Intestinal parasites, or “worms,” have been problematic since the domestication of horses. In this first section of a two-part series, we’ll review the identification, transmission, and problems associated with internal parasites.

Dawn of a New Era

It’s important that we focus on equine parasites in today’s horses, as scientists recently demonstrated that despite the availability of effective antiparasitic drugs, worm burdens of some parasite species are actually at the same level as they were before the introduction of these drugs several decades ago. Eugene Lyons, PhD, and colleagues from the Department of Veterinary Science at the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center reported this finding in 2008. Similar reports have been noted by researchers in other parts of the world