Excerpt from "The Horse: Your guide to Equine Health Care"
Something to consider before starting your young horse
on a daily dewormer:
There is evidence that the use of a daily dewormer in
your youngsters grain ration may interfere with the development
of an acquired immunity to strongyles. The daily dewormer
kills the migratory/invasive stages of the parasite, which
normally trigger an immune response. If kept on the dewormer,
the young horse would in fact be protected. However, if there
were a break in the regimen this individual could be vulnerable
to parasitic disease if exposed, since he would have no natural
immunity.
It may be wiser in the long run to have some exposure to
infective larval stages as a youngster to acquire a natural
immunity, which would protect him throughout his life. Normal
deworming of your youngster would keep the parasite levels
under control while allowing his immune system to develop.
Of course, if your pasture burdens are heavy I think daily
dewormers are a good idea. Empirically, weanlings kept on
daily dewormers often look better than weanlings not on daily
dewormers, but again they may be set up for problems later
in life.
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