protectMEtoo

• Develop practice guidance based on current best evidence. 
• BEVA Primary Care Clinical Guidelines: Equine Parasite Control 

• Use risk assessment to develop tailored parasite control programmes for equestrian properties which reduce indiscriminate use of dewormers.

Reduce the need for treatment in each population by encouraging: 

• Improved pasture hygiene
• Co-grazing with ruminants
• Reduced stocking density
• Resting pastures
• Rotation of grazing
• Avoiding harrowing

• Carry out faecal egg counts (FECs) to help identify those individuals which are shedding high numbers of eggs, and treat accordingly, as these are the main source of parasites. 
• Where risk is low and management systems allow, consider using >500 epg as the threshold for treatment.

• Consider and educate on the toxic effects of anthelmintics, particularly invermectin.
• Environmental impacts of equine parasiticide treatment: the UK perspective.
• Remove faeces from pasture for 1 week after ivermectin or moxidectin treatment and take measures to avoid contamination or run-off into water courses.

• Perform faecal egg count reduction tests (FECRT) an d re-appearance tests annually to understand the resistance pattern on each property. 
• Use a FEC method that has a low multiplication factor: 
  • BEVA Primary Care Clinical Guidelines
  • World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (WAAVP): Third edition of guideline for evaluating the efficacy of equine anthelmintics

• High tapeworm antibody titres indicate exposure, and possible infection.
• Testing before treatment will help identify those who do not require retreatment.

• Testing one is better than none; but testing the group together is best of all. 

• To protect the viability of equine businesses.
• To delay the onset of resistance and extend the lifespan of currently available anthelmintics.
• To prevent unnecessary illness and death from endoparasitism.
• To reduce the negative impacts of ecotoxic drugs on the local environment.

• Anthelmintics should be afforded the same respect as antimicrobials.
• We have fewer options to turn to and we have resistance to all of them.