Internal parasites are small organisms that live out part of their life cycle within a horse’s body, and they have the potential to cause illness. Parasites infect a horse’s specific tissues, organs, and systems, obtaining nutrients from the horse so that they can continue grow, develop and reproduce. There are many species of internal parasites that infect horses, but some of the most common are strongyles, ascarids, tapeworms, pinworms, bots, and threadworms.
Parasitic worms can live in the intestines of most horses, with small numbers of worms being tolerated and causing no demonstrable effect on the horse’s overall health. Larger infestations of intestinal parasites can cause a wide range of problems however, including ill thrift, colic, digestive issues, diarrhea and death.
Horse owners and managers are generally aware that regularly deworming horses is important, but many are unaware of the specific types of parasites that infect horses, and which dewormers (anthelmintics) treat which types of parasites. While nearly all horses have some degree of parasitic infestation, along with other management practices, deworming helps to keep a horse’s internal parasite load low. Doing so lowers the likelihood of clinical disease arising from parasites that are present in the horse. When serious infestations develop however, worms can damage a horse’s intestines and other internal organs, causing irreversible harm and potentially fatal consequences.
The lifecycle of the worm species involved will determine the exact method of transmission of worms to the horse. In most cases, worm eggs are ingested by a horse from an infected pasture and develop inside the digestive tract or lungs, where they may or may not cause disease. Eggs produced by adult worms are then shed in the horse’s feces where they can potentially infect other horses.
Fenbendazole Tablets
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Lethargy
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Loss of weight
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Loss of condition
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Diarrhea
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Colic
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Lack of appetite
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Dull coat
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