A survey on horse gastrointestinal worms in Tehran province

Gastrointestinal parasitism is responsible for a wide range of clinical syndromes in horses. Clinical symptoms vary from  weight loss,impaired performance, anaemia, unthriftiness and diarrhea to colic and occasional deaths in heavy infections. A cross sectional study was conducted in Tehran province to estimate the prevalence of gastrointestinal tract helminths infection and to identify the common Gastrointestinal helminths parasites of horses. Clinton Lane technique was utilized to identify the eggs of parasites in feces and EPG. A total of 294 horses were examined for gastrointestinal parasites. The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was 20.7% (61 from 294), as 16.3% (48 from 294) Parascaris equorum, 4.42% (13 from 294) Strongyle spp. and 0.68% (2 from 294) Oxyuris equi was observed by adhesive tape test . The average worm egg in the feces of horses was 1-12, including strongyles and parascaris. The results of stool cultures showed that larvae of the third stage were from small strongyles.