I saw a post yesterday regarding the use of diatomaceous earth for parasite control in horses. There was a link to a web site with a large amount of false and unsubstantiated claims about this product. It apparently has some efficacy in treating mites as it contains microscopic spicules that cause damage to the breathing apparatus of small insects; however in doing a literature search I can find no reports of efficacy for internal parasites. In fact it is listed as a carcinogen, as it can be inhaled into the lungs and cause breathing problems and possibly cancer. It is used in swimming pool filters, and the technicians who use it are required to wear masks to protect against inhalation. Not a good idea to mix this stuff in your horse feed! This post referred to the conventional dewormers as poison despite mounds of scientific evidence demonstrating their safety if used as directed. I agree that we are probably deworming our horses too frequently since the near extinction of the large strongyle (Strongylus vulgaris). If you want to minimize your horses exposure to dewormers, I would recommend rather than use a known unsafe product, you run fecal checks on your horses and only deworm the ones that need it with a known safe and efficacious product. Many older horses develop a solid immunity against parasites and seldom need to be dewormed, while others need to be dewormed frequently.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 04:07:50 +0000
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