Reactive Deworming

Here at Foundation Equine Clinic, we strongly advocate the use of fecal-egg-count-based deworming. Rotation deworming is an outdated concept, and has led to widespread and serious dewormer resistance by parasites (much like antibiotic resistant bacteria). Modern horses are extremely over-dewormed, and the idea of switching dewormers every few weeks has possibly caused more harm than good in the last forty years. 

We recommend a fecal-egg-count based deworming program, which targets only horses in need of deworming for treatment. Horses with little to no parasite load are not dewormed.

On the right is an example of a protocol for horses that have never had a fecal egg count before. 

Exact recommendations vary based on your farm's acreage, typical egg counts of most horses, recently used dewormers, and any identified ivermectin or Quest resistance on your farm.

Once starting a fecal-egg-count-based program, we typically collect fecal samples twice yearly during vaccine visits!