Spring Time Fecal Egg Counts

March 12, 2014 2 min read

By Emily Konkel Deworming has become essential to our horses’ health. Although horses will never be completely parasite free, deworming helps to control and protect your horse from additional parasites. A high number of parasites can lead to problems like colic, weight loss, and diarrhea. They can also be spread to other horses in the pasture through manure. Horses are becoming more resistant to commonly used dewormers, however they should still be used. In addition to deworming, another way to help protect your horse from parasites is to have a fecal egg count performed by your veterinarian. A fecal egg count measures the number of strongyle eggs passing in each gram of manure, measured by eggs per gram (i.e. 200 EPG). A fecal egg count should be performed in the spring before the first deworming. The fecal egg count will show the number of eggs per gram. This will also show your horses natural immunity to strongyles. If a horse has less than 200-250 EPG, they are showing a strong immunity to strongyles. If a horse has more than 200-250 EPG, they are carrying a lot of adult worms laying eggs. These horses are known as chronic shedders and should be dewormed more often than other horses. It is ideal to have two fecal egg counts performed each year. The first, as we mentioned, should be before the first deworming. The second should be performed within 10 to 14 days after the first deworming. The second fecal egg count will show you how well your dewormer has worked. It is important that there are fewer eggs in the manure after deworming. For more information on fecal egg counts and deworming visit: https:// www.smartpakequine.com/content/equine-fecal-egg-count


Also in Blog

Natural Wound Care for Dogs with Essential Oils
Natural Wound Care for Dogs with Essential Oils

March 23, 2023 2 min read

Essential oils are an excellent natural home remedy for wounds or your dog’s irritated skin. However, not all essential oils are safe to use around or on dogs. Make sure you know what is helpful and harmful before using any essential oils on your dog.
What is a Normal Heart Rate for a Horse?
What is a Normal Heart Rate for a Horse?

March 16, 2023 2 min read

Hearts are an amazing thing in all animals. A constantly working muscle, the heart, pumps blood throughout the body to sustain life. The horse’s heart is a well-oiled machine—the heart’s efficiency results in a super athlete.
Natural Remedies for Dog Anxiety
Natural Remedies for Dog Anxiety

March 09, 2023 3 min read

Dogs experience anxiety just like humans do. Also, like people, some suffer more than others. However, our dogs do not have the words to communicate with us. We need to use our knowledge of our dogs’ behavior to determine if they are in distress.