Should I be Worried about Worms in my Horse?


There are quite a few equine diseases that are well-known out of them the worms are a very common problem. It is only a myth that a horse can ever be worm-free. The worms cause lots of problems in horses like illness, dullness, and listlessness. In worst-case scenarios, it has been found that worms can even kill horses. There are different types of Horse worms that have a greater impact on the health of your horse.

Worms and Horses: A very Common Problem

But the question is how do worms hurt horses? Worms are very small in size, but they can cause serious problems in horses. They are found to be in large numbers and make the lives of horses very unpleasant. Worms such as red worms are renowned to eat away at the horse’s intestinal walls, feeding off the blood in the tender areas. There are other worms such as tapeworms that feed on what your horses eat.

This actually means that your horse does not get adequate nutrition from the food that is fed to them. Bots attach to the walls of the gut and cause serious damage to the stomach lining.

Then there are bloodworms that can block the blood vessels when they move into the arteries of the horse and irritate the areas. Roundworms travel through the lungs and windpipe of the horse and cause coughing and pneumonia. Since there are lots of parasites that have a drastic effect on the health of the horse it is advisable to opt for a regular worming program for your pet.

Symptoms of worm infestation in horses:

  • Poor coat
  • Lethargy resulting in a reluctance to move
  • Pale gums
  • Tail rubbing as a result of itchy bottoms
  • General unhealthiness
  • Drastic reduction in weight
  • Prone to illness due to low immunity

Severe symptoms

  • Bouts of colic as a result of digestive upsets
  • Diarrhea as a result of digestive upsets
  • Horses getting extremely thin
  • The twisting of the gut

Treatment
The very first step is to ensure that your horse is wormed every 6-8 weeks with a regular dosage of worming paste. There are lots of options available in the market like Equimax Elevation, Equimax Wormer, and Ultramax Equine. This treatment needs to be given to the horse no matter how old, young, tall, fat, well-groomed, or healthy your health is!!

If you feel that your horse has worms, the very first thing that you need to do is to verify the condition of the horse. If it is serious then you need to immediately take him to the vet. Vets can then conduct their regular tests like examining manure samples and conducting a worm egg count. They can even advise you on the paste that is best for your horse and how you can improve your pasture management.