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Worm Check From the Natural Horse Vet Dr. Dan Moore

Treating for worms is not only expensive but it may be unnecessary. Why is it then that we are frequently told to deworm (or worming as we say here in east Tennessee) every 3 to 4 weeks, some times even every 60 days? I call it the "shotgun" approach - blast them out with the cheapest, strongest, most effective product you can as often as you can afford it! BUT - there is an alternative, worm check! Come on -- if they don't have worms, they don't need to be wormed! Considerable money can be saved, especially if you have 30 or so horses like we do! Even more important, why bombard our animal friends with chemicals if they don't need them? As a veterinarian who practices natural medicine, I believe that less of anything is almost always better. I must admit that I didn't always think this way, but I guess one could say that I am on a mission today to let people know that there are alternatives and that it is time to ask: Is that really necessary?

So what is a worm check? Basically, it is an exam of a small bit of fecal material, i.e. manure, under a microscope. It is cheap; it's easy and quite reliable except in very rare cases. Yes, but I have been told to deworm often and especially not to forget to rotate the wormers. This rotation recommendation exemplifies my point exactly. It confirms that worms are over time developing resistance. As a result, stronger and stronger wormers are needed. How strong will the medication need to be five years from now when the worms are wearing a suit of armor, and again, what will these super potent wormers do to our horses? Now is the time to examine our procedures or suffer the consequences later.

If I sound like I am on a soapbox, understand that in today's drug oriented society you have to be! A fortune has been spent convincing you that if you don't frequently deworm, you are not doing what is best for your animal. Granted, many horses do have parasites and do need worming often but not EVERY horse, and not EVERY 2-3 months! The reason we even have a parasite problem is that we have changed their environment from wide-open fields, as in the wild, to 12 X 12 stalls. Even considered worse than stalls are small paddocks and small pastures. This is simply because stalls are picked daily, pastures are not. The cleaner your operation and the more space you have on your farm, the less you can deworm. Young foals and yearlings would tend to have more problems than older horses because of the decreased ability to resist the worms. Obviously, a farm where horses are frequently coming and going, such as a boarding operation should have more likelihood of exposure, but on the other hand many of these facilities are meticulously clean. Worm checks tell you what the situation is, indiscriminant over worming tells nothing.

It should go without saying that the healthier your horses are the less likely they will have worms. As a caution, if you find your horse has constant problems with parasites or if he seem to be less than par, consider a hair analysis to rule out mineral deficiencies or imbalances or even the presence of toxic metals. I can't believe how much aluminum toxicity I am finding. My gut feeling even is that a lot of the ''EPM " like symptoms currently being seen are due to this metal, either coming from the water or our polluted air. One tablespoon of mane hair analyzed could save your horses life or at the very least prevent a lot of unnecessary medications. Parasites simply shouldn't be a problem in a healthy horse, but you wouldn't know if you aren't checking - would you?

A positive worm check would require deworming, but by now you probably have an idea that I am not too fond of chemicals. With that in mind I ask myself, " what was Used before the advent of chemicals"? My grandfather used to tell me that a good chew of tobacco would worm a horse. I must even admit that I have tried it but unfortunately to no avail - God rest his soul! But what that did lead me to was a study of natural herbs that would work. Not only did I find the herbs but also I have formulated them into a paste similar to what most people are already using. Instead of chemicals, however, it is a mixture of garlic, cloves, and a few other plants that have been used for centuries. Forgive me for the commercial, but I am so excited about it! Equally exciting is that we have come up with a way for you to get a free parasite exam with each 6 tubes purchased so you no longer have to guess about whether you need it in the first place OR whether or not it even works. A postal mailer to our lab is even included for the thimble Full of manure needed for the test. So my final advice is don't over worm. For the health of your horse and generations to come WORM CHECK first!

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