# Can I deworm my horse while he's on bute?



## Jessabel (Mar 19, 2009)

My guy came up lame Wednesday morning and the vet came out yesterday to check him out. Thankfully, it's nothing serious, but he's going to be on bute for a few days. 

Can I deworm him while he's on the medicine or should I wait? I completely forgot to ask the doc about it. :? Thanks!


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## Horsey and Holistic (Jun 30, 2011)

Oh please please please don't even think about doing that! That would be like mixing a poison stew in your horses stomach and overall system. I wouldn't even bother with the wormer anyway. If you MUST worm your horses its only needed to be done once a year or less. The poisons in those wormers are horrific. We haven't wormed our horses in years!


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## Jessabel (Mar 19, 2009)

...Really? I worm my horses every eight weeks. They're still alive. I just didn't know if the wormer and bute would agree with each other. 

How do you control parasites if you don't worm your horses?


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

Your horse should be fine. Give one in the AM & one in the PM if worried.


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## My Beau (Jan 2, 2009)

I've dewormed my horse while he was on bute before... no problems. If you really want to reassure yourself, call your vet and ask. 

You could always hold off on deworming him for a week or so, if you want.


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## Jessabel (Mar 19, 2009)

Okay, thanks guys. =] You put my mind at ease.


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## Kawonu (Apr 24, 2011)

I think you can, seen several horses on bute and I believe they've been wormed while on it.


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## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)

As long as your horse isn't prone to ulcers he should be fine. Both the bute and de-wormer can be hard on a horse with a sensitive stomach.


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## horsecrzy94 (Jul 4, 2011)

Horsey and Holistic said:


> Oh please please please don't even think about doing that! That would be like mixing a poison stew in your horses stomach and overall system. I wouldn't even bother with the wormer anyway. If you MUST worm your horses its only needed to be done once a year or less. The poisons in those wormers are horrific. We haven't wormed our horses in years!


In reference to this uhhh horses should be wormed every three months as per common veterinary practice, take it from one who has seen the effects of worms...Trust me every three months like clock work


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

Actually more studies are saying that a worming regiment should be specific to location and your horse. Some areas could necessitate the use of different wormers more or less frequently. Ask a vet about your area. The use of a wormer every 8 weeks may be totally unnecessary. In any case, as long as your horse is on bute for only a few days, personally, I would wait - can't hurt.


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## Maverick101 (Nov 8, 2009)

Horsey and Holistic said:


> Oh please please please don't even think about doing that! That would be like mixing a poison stew in your horses stomach and overall system. I wouldn't even bother with the wormer anyway. If you MUST worm your horses its only needed to be done once a year or less. The poisons in those wormers are horrific. We haven't wormed our horses in years!


Horses need to be dewormed...maybe not every 8 weeks like some people do...but I would def would do a minumum of 2x per year this....and once would be BARE minimum, but not at all....that is risky imo.



iridehorses said:


> Actually more studies are saying that a worming regiment should be specific to location and your horse. Some areas could necessitate the use of different wormers more or less frequently. Ask a vet about your area. The use of a wormer every 8 weeks may be totally unnecessary. In any case, as long as your horse is on bute for only a few days, personally, I would wait - can't hurt.


I agree with above in regards to both deworming and the bute. Chances are deworming and giving bute wouldnt be detrimental...but a few days of waiting to deworm wont make a huge difference.

As for deworming I do 3x a yr early spring (once ground is starting to thaw), mid summer and again late fall....and depending on the horse, may get another one in there if warranted. It works well for me and that is pretty much the norm in my area.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

I would be scared to buy a horse from someone who hasn't dewormed in years! 

I once bought a couple of horses that the owners only dewormed once a year. I saw worms in their poop piles as soon as I brought them home. I have NEVER seen worms in the poop piles of my own horses. I can only imagine what damage years of worms would do. :shock:


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## Horsey and Holistic (Jun 30, 2011)

If you have a good sized pasture, then horses find the plants to de-worm themselves. And not all of them are bad parasites, many help to break down food. The only reason I'd see to de-worm a horse if they they eat where they poop, that's we clean our pasture's haying area's. 

Everyone seems so concerned. We don't vaccinate either! Wooo, everyone be scared!


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## goneriding (Jun 6, 2011)

I personally would wait until you're done with the bute. I am someone that doesn't like to assume nothing negative will come of it without definate answers. Some people think your horse is going to get worms if you wait a month longer, odds are you won't. I do worm quarterly and no more and I have never had any issues over the years. I have had them vet checked on occasion just to make sure what I am doing is working. Why do worms get get immune to meds? We over worm. There is truth about less chances of worm infestation when horses are on a large grazing area. I am also not one to jump on the bandwagon of fear when it comes to vaccinations either. I do mine annually and refuse to do them semi annually. I do think sometimes, pushing vaccines, certain meds etc. can be an underlying money driven goal by pharmaceutical companies who have a tendancy to throw fear into the public making us feel we have to buy "this" product or something devasting will happen.


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## goneriding (Jun 6, 2011)

goneriding said:


> I personally would wait until you're done with the bute. I am someone that doesn't like to assume nothing negative will come of it without definate answers. Some people think your horse is going to get worms if you wait a month longer, odds are you won't. I do worm quarterly and no more and I have never had any issues over the years. I have had them vet checked on occasion just to make sure what I am doing is working. Why do worms get get immune to meds? We over worm. There is truth about less chances of worm infestation when horses are on a large grazing area. I am also not one to jump on the bandwagon of fear when it comes to vaccinations either. I do mine annually and refuse to do them semi annually. I do think sometimes, pushing vaccines, certain meds etc. can be an underlying money driven goal by pharmaceutical companies who have a tendancy to throw fear into the public making us feel we have to buy "this" product or something devasting will happen.


Coggins is another waste of money to me. I can have my horses tested with a negative result. One month later one can become infected but still I have a negative test result for that horse, in the mean time, exposing this horse to other horses. The test is pointless to me, money driven.


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