12/11/2025
Equine Winter Worming🐴❄️🐛
Equest Pramox – should all horses receive a winter dose?
For many horse owners administering a dose of Equest Pramox in the winter months has long been the norm, but is this still an appropriate tradition?
In short – NO. In the age of ever-increasing wormer resistance, we must continue to safeguard the use of Equest to ensure it remains effective when really needed.
Why is Equest Pramox so important?
Equest contains the active ingredient ‘Moxidectin’. This is the only wormer that is effective against the encysted stages of redworm that can occur when the temperatures drop during winter. Heavy burdens of encysted redworm within intestinal walls can cause severe disease, particularly in Spring when these encysted stages emerge en-masse.
Equest Pramox contains an additional active ingredient ‘Praziquantel’. This is one of only 2 wormers effective against tapeworm and resistance is also developing here.
How does resistance develop?
Some parasites, including redworm and tapeworm, carry genes that make them resistant to certain wormer products. This means that when exposed to the wormer, they survive treatment and go on to reproduce, creating large populations of ‘wormer resistant’ parasites against which our wormers are ineffective.
What should we do for winter worming?
Step 1️⃣: Test for tapeworm. This is very simple to do on a tapeworm saliva test available from your veterinary practice.
Step 2️⃣: Assess your horses redworm risk. This involves assessing recent and historic worm egg counts for the 2025 season, coupled with age, general health and management methods to guide whether your horse is LOW, MEDIUM or HIGH risk for redworm. Use the below table to assess your horses risk.
Step 3️⃣: Pick your product.
-Tapeworm burden LOW and redworm risk LOW = No treatment necessary.
-Tapeworm burden LOW and redworm risk MEDIUM/ HIGH = Equest only
-Tapeworm burden HIGH and redworm risk LOW = Praziquantel only (vet order only)
-Tapeworm burden HIGH and redworm risk MEDIUM/ HIGH = Equest Pramox
Please bear in mind that this is very simplified and will not suit all horses/ scenarios so please contact your vets for more specific advice. ☎️📞
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