. However, they can stay alive unhatched for a
few months. |
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Tapeworms
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Tapeworms are spread
through mites that can be found on plants located in a grazing
pasture. The mites consume the eggs found in an infected horse’s
manure. Grazing horses can swallow the mites and become infected. This
infection can lead to colic, digestive problems and even
malnourishment. It is estimated that approximately 40% of the horses
living in the United States are affected. |
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Bots
|
Bots are the immature
larvae of the botfly, which resembles the honeybee in appearance.
Because of the widespread presence in a horse’s environment, most horses
will become infected. These parasites are most commonly found in the
early fall and late summer. Adult female botflies lay eggs on the
horse’s hair by attaching themselves to the nose, throat, forelegs or
chest. As a horse licks itself, the larvae attach themselves to the
gums, cheeks and tongue. After 3-4 weeks, the bot larvae travel to the
stomach and attach to the lining where they will remain for several
months causing irritation, blocking the opening to the small intestine
and interfering with digestion. After 8-10 months have passed, the
parasite is passed through feces and the process starts again. |
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