EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part one of a 12-part series on internal parasites of horses.

It seems that every year, major equine publications take on a virtually impossible task. They publish an omnibus article on equine parasitology that attempts to describe the biology of everything from pinworms to stable flies, discuss the numerous ways in which parasites can harm equine hosts, list the multitude of drugs available for treating parasitic infections, and present a variety of control strategies, all in one user-friendly package.

Like most areas of applied science, equine parasitology is simply too broad and too complicated to be covered adequately in a single article. So in an effort to really do justice to the topic in comprehensive detail, we welcome you to the first of 12 monthly articles on parasite-related topics. To implement this project, The Horse has enlisted the aid of three recognized experts in equine parasitology.

Denny French, DVM, MS, Dipl. ABVP, currently is jointly appointed as a professor in veterinary clinical sciences at the Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Veterinary Medicine and professor of veterinary science at the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, while maintaining an active role in equine research and ambulatory practice. French’s primary research interests have been in the field of equine herd health, especially parasite control programs. Collaborating with Tom Klei, PhD of LSU, French has been involved with the development of numerous anthelmintics (dewormers) and has taken the research information directly into his practice