Faecal Worm Egg Counts (FWEC) & Worming Programmes

Faecal Worm Egg Counts (FWEC) & Worming Programmes

At Perth Equine Vets, we believe in evidence-based, preventative care. Worming your horse routinely without testing is no longer recommended – it can contribute to anthelmintic (wormer) resistance, which is becoming a serious problem in the UK horse population.

Instead, we follow the BEVA CANTER guidelines, using faecal worm egg counts (FWECs), tapeworm saliva tests, and redworm blood tests to create a safe, targeted worming plan for every horse.

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Why testing matters

Not every horse needs worming at every stage of the year. In fact, many horses now don’t require routine autumn worming at all. Testing before treating means:

    •    Less exposure to wormers (better for your horse’s gut health)

    •    Slower development of resistance

    •    Better long-term protection for all horses

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How our worming programme works

We recommend submitting FWEC samples three times a year:

    1.    Late March / early April

    2.    Early June

    3.    Late August

Each sample should be collected and labelled individually, then sent to us by post. All samples are interpreted by a vet, and we’ll provide personalised worming advice based on the results and your horse’s risk factors.

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Risk factors for a higher worm burden include:

    •    Horses under 5 years old

    •    Older horses or those with other health conditions

    •    Busy yards with limited pasture rotation

    •    Droppings not picked up at least twice weekly

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Tapeworm & Redworm Testing

Tapeworm:

We now know that only around one in three horses in Scotland actually needs treating for tapeworm. The tapeworm saliva test is a simple and reliable way to check your horse’s risk – and can be easily done by you on the yard.

Redworm:

We can also use redworm serology (blood tests) on a case-by-case basis, particularly for horses with a history of higher risk or uncertain results. However, current evidence shows that most horses, based on their individual risk assessment, do not even require once-yearly worming – a significant and positive shift in how we manage parasite control.

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💡 Health Plan Members

If your horse is on our Equine Health Plan, you’re already covered. We’ll:

    •    Schedule and interpret your FWECs

    •    Track results

    •    Recommend the right tests and treatments

    •    Keep you up to date with the latest evidence and changes in best practice

In short – we take the headache out of worming, so you can relax knowing your horse’s parasite control is managed correctly, safely, and in line with the most up-to-date veterinary science.

Find out more about our Health Plan 

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 How to collect a FWEC sample

    1.    Request an FWEC sample bag using the link below.

    2.    Watch our short video on how to take the sample correctly.

    3.    Pick a fresh dropping (less than 24 hours old).

    4.    Take several pinches from different faecal balls of the same dropping for a representative sample.

    5.    Label your bag clearly and pop it in the post.

Request egg count packs below: