Hoyt Cheramie, DVM, MS, is a member of the Merial Veterinary Service team. He has expertise in performance horse medicine, is a board-certified surgeon and has teaching experience at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. He has practiced in Kentucky, Louisiana, Georgia and Illinois. Dr. Cheramie earned his doctor of veterinary medicine from Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine. Below, he answers a question about the use of fecal egg counts in parasite management.
Question: My veterinarian suggested we use fecal egg counts to help determine which parasites are present on my farm and the egg shedding levels for each horse. Isn’t it easier to just deworm all of my horses?
Answer: It used to be a common practice and may be easier to simply deworm all horses every six to eight weeks, following a rotational calendar. However, research has shown that just 20 percent of the herd is responsible for shedding 80 percent of the worm eggs, so it really doesn’t make sense to treat every horse the same.1,2,3 Since you can’t manage what you can’t measure, a more effective plan is to involve your veterinarian in conducting Fecal Egg Counts (FECs). These counts will help identify the parasites present and which of the horses are high, moderate and low shedders. Once that is determined, you and your veterinarian can develop a deworming strategy to most effectively treat each horse.
Although the initial FECs and subsequent Fecal Egg Count Reduction Tests, which are used to determine whether specific products are working, involve some financial investment, it is often not as much as continuing to use multiple doses of products that may have little benefit for parasite control and may actually increase the prevalence of resistant parasites.1,4,5 Developing a deworming strategy based on the individual needs of your horses and treating them with an effective, broad spectrum product like ZIMECTERIN®Gold (ivermectin/praziquantel) can actually save you money in the long run.1,6
For more information, please visit www.zimecterin.com.
About ZIMECTERIN GOLD
ZIMECTERIN Gold combines ivermectin, a leading ingredient that controls a wide variety of parasites, with praziquantel, an ingredient that specifically controls tapeworms. Together, they provide excellent equine parasite control. ZIMECTERIN Gold is approved to control more species and stages of equine parasites than any other brand, including benzimidazole-resistant small stronglyes. It controls 47 species and stages of equine parasites in all.7
Plus, ZIMECTERIN Gold was the first dewormer approved by the FDA to effectively control tapeworms* with a single dose.8 Tapeworms have been recognized as a significant threat to the health of horses.9
Important Safety Information
Warning: Not for use in humans. Keep this and all drugs out of reach of children. In horses, there have been rare reports of swelling and irritation of the mouth, lips, and tongue following administration of ZIMECTERIN Gold. These reactions have been transitory in nature. Do not use in other animal species as severe adverse reactions, including fatalities in dogs, may result.
About Merial
Merial is a world-leading, innovation-driven animal health company, providing comprehensive range of products to enhance the health, well-being and performance of a wide range of animals. Merial employs approximately 5,600 people and operates in more than 150 countries worldwide. Its 2010 sales were more than $2.6 billion. Merial is a Sanofi company.
For more information, please see www.merial.com.
*Anoplocephala perfoliata
1 Kaplan RM. These ain’t your father’s parasites: Dewormer Resistance and New Strategies for Parasite Control in Horses. Proceedings 2009.Florida Equine Institute. Gainesville, Fla.
2 Kaplan RM, Nielsen MK. An evidence-based approach to equine parasite control: It ain’t the 60s anymore. Equine Vet Education. 2010;22(6):306-316.
3 Brazik EL, et al. Pyrantel pamoate resistance in horses receiving daily administration of pyrantel tartrate. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2006;228:101-103.
4 Herd RP. Control strategies for ruminant and equine parasites to counter resistance, encystment and ecotoxicity in the USA. Vet Parasitol. 1993;48(1-4):327-336.
5 Swiderski C, French D. Paradigms for Parasite Control in Adult Horse Populations: A Review. AAEP Proceedings. 2008:54.
6 Kaplan RM. These ain’t your father’s parasites: An evidence-based medical approach to equine parasite control. The Practitioner. 2008.
7 Based on data provided in the FDA Freedom of Information summaries.
8 Based on data provided on the ZIMECTERIN Gold label.
9 Proudman CJ, Trees AJ. Tapeworms as a cause of intestinal disease in horses. Parasitol Today. 1999;15(4):156-159.
®ZIMECTERIN is a registered trademark of Merial Limited. ©2010 Merial Limited, Duluth, GA. All rights reserved. EQUIZIM1125 (06/11)
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