Vaccination and Deworming Schedules

Parasite Control Advice

Paste Dewormers

GVEC recommends this paste dewormer schedule for horses two years of age and older:

January 15: Ivermectin (Various trade names, including Rotectin 1®, Eqvalan®, Equimectrin®)

March 15: Fecal analysis

April 1: Ivermectin/praziquantal (EquiMax® or Zimectrin Gold®)

June 1: Ivermectin

July 15: Fecal analysis

August 1: Strongid (Rotectin 2®)

September 15: Ivermectin/praziquantal

November 1: Fecal analysis

November 15: Ivermectin

Fecal tests should be run two to three times a year to check to see if the program is keeping parasite egg passage under control. The best time to run a fecal is just before your horse is due to be dewormed. Bring one manure ball to us for testing, and we will call you promptly with the results.

Adult horses should be weighed using a weight tape and dosed according to weight. Free weight tapes are available at GVEC–just stop in and ask.

Schedule for foals and yearlings: Foals should be given paste wormers starting at 30 days of age. Start at a 100-pound dose for the average size foal, and weigh the baby monthly to ensure proper dosage. Begin with pyrantel (Strongid or Rotectin 2) paste and rotate between Strongid and ivermectin for the first two years. In the fall replace one of the ivermectin dewormings with ivermectin/praziquantal (EquiMax® or Zimectrin Gold®). We do not recommend the use of moxidectin (Quest®) in foals less than one year.

A fecal test should be done at five to six months of age, just prior to a scheduled deworming, and should be repeated at four to six month intervals.

Foals may be started on a daily dewormer at the time of weaning and may follow the adult daily dewormer schedule listed below.

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Strongid C 2x Pelleted Daily Dewormer

Daily dewoming with pyrantel tartrate (Strongid C 2x) is an excellent way to protect your horse against parasites, especially if you are stabled at a large stable. An added incentive to choosing daily deworming is the Preventicare Colic Assistance program (www.pfizer.com/ah/equine/index.html) offered by Pfizer, the company that makes Strongid C 2x. Preventicare is a health maintenance program that is free to horse owners that purchase Strongid C 2x from their veterinarian and follow a comprehensive wellness program designed to optimize horse well being. Enrollees who follow the program are covered by Pfizer for reimbursement of up to $5,000 if a participating horse is ever referred for colic surgery. (Note: Certain restrictions apply for horses to be eligible to enroll—see us for details. Eligible horses can enroll any time during the year—call GVEC to set up your introductory exam if you are interested!)

Daily deworming protocol: Feed Strongid C 2x once a day.

In the early summer and late fall (around July and December), deworm with ivermectin or praziquantal to combat bots and pinworms, as these two parasites are not killed by Strongid C 2x. Stop feeding daily wormer for 10 to 14 days after administering the paste worming product.

We advise that horses stay on the medication year round.

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Vaccination Recommendations

Foals

Foals receive some immunity from their dams at birth as the first milk, also called colostrum, contains antibodies that help protect against infectious disease. Foals should have a blood test run soon after birth to be sure they have received adequate immunity from their mothers. Foals who nurse well and absorb antibodies at birth should wait for their first vaccinations until they are six months of age. The following schedule is advised:

6 Months: Eastern and Western Encephalomyelitis
Tetanus, Rhinopneumonitis, West Nile Virus, Rabies

+/- Potomac Horse Fever—This vaccine is given on many area farms; discuss with your veterinarian.

7 Months: Repeat above vaccines.


9–12 Months: Repeat all of the above vaccines except Rabies–Rabies does not need a third booster. Add intranasal Influenza vaccine.

Strangles vaccine can be given to foals if exposure is anticipated. It is administered intranasally in a series of two vaccines spaced at least three weeks apart. We recommend that the Strangles vaccination be done at a separate appointment from other vaccines. You should discuss the risk potential for Strangles on your farm with a veterinarian.

Yearlings and Adults

Some of the diseases that horses can contract can occur at any time of the year (Tetanus, Strangles, Rabies). Other diseases are more common in the warm months, either because insects are active or disease exposure increases as horses travel and compete. Most people opt to give the annual vaccines in the spring and boost for certain seasonal diseases one to two more times a year, depending on their horse’s exposure risk. What follows are schedules for several different types of horses.

Stay-at-Home Horses

For horses stabled with one or two others, ridden mostly in summer and fall:

Spring: Eastern and Western Encephalomyelitis, West Nile Virus, Tetanus, Rabies, Rhinopneumonitis, Influenza (intranasal or intramuscular preparations are available), +/- Potomac Horse Fever (discuss with your vet)

Summer and Fall: Owners that choose to vaccinate for strangles may do so in the fall. Horses that associate with outside horses benefit from a booster for rhinopneumonitis and influenza in the fall.

Traveling Horses

Horses stabled at large stables, at racetracks or who travel often to compete:

Spring: Eastern and Western Encephalomyelitis, Tetanus, West Nile Virus, Rabies, Rhinopneumonitis, Influenza (intranasal or intramuscular preparations are available), +/- Potomac Horse Fever (discuss with your vet)


Fall: Rhinopneumonitis, Influenza, Strangles (best to administer this vaccine on a separate appointment)

Winter: Discuss needed vaccines with your veterinarian; schedule depends on whether horse is traveling south

We recommend that ALL HORSES receive WNV vaccine at least once. If a horse has never been vaccinated before, it will need a series of two vaccines spaced three to six weeks apart to get started. Foals will need a series of three vaccines starting at six months of age.

Pregnant Mares

The early months of pregnancy are critical for healthy organ development of the fetus. For this reason, we try to avoid all drug administration of any sort, including vaccines and dewormers, in the first 60 days of pregnancy.

Five, Seven, and Nine Months of Gestation: Pregnant mares are at risk of abortion from rhinopneumonitis, and an approved vaccine for the abortion strain of rhino should be given at five, seven, and nine months of gestation.

We also advise that mares that have never been vaccinated for West Nile Virus be given their first dose of this vaccine at nine months.

Ten Months of Gestation: Vaccinate for Influenza, Eastern and Western Encephalomyelitis, Tetanus, West Nile Virus, Rabies and Potomac Horse Fever (if the farm vaccinates for this disease).

The above schedules may vary somewhat from farm to farm, but are sound scientifically. The schedules have been updated to reflect the current recommendations of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (www.aaep.org).