The small strongyle is considered to be the most common internal parasite of horses. The adult form of all strongyles (large or small) infects the cecum and ventral colon of the horse.
When large numbers of larvae invade the intestine, the horse may become clinically sick, showing signs of:
- Fever
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Colic
- Possibly death
With chronic infections, recurrent colic is a major indicator of the parasite. Small strongyles can be diagnosed on fecal flotation tests.
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