Deworming is an excellent way to remove parasites from a horse. The parasite eats away at the nutrients in the horse’s body. As a result, the horse becomes weak and loses weight. Because of that, a horse needs to be dewormed once or twice a year. But how much does it cost to deworm a horse?
Horse deworming yearly cost might be $55 to $93 based on dewormer type, quality, and brand. Besides, some extra costs may be added to the average cost.
In this guide, we will discuss the details of costs and money-saving tips. I hope you will get benefited from this guide.
When should you deworm a horse?
This question can be answered in two ways. Some horse owners asked which season is best for horse deworming. And some owners are concerned about when they should start deworming their horses. Generally, the recommended seasons for horse deworming are spring and fall.
Spring dehelmintization:
The spring season is good for deworming because the parasite emerges during this season. Deworming in this season kills the parasite larvae quickly and they cannot return.
Fall deworming:
Late fall or the beginning of the winter is the perfect time to prevent the tapeworm parasite in horses. The American Association of Equine Practitioners recommends the fall and spring for horse deworming.
After seeing the common signs:
A parasite-infected horse shows some common symptoms. If you see any of the following signs in your horse, deworm it soon.
- Hair loss from the tail.
- Excess weight loss.
- Serious Diarrhea.
- Aversion to food.
- Reduces physical energy.
- Anemia and colic.
FEC test:
The FEC is a great test to know the level of parasites inside a horse. This test shows the number of parasite eggs per gram. If you notice the parasite eggs are more than 500 per gram, your horse immediately needs deworming. On the other hand, a 200-gram parasite egg per gram is roughly safe.
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How many times a year does a horse need to be wormed?
Generally, veterinarians suggest a horse every 6 to 8 weeks. It is an average recommendation. When considering some more specific factors when deworming your horse. Follow the below chart to know the better time.
| Month | Horse type | Medication |
| April | Moderate and high horse | Ivermectin or Quest |
| July | Moderate and high horses | Strongid |
| October | All horses | Quest Plus |
| December | High horses | Ivermectin |
How much does it cost to deworm a horse?
Two main types of dewormer are found for the horse. Tablets and paste are both used. But tablets are known to work better and last longer than paste. This is why deworming with tablets is enough to do twice a year. On the contrary, deworming with paste is more frequent within 2-3 months.
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Based on the brand quality, dewormers might be affordable or expensive. For example, each dose may start at $3 and go up to $15. You can buy a deworming medicine package for $30 to $55 a year. A $55 to $75 budget can help to get the best quality medication.
Conly Koontz Equine Hospital of Indiana says, “$12 to $15.50 is the average cost for quantitative fecal egg deworming.” Remember, the vet charge will add to our mentioned average deworming medicine cost.
| Brand | Dose type | Price range |
| Anthelcide EQ | Single dose | $6 |
| Zimectrin Gold | Single dose | $12 |
| Bimectin | Single dose | $4 |
| Panacur | Single dose | $9 |
| Ivercare | Single dose | $6 |
| Equimax | Single dose | $13 |
| Safe-Guard | 25 gm | $10 |
| Strongid | Single dose | $7 |
What factors increase cost? And how to decrease?
Deworming with the wrong medication:
A horse can be infected by several parasites like redworms, roundworms, and tapeworms. Not all deworming medicine works for all types of worms and parasites. You can take suggestions from professional vets to know about the specific medication for different parasites. The wrong medication doesn’t work efficiently to prevent parasites. So, the horse needs to deworm again. As a result, the cost might increase.
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Deworming at the wrong season:
The best season for deworming is spring and fall. In the spring season, parasites turn into larvae from eggs. So, this time is highly efficient in killing parasites permanently. On the contrary, the fall season ends the parasite’s lifespan. The dewormer works here great. If you don’t deworm your horse in the right season, your medication might not work well.
Deworming to a vet:
You need to pay extra money when deworming the horse a vet. Because the vet will charge for both medicine and servicing, sometimes, vets may charge a lot for services.
Reputed branded medicine:
Different branded and non-branded medicine are available in the market. You can take an average good quality medicine. It is not important to go with a reputed brand. Remember that a reputed brand doesn’t always mean good medicine.
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The ways of decreasing the cost
Here are some following steps that can help to reduce costs.
- Deworm your horse with specific medicine for individual worms.
- Remember the best-recommended spring and fall seasons.
- Try to deworm at home by yourself. That can save the vet visit cost.
- Use a medium level of branded medicine for deworming.
FAQs
When should you deworm a horse?
It would help if you dewormed your horse twice a year in the spring and fall seasons. However, deworm your horse at any season if you notice parasite infection in your horse. The common parasite infection symptoms are loss of appetite, weight loss, and diarrhea.
How much does deworming cost at the vet?
Only deworming medicine costs about $30 to $55 a year. If you deworm a horse by yourself, then this cost is enough. But the deworming cost at the vet would be higher. Because a vet always charges for the deworming service. So, you must budget around $100 for the horse to the vet.
Can you deworm your horse?
Yes, you can deworm your horse at home. But it is important to remember some factors before pushing the injection.
– Desensitize the Air Space.
– Desensitize the Syringe.
– Coat the Syringe.
– Deworm with Honey.
– Deworm Your Horse.
– Follow Up.
How often do horses need to be dewormed?
Horse health conditions can indicate the deworming time. Usually, horses need to be dewormed after 3 to 6 months. However, some horse owners deworm their horses once or twice a year. But it is good to deworm a horse before going to any bad health issues like weight loss, appetite loss, and diarrhea.
Final words
We hope you know how much it costs to deworm a horse. On average, costs $30 to $55. But this might increase if you dewormed your horse to a vet. In that case, the cost can increase up to $100. So, you can try to deworm your horse at home.
