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6657 Kimesville Road | Liberty, NC | 27298 | (336) 565-9723
A parasite is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as: "An organism in dependence on a host organism for existence or support without making a useful or adequate return". Simply put, a parasite is a living organism that sucks the life and nutrients out of it's host. Tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms, and coccidia are all examples of parasites. Parasites live inside the bodies and organs of humans and animals, and take the nutrients that are intended for the host to benefit from. Because parasites are small and normally unseen, most people either ignore their existence or deny it. But in reality, parasites account for many human and animal ailments and diseases. Many people think that parasites are transmitted only through cuts and open places on their feet, but parasites can be found in vegetables, fruit, and meat, as well as in infested waters and ground. Parasites are hardy creatures that can live in the ground for years.
Unfortunately, Kopper Top had to learn about parasites the hard way. For years, the farm was located on a rental 100-acre farm in Gibsonville that, unbeknown to us, was infested with parasites. The creek at the back of the property would swell and overflow when there were heavy rainfalls, causing the water to flood over half of our pasture area. The creek was full of parasites and contamination from waste that was being dumped into the creek. These parasites found root in our pastures, among the grass that our horses were grazing on. This made our horses sick. Despite constant feeding, supplements, and vitamins, our horses’ health was deteriorating rapidly.
It was then we began to go on a hunt to find out what was causing our horses to be so sick. The issue of parasites was brought up, and we collected samples from the creek when it overflowed onto our pastures. Somebody recommended a vet that knew about parasites to Deborah, and he began to help us. Slowly, but surely, he pulled our animals out of danger and is restoring them to full health. It has been, an still is, a very long and gruelling process. With a strict, regular deworming program, the horses began to lose more weight, because all the parasites were dying and leaving their bodies. They looked skinny and sick. But as their bodies began to recover from the effects of the parasites, they began to put on their proper weight. We have had less problems with their feet without parasites...they are no longer soft and breaking. Now we only have to shoe about five horses, compared to the fifteen to twenty we shod four years ago. The horses' coats are so shiny, and their eyes look even brighter. Now our horses are thriving on grass and hay, and only our older horses and those on rehab are receiving grain.
Now it has been about eight years since we began the recovery process. Our vet checks all our animals regularly, and they are given the best, most effective dewormer that we can find.
Just because a horse is thin does not mean it is starved, abused, or unloved. On the contrary, it can be quite the opposite--we loved our horses enough to put them through the arduous process of deworming, because we wanted their ultimate best. And just because parasites are small and cannot always be seen does not mean they do not exist. Just because they are unpleasant and can be a disgusting topic does not mean we should ignore the fact that they are there. With proper, controlled deworming, people and animals can be happier and healthier!
For more information on parasites, you can look at these websites:
Also check out the horse health tip article written around 1985 about coccidia and colic in horses