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Avoid Unnecessary Medication for your Horse

Avoid Unnecessary Medication for your Horse

Medication can help your horse, but using it too much or when not needed can cause harm.

“Quite simply, medicine is not the cure for all ills.  In fact, it’s not only not the cure for all ills, in many cases, it’s not even the best cure for those ills.” – Dr. Ramey

In this guide, we’ll offer some examples to make you reconsider giving medicine to your horse.

  1. Deworming
  2. Antibiotics
  3. Ulcer medication
  4. Joint Problems
  5. Unproven medicine

DEWORMING

For decades, horse owners have been urged to regularly deworm their horses based on arbitrary schedules and products. Parasites are unpleasant, but horses have coexisted with them for years at some level. They even develop natural immunity to some parasites. 

Overuse of dewormers has led to resistant parasites. 

Instead of routine deworming, test your horse and treat only if necessary. This approach saves money and reduces parasite resistance. 

ANTIBIOTICS

Antibiotics are effective against bacterial infections. But may be useless against viral diseases like equine influenza. Overusing antibiotics for every fever or minor scrape has led to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. It makes treatment difficult when a bacterial infection does occur. 

If your horse has symptoms like a snotty nose and fever, consult a vet and use antibiotics only when necessary to ensure they remain effective for serious infections.

ULCER MEDICATION

It’s worth considering less expensive and equally effective treatments before resorting to medication. Options include feeding legume hay, providing small frequent meals, using slow feeders, avoiding grain concentrates, and reducing stress by giving time off from competition. 

Additionally, ulcer medication can have side effects like increased stomach acid post-treatment, changes in intestinal bacteria, drug interactions, and increased fracture risk. 

Scoping a horse for ulcers is straightforward and affordable. The main point is to give medication only when needed and try alternative treatments first.

JOINT PROBLEMS

Injecting medicine into healthy joints isn’t common in human or animal medicine. But it’s often recommended for horses in athletic competitions for joint “maintenance.”

 Unlike professional athletes, who would certainly use such treatments if they were beneficial, horses are subjected to regular joint injections without solid evidence of their effectiveness.

The best ways to maintain a horse’s joint health are regular movement and plenty of rest and recovery. As well as recognizing that no medicine can prevent arthritis. Regular exercise and natural healing are much more effective than routine medical treatments.

UNPROVEN MEDICINE

This applies not only to supplements, which often claim vague benefits, but also to pharmaceuticals and biologic products. Many medicines and supplements have been discarded over time.

Always ask for proof of efficacy before spending money on these products. Horses are already costly enough.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, it’s important to avoid giving your horse unnecessary medication. Focus on proven treatments and natural care methods. And always seek evidence of effectiveness before administering any supplement or drug. This approach not only saves money but also ensures the best care for your horse.

Reference:

If Your Horse Doesn’t Need Medicine, Don’t Give Him Medicine – David Ramey, DVM

Further information:

Four Essential Keys to Keeping Horses Healthy & Happy

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Deworming Strategy

Deworming horses

Parasites are a common problem in horses. They can cause serious health conditions. Deworming is a good preventative measure for horses. It can help control these parasites and improve their health. 

There are many different deworming strategies available. One common way is deworming by fecal egg count (FEC). You might have already tried using it. But what are the factors that we need to know and consider in deworming by FEC?

Facts about fecal egg count (FEC)

  1. The effect of deworming by FEC is primarily to minimize environmental contamination, not to optimally protect the individual.
  2. FECs have limited capacity to detect parasites.
    •  they only reflect adults that are actively laying eggs at the time of the test
    • egg-laying activity may vary seasonally
    • tapes often missed because eggs are laid in packets/segments, not evenly mixed in the manure
    • can’t detect tissue forms or immature stages in the lumen but these can be the most harmful for the host
    • bots missed
    • pinworms missed (lay their eggs on the perianal skin)
    • Strongyloides in adults not detected
  3. FECs have technical limitations.
    • Samples sent through the mail are useless. 
    • Samples not collected as soon as they are passed then kept cold are likely inaccurate.
  4. There is growing evidence that the practice of only deworming by FEC is leading to reemergence of Strongylus vulgaris – “bloodworms.” These are the large Strongyles which do significant damage to the intestine and arterial system when they are migrating. 

Deworming Resistance

Resistance can develop when the parasites that are treated with deworming agents become resistant to the drugs.

According to parasitologists the major way resistance develops is underdosing. What doesn’t kill them makes them stronger. Frequent exposure can cause a dewormer to go from a 20% failure rate to 80% or higher. 

It’s also true they can’t be fully resistant to a drug they have never been exposed to.

Deworming Products

It’s wise not to attempt to deworm your horse with drugs that are known to have widespread resistance. This includes as follows:

  • Ivermectin
  • Moxidectin
  • Pyrantel
  • Fenbendazole
  • Albendazole

Deworming Schedule

How often does a horse need to be dewormed? The best way is to speak to your vet about developing a program that is optimal for your individual horse.

 

Deworming is an important part of horse care. A strategic deworming plan can help to protect your horse from parasites and keep them healthy. There are many different deworming products on the market, so be sure to talk to your veterinarian about which one is best for your horse.

Recommended Product:

https://myhorsesupplies.com.au/product/diamond-x-vpc-gut-health-prebiotic/

 

Reference: 

https://drkhorsesense.wordpress.com/2022/07/05/deworming-strategy/

Image by Manfred Richter from Pixabay