Recent verifications have shown that, within the horse population that’s managed according to the program, less than 8% of fecal samples indicated a need to actually treat the adult horse (at least three years old) with a dewormer. | The Horse Staff

Recent verifications have shown that, within the horse population that’s managed according to the program, less than 8% of fecal samples indicated a need to actually treat the adult horse (at least three years old) with a dewormer. And that, the researchers said, is excellent news.

“Owners are more and more convinced by the approach and the thinking behind a check-before-treat system,” said Hubertus Hertzberg, PhD, researcher at the University of Zurich Vetsuisse Faculty Institute of Parasitology and head of parasite monitoring at HealthBalance, a private holistic animal management and veterinary practice, in Niederuzwil, Switzerland. Here, Hertzberg leads a team entirely focused on equine parasite management.

“The owners don’t want unnecessary, costly treatments, and they like to contribute to the combat against anthelmintic resistance,” he said. “It’s also better on an ecological level, since anthelmintics are shed on pasture, which can disturb the ecosystem. And they see that their horses remain healthy with much less drug input compared to the previous system