Tapeworm treatment in horses, how useful are the tests?

small study carried out by EquiSal demonstrated that when pasture management was used in combination with drug therapy 90 of horses had a reduction in burden as evidenced by a repeat test within 10 weeks. This figure increased to 100 after 12 weeks. In addition to this new horses joining the herd should be tested quarantined and treated as necessary before joining the herd. 
In summary testing for tapeworm antibodies is a useful method to reduce the amount of anthelmintic drugs used in our horses. Reducing the deworming frequency will save money. And it will also help to reduce the risk of the development of resistance to these valuable drugs. A proactive approach will also help to reduce the risk of horses suffering from problems associated with an undiagnosed tapeworm burden. Your veterinary surgeon will also be able to advise on all aspects of parasite control and herd management.