Why Perform a Fecal Smear Exam?
Fecal smear examination is a diagnostic method used to analyze horse feces to detect the presence of intestinal parasites. Performing a fecal smear examination on a horse has several advantages and plays a crucial role in parasite health management. Here are the main reasons why fecal smear examination is recommended:
1. Parasite Load Assessment:
Parasite Detection: Fecal smear examination identifies the types and numbers of parasites present in the horse's intestine by detecting eggs or larvae in the feces. Common parasites detected include strongyles, roundworms, and threadworms.
Quantification: By determining the number of eggs per gram of feces (OPG), fecal smear examination provides an estimate of the parasite load. This helps understand the extent of the infestation and allows for informed decisions regarding the necessary treatment. 2. Personalized Parasite Treatments:
Avoid Unnecessary Routine Deworming: Rather than routinely deworming all horses at regular intervals, stool examinations can identify those that truly require treatment. This reduces unnecessary use of anthelmintics.
Product Selection: Stool examinations help select the most effective type of anthelmintic based on the parasites detected. For example, some products are more effective against specific types of parasites.
3. Prevention of Anthelmintic Resistance:
Resistance Monitoring: Repeated and untargeted use of anthelmintics can lead to parasite resistance. By performing stool examinations before treatment, you can reduce the risk of developing resistant strains, as treatments are targeted and less frequent. Fecal Egg Reduction Tests (FECRT): After treatment, a further stool examination may be performed to assess the effectiveness of the dewormer. Insufficient egg reduction indicates possible resistance and may require a reevaluation of the treatment protocol.
4. Horse Health Monitoring:
Continuous Monitoring: Stool examination is a non-invasive method that allows for regular monitoring of the parasitic health of horses, helping to prevent severe infestations that could affect their overall health.
Parasite-Associated Disease Prevention: Uncontrolled parasitic infestations can lead to various health problems, such as weight loss, colic, and intestinal damage. Stool examination allows for early detection of infestations, thus limiting these risks. 5. Effective Herd Management:
Reduces Pasture Contamination: By identifying heavily infested horses, specific measures can be taken to limit pasture contamination, such as targeted treatment or temporary separation of animals.
Saves Time and Cost: By targeting antiparasitic treatments only to horses that need them, fecal smear testing can reduce deworming costs and minimize the time spent administering treatments.
Conclusion:
Fecal smear testing is an essential tool for parasite management in horses. It allows for accurate assessment of parasite load, personalized treatment, prevention of anthelmintic resistance, and monitoring of the horse's overall health. Used judiciously, it helps maintain healthy horses while reducing environmental impact and costs.
When should a fecal smear test be performed?
It is recommended to perform a fecal smear test four times a year on a healthy horse. The most important time to do this is the grazing season. If your horse is out on pasture all year round, for example, you might want to do one checkup in March/April, a second in June, a third in August, and a fourth in October/November.