New research has led the American Association of Equine Practitioners to recommend that horse owners change the way they’ve been doing things and implement the change immediately.  For the past 50 years or so, equine practitioners have recommended the same protocol for parasite control. The problem is that those practices are based on research from about 50 years ago.

Based on much newer research, the American Association of Equine Practitioners has changed its recommendations and has adopted new guidelines for parasite control. Why is this important to you? It seems that previous standard practices such as deworming every other month, alternating the drug used, and changing pastures at the time of treatment have and are creating super parasites that are more and more resistant to the available drugs. The AAEP states that decades of frequent use have produced drug resistance in parasite populations. Without change, and with no new drugs being developed, the future for horses will be catastrophic.

As it is, owners and vets must come to peace with the fact that eradication is not an option. We must live with the fact that our horses are going to have parasites and that our job is to manage the number of parasites that our horses host.

Dr. Macarena Sanz teaches equine veterinarians about this problem and presents the new AAEP Internal Parasite Control Guidelines at continuing education forums such as the Western Veterinary Conference. Dr. Sanz was recently featured on The Horsemanship Journey for an exclusive interview where she explained the problem and the suggested solutions. She laid out what horse owners need to know and what changes are necessary to keep parasites at bay.

The Horsemanship Journey releases horse health videos each month. They feature the top horse health professionals including equine veterinarians, farriers, dentists, chiropractors, and more. You can find cutting-edge and up-to-date information, how that information affects you and your horse, and what you need to know as a responsible owner.

We want the best for our horses when it comes to how they are cared for. We recommend The Horsemanship Journey for being informed and educated by the best horse health professionals in the world.