Internal parasites are a major threat to the health, strength and vitality of every horse. Clinical and/or subclinical parasitism has a staggering effect on the health of nearly every horse. Fortunately, horse owners have the power to prevent parasite damage. But first, it's crucial to identify the major parasite threats.

Large Strongyles in the gut wall.

Large Stronglyes in the Cranial Mesenteric Artery.

Normal vs. Damaged Mesenteric Artery: Large Strongyles can live in the cranial mesenteric artery, the artery that supplies blood to the intestine, for up to six months. During that time, they inflame the artery walls and create blood clots which interfere with the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the intestines. Such damage to the intestines can lead to severe—often fatal—colic.

Small Strongyles: Often referred to as cyathostomes, these parasites are perhaps the most significant cause of chronic under-performance, loss of condition, feed inefficiency and predisposition to secondary diseases. Small Strongyles are extremely prolific. A single horse may harbor hundreds of thousands of worms at any given time.

When small Strongyle larvae emerge from the lining of the intestines, usually in large numbers, they leave behind an ulcerated gut wall.

Roundworms: Adult Roundworms are relatively large and visible to the naked eye. Far more dangerous to the horse, however, is the migration of Roundworm larvae through the lungs and liver. Roundworm larval migration is often implicated in foal pneumonia—a potentially deadly disease.

What you can't see can hurt - The hidden dangers of parasites

What you can't see can hurt your horse. One of the best examples of this is the damage caused by internal parasites. Remember: Your horse doesn't have to look "wormy" to be infected. In fact the majority of damage done by the parasites is subclinical.

As parasites grow and migrate into your horse's system, they rob your horse of vital nutrients and cause extensive damage to its lungs, liver, arteries and intestines—all factors that affect how your horse feels and performs. As a result, parasites can be a cause of colic in horses and respiratory disease in foals. Because the damage is internal, you can't see it. But it's very real.

You can rein in the daily threat of internal parasites with a thorough, well-designed parasite control program that includes a daily dose of Strongid^®C or Strongid^®C 2X^TM. Highly palatable and effective, these products are fed daily to continuously prevent the growth and migration of parasite larvae before they have a chance to cause permanent damage to your horse's tissues and organs.

Conventional purge dewormers do a good job of removing adult worms at the time of treatment. However, your horse can quickly become reinfected—in some cases, picking up parasite larvae in nearly every mouthful of grass—as soon as the dewormer has cleared the horse's system. That's what makes Strongid C and Strongid C 2X unique. It can be used to prevent parasitism, not just treat it.

Now is the time to review your horse's parasite control options. Ask about a program that includes the preventive care of Strongid C and Strongid C 2X

* Information courtesy of Pfizer Animal Health