How to Identify Tapeworms in Horses

As with many equine parasites, little is known about tapeworms. They generally cause mild symptoms, if any, and are among the least destructive parasites that use horses as hosts, so research funds are devoted to more serious threats to equine health. However, secondary disorders and conditions can result from tapeworm infestation, so it helps if you can identify tapeworms in horses.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Equine scale

1. Weigh the horse frequently. Although tapeworms aren't as destructive as other parasites, they can prevent weight gain, especially in horses that have been previously malnourished. If an underweight horse doesn't put on pounds with increased grain, worms might be present.
2. Calculate the number of times the horse has colicked in the last year or so. Because tapeworms interfere with the digestive process in horses, they can cause distension and bloating that leads to colic. A horse that colicks frequently or starts to colic more often than he has before could be infected.
3. Consider the horse's age. According to an article, "The Skinny on Tapeworms," published by Laurie Bonner in the August 2001 issue of EQUUS magazine, horses younger than nine months in age do not develop tapeworms. There is no concrete scientific reason for those, but no case has ever been found.
4. Monitor the horse's energy over a period of two or more weeks. If the horse seems lethargic or unwilling to engage in physical activity, tapeworms could very well be the culprit. This is the result of a lack of nutrition because the worms are absorbing vital nutrients.
5. Examine the horse's stool. With tapeworms, a horse will develop a mild case of diarrhea, one that might be intermittent and not at all severe. Loose stool could indicate that the digestive system is compromised.
6. Look at the horse's coat. An ill animal plagued by tapeworms will have a dull, somewhat patchy coat that fails to grow long in the wintertime and doesn't respond to conditioning shampoo.

Tips & Warnings

• Know that tapeworms are rarely deadly and may not cause any symptoms at all.
• Deworm the horse with a dewormer that contains both ivermectin and praziquantel.
• Understand that horses develop tapeworms by accidentally ingesting mites that have eaten tapeworm larvae.
• Quarantine a horse with tapeworms until the tapeworm is gone.