Existing Users please login here

email
password

Forgotten your password? Simply enter your email address above and hit "Login". Your password will be emailed to you shortly

Pinworms (Seatworms)

Oxyuris equi

These worms are more of an irritation, than harmful.  It is usually an infection in stabled horses, as the eggs cannot survive for long in grass.

Size Appearance

Up to 10cm long and white-grey in colour. They have a long tail tapering to a point.

Location In Horse

Lives in colon from where it migrates to rectum to lay eggs, in clumps of 50,000 eggs

Symptoms

Itchy anus causes tail rubbing

Life Cycle

Treatment

The only way to treat pinworm is with anthelmintics (wormers) containing any of the chemicals ivermectin, moxidectin, benzimidazole or pyrantel embonate.

If dung collection rather than chemical treatment is controlling worms then O.equi could develop in stabled horses.  The horse should be treated for pinworms twice a year.