Horses are hosts to many intestinal helminths acquired while grazing, and MSD describes some parasitism as the normal state of a healthy horse. Disease is uncommon but can be life threatening: larval cyathostominosis, verminous mesenteric arteritis, ascarid impaction and tapeworm-associated ileal colic. Resistance has changed control from calendar deworming to surveillance-based programs.
Key facts
Parasites (internal, gastrointestinal) at a glance- Species and system: horse; small intestine, cecum and colon.
- Main parasites: cyathostomins (small strongyles), Strongylus vulgaris, Parascaris spp., Anoplocephala perfoliata and pinworms.
- Resistance: cyathostomins and ascarids are widely resistant to several drug classes; pinworms to macrocyclic lactones; S. vulgaris has no reported resistance (MSD).
- Classic presentation: young horse with sudden diarrhea and hypoalbuminemia (cyathostominosis), foal with small intestinal impaction (ascarids), or ileal colic (tapeworm).
- Zoonotic: no zoonotic risk for these equine GI parasites (MSD).
What's inside
12 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Prevention, control and public health
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 5 tables, 1 figure, 3 self-test questions and 7 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
The full guide is part of every NAVLE plan, with diagnosis and treatment tables, figures, a quick review and self-test questions. Start a free trial to try the question bank, or log in if you are already a member.