| Treating for worms is not only expensive but it may | | | | and yearlings would tend to have more problems than |
| be unnecessary. Why is it then that we are frequently | | | | older horses because of the decreased ability to resist |
| told to deworm (or worming as we say here in east | | | | the worms. Obviously, a farm where horses are |
| Tennessee) every 3 to 4 weeks, some times even | | | | frequently coming and going, such as a boarding |
| every 60 days? I call it the "shotgun" approach - blast | | | | operation should have more likelihood of exposure, but |
| them out with the cheapest, strongest, most effective | | | | on the other hand many of these facilities are |
| product you can as often as you can afford it! BUT - | | | | meticulously clean. Worm checks tell you what the |
| there is an alternative, worm check! Come on -- if they | | | | situation is, indiscriminant over worming tells nothing. |
| don't have worms, they don't need to be wormed! | | | | It should go without saying that the healthier your |
| Considerable money can be saved, especially if you | | | | horses are the less likely they will have worms. As a |
| have 30 or so horses like we do! Even more | | | | caution, if you find your horse has constant problems |
| important, why bombard our animal friends with | | | | with parasites or if he seem to be less than par, |
| chemicals if they don't need them? As a veterinarian | | | | consider a hair analysis to rule out mineral deficiencies |
| who practices natural medicine, I believe that less of | | | | or imbalances or even the presence of toxic metals. I |
| anything is almost always better. I must admit that I | | | | can't believe how much aluminum toxicity I am finding. |
| didn't always think this way, but I guess one could say | | | | My gut feeling even is that a lot of the ''EPM " like |
| that I am on a mission today to let people know that | | | | symptoms currently being seen are due to this metal, |
| there are alternatives and that it is time to ask: Is that | | | | either coming from the water or our polluted air. One |
| really necessary? | | | | tablespoon of mane hair analyzed could save your |
| So what is a worm check? Basically, it is an exam of | | | | horses life or at the very least prevent a lot of |
| a small bit of fecal material, i.e. manure, under a | | | | unnecessary medications. Parasites simply shouldn't be |
| microscope. It is cheap; it's easy and quite reliable | | | | a problem in a healthy horse, but you wouldn't know if |
| except in very rare cases. Yes, but I have been told to | | | | you aren't checking - would you? |
| deworm often and especially not to forget to rotate | | | | A positive worm check would require deworming, but |
| the wormers. This rotation recommendation | | | | by now you probably have an idea that I am not too |
| exemplifies my point exactly. It confirms that worms | | | | fond of chemicals. With that in mind I ask myself, " |
| are over time developing resistance. As a result, | | | | what was used before the advent of chemicals"? My |
| stronger and stronger wormers are needed. How | | | | grandfather used to tell me that a good chew of |
| strong will the medication need to be five years from | | | | tobacco would worm a horse. I must even admit that I |
| now when the worms are wearing a suit of armor, | | | | have tried it but unfortunately to no avail - God rest his |
| and again, what will these super potent wormers do to | | | | soul! But what that did lead me to was a study of |
| our horses? Now is the time to examine our | | | | natural herbs that would work. Not only did I find the |
| procedures or suffer the consequences later. | | | | herbs but also I have formulated them into a paste |
| If I sound like I am on a soapbox, understand that in | | | | similar to what most people are already using. Instead |
| today's drug oriented society you have to be! A | | | | of chemicals, however, it is a mixture of garlic, cloves, |
| fortune has been spent convincing you that if you don't | | | | and a few other plants that have been used for |
| frequently deworm, you are not doing what is best for | | | | centuries. Forgive me for the commercial, but I am so |
| your animal. Granted, many horses do have parasites | | | | excited about it! Equally exciting is that we have come |
| and do need worming often but not EVERY horse, | | | | up with a way for you to get a free parasite exam |
| and not EVERY 2-3 months! The reason we even | | | | with each 6 tubes purchased so you no longer have |
| have a parasite problem is that we have changed their | | | | to guess about whether you need it in the first place |
| environment from wide-open fields, as in the wild, to 12 | | | | OR whether or not it even works. A postal mailer to |
| X 12 stalls. Even considered worse than stalls are | | | | our lab is even included for the thimble full of manure |
| small paddocks and small pastures. This is simply | | | | needed for the test. So my final advice is don't over |
| because stalls are picked daily, pastures are not. The | | | | worm. For the health of your horse and generations to |
| cleaner your operation and the more space you have | | | | come WORM CHECK first! |
| on your farm, the less you can deworm. Young foals | | | | |