How Often Does an Adult Horse Have to Be Dewormed?

Horses must be dewormed regularly in order to rid them of parasites. Numerous deworming products are available. Deworming horses every eight weeks and rotating the chemicals used will ensure that parasites are eliminated before they can harm their hosts.

  1. Types

    • Types of effective dewormers include organophosphates, piperazine, benzimidazoles, praziquantel and daily dewormers.

    Rotation

    • Most horses should be dewormed with ivermectin (an organophosphate) every eight weeks and dewormed yearly with praziquantel to kill tapeworms. Horses fed a daily dewormer need to be dewormed with ivermectin only twice per year.

    Daily Dewormers

    • Daily dewormers such as Strongid C and Strongid C2X come in the form of a pelleted supplement added to the horse's daily feed.

    Risks

    • Most dewormers are safe even at many times the recommended dosage, but some horses are highly sensitive to certain chemicals and may have a negative reaction.

    Geography

    • Consult your veterinarian to find out if a certain type of worm is particularly common in your area. Deworming schedules may need to be adjusted due to known tapeworm infestations or other geographical considerations.