For more detailed information about Fecal Egg Counts and deworming, please visit our Parasites & Deworming page.

Adult Horses

Performing a fecal egg count (FEC) helps determine if the horse is a low (<200epg), moderate (200-500 epg), or high (>500 epg) shedder. It is important to perform this FEC 3-4 months after the last deworming for accurate results.

For horses with particularly high FEC (>1000epg), it may be recommended that a Fecal Egg Count Reduction Test (FECRT) be performed 14 days after a dewormer is given. This helps ensure that the dewormer used was effective at decreasing your horse’s parasite load and that resistance is not present on your farm.

Spring (March/April): Perform FEC. Your horse may or may not need to be dewormed based off these results and recommendations by your veterinarian.

Fall (October/November): We recommend all horses be dewormed with Quest Plus (moxidectin/praziquantel) in the mid-late fall after the first frost. It is important to always deworm adult horses at least once a year with a product including moxidectin and praziquantel to treat any encysted parasites and tapeworms, which do not show up on a FEC.

Foals

Young foals are generally more susceptible to parasites than adult horses. Foals can contract parasites through the mare’s milk and feces, which is why it is important to deworm your mare after foaling. The most significant parasite in foals are ascarids, or roundworms. By strategically deworming over the first year of life we can greatly reduce the risks associated with this parasite. As your foal grows, a weight tape can be used to estimate their current weight, which will aid in proper dosing of the dewormer.

• 2-3 months- Benzimidazole (Double dose Panacur)
• 4-6 months- Benzimidazole (Double dose Panacur)
• Weanling – Include FEC
• 9 months – Ivermectin and Praziquantel (Zimectrin Gold or Equimax)
• 12 months – Moxidectin (Quest)