Deworming Scedule

So, how do you guys deworm your horses? I use daily feed through Strongid 2X, along with twice yearly paste dewormer, Zimectrin Gold at double strength (3 tubes for Ahab), and then Anthelcide EQ or Panacur for the other time.

My vet would prefer that I do fecals and target deworming, but it feels hit or miss to me. Ahab, unlike my other past horse, Djinn, does not have a heavy parasite load, but anyway, what do you guys do?

I'm a fecal person. I don't like to give things when they aren't needed. That's just me though and I tend to be odd!

I started doing fecals when I started reading up on parasite resistance to wormers a few years back.

Had I not done fecals this time (a few weeks ago) I would have wormed three of my four horses for absolutely nothing.

Parasite Resistance On the Upswing

For whatever reason whether or not to worm using fecals, (excuse me, I got taken to the woodshed on another forum for not using the proper term of DE-worming) is a hot button topic

Until a few years ago, I always wormed in the Spring and after the first hard frost, or when I lived in small horse community in SoCal, I wormed my poor horses six times a year. Even if I were still in that community, given the parasite resistance we are facing, I would still do fecals before giving my horses anything.

Where else you you say this phrase and be totally understood?

Yeah, I'm really thinking of changing my ways and going down the fecal road again. I'm not totally comfortable with it, but... He's all by himself, and as I said, he tends not to be a parasite carrier.

This past year I dewormed my horse twice (ivermectin in late spring with the rest of the barn, and Quest Plus just a few days ago) In between, I did FEC's and both came up with 0 eggs. This coming spring I'm debating whether or not to do the ivermectin with the rest of the barn, as my horse seems to be one of those that has good natural resistance. If I'm going to give him anything, it might as well be something that kills tapeworms since those can be present even with a clean FEC.

They show up eventually - I found that out

That was two years ago and the same horse, out of my four, is the one that needs wormed this time. He used to be my most immune fella but he's now 25, diagnosed with Equine Metabolic Syndrome in 2007 (that knocked the snot out of his immune system), hind gut ulcers, and the vet is suspicious of lipomas in the GI tract.

Given this Fella's health history, my own common sense tells me not to worm him without doing fecals but the vet is adamant that I don't -- and he now tells me what to worm this horse with and when to worm him.

For example we are having some exceptionally cold/raw weather for our area and the vet told me to wait until the next "leveling out of temps" to worm this guy. We're supposed to be in the low-mid 50's all next week, so I will worm him in the AM right before turnout. He has 15 acres to mosey around and hopefully that will keep me from having to get the Banamine out as he now also colics at the mere mention of the word.

That was waaaay more info than the OP asked for but, I feel these exceptions to the worming rules need to be brought up so others are aware "just in case"

I also read a credible article that does say, while Tapes don't always show up, if one has a horse with a weak immune system, it's prudent to keep doing fecals because Tapes will show up eventually -- where's that green throwing up icon?

I deworm twice a year. Spring and fall. I also utilize the fecal service. Why deworm if you don't need to? I like to keep unnecessary meds out of my horses.

All this is good. I think I am overdoing the poisons. It is a carry over from my Arab who had a compromises immune system from day one, and always tested heavy for worms, even after massive deworming strategies. With him, the vet finally put him on Strongid feed through with four double doses of tube dewormer a year: once with Zimectrin, once with Panacur, once with Anthelcide EQ, and once with Strongid for tapes. So I am a bit paranoid....

But the Percheron has a great immune system, so... I like the twice yearly tubing with fecals to monitor.

It also helps if your stalls/run ins and paddocks are cleaned regularly.