Equine Deworming Schedule

Deworming helps remove harmful internal parasites that can cause a range of health complications and illnesses. Our veterinary team will create a deworming schedule based on your horse’s needs and support you by ensuring the medication is administered correctly and effectively. If you have questions about our deworming services, please call our team at 403-335-3519.

How often should my horse be dewormed?

At a minimum, your horse should be dewormed twice a year during the spring and fall. However, your horse’s specific deworming schedule will depend on their worm count, which means the number of worms they are infected with at any given time. Even if two horses are in the same herd, it doesn’t mean they will have identical worm counts. Before we administer a dewormer, your horse should have a fecal egg count (FEC) to determine the presence of internal parasites in their manure.

Which parasites affect horses?

Parasites that affect horses include roundworms, bloodworms, cyathostomins, pinworms, tapeworms, and bot flies. To remove these internal parasites, we can recommend a dewormer, which is typically administered orally, often as a paste or gel. In addition, there are steps you can take to lower the risk of potential transmission in a herd. For example, removing the manure in their paddock at least two times per week lowers the risk of other horses contracting certain parasites.