Assessment of worm control practices recommended by equine veterinarians in Australia.
Abstract: This study aimed to assess Australian veterinarians' knowledge, perceptions and treatment strategies for worm control in horses with an online questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised 64 questions covering various aspects of: (i) veterinary practice; (ii) the veterinarian's knowledge of gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) and the importance of parasites in different age groups of horses; (iii) the diagnosis and control of worms; (iv) anthelmintics and anthelmintic resistance (AR); (v) grazing management; and (vi) the means of communication and the discussion between veterinarians and their clients regarding worm control. Following a pilot survey, a link for the questionnaire survey was sent to all ( = 1,148) registered members of Equine Veterinarians Australia in April 2020. The response rate for the questionnaire was 10% (118 of 1,148). The findings of this study illustrate veterinarians' good understanding of aspects of equine parasites, including control. However, respondents mainly recommended frequent, interval-based prophylactic deworming in young horses, and only 40% (96 of 239) diagnosed GIN infections based on faecal egg count (FEC) results in all age groups of horses. Furthermore, only 27% (88 of 330) of the respondents made deworming decisions based on FECs. Most of the respondents recommended macrocyclic lactones (MLs) for all age groups of horses (71%, 481 of 677), and the most frequently used method to calculate the dose of anthelmintics was by estimating the weight of animals visually (53%, 63 of 118). Although the majority of respondents (97%, 115 of 118) perceived AR to be a critical issue in managing worms in horses, 58% (67 of 118) of them were unaware of the status of AR on their clients' properties. Forty-two percent (50 of 118) of the respondents perceived the presence of AR in worms, including pinworms (16%), strongylins (15%), species of and (6%), (2%) and tapeworms (1%). Twenty-seven percent (32 of 118) of the respondents rarely discussed equine worm control practices with their clients. This study provides insights into the perception and worm control practices recommended by Australian veterinarians to manage equine parasites. The findings highlight the importance of continued education and awareness of AR, and the use of non-chemical methods as well as consideration of the legislation of prescription-only use of anthelmintics based on FECs to achieve sustainable control of GINs in Australian horses.
Copyright © 2023 Abbas, Stevenson, Bauquier, Beasley, Jacobson, El-Hage, Wilkes, Carrigan, Cudmore, Hurley, Beveridge, Nielsen, Hughes and Jabbar.
Publication Date: 2023-11-03 PubMed ID: 38026649PubMed Central: PMC10654783DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1305360Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research evaluated the understanding and treatment recommendations of Australian veterinarians concerning worm control in horses. The study found that while vets have a good grasp of parasite control, they tend to suggest frequent, scheduled preventative deworming, especially in younger horses. Most vets prefer a specific class of drugs, macrocyclic lactones, for all horses but often underestimate the extent of worm drug resistance on their client’s properties.
Research Method
- A comprehensive online questionnaire was designed to gauge veterinary understanding and practices surrounding worm control in horses.
- The questionnaire, consisting of 64 questions, was divided into six sections: veterinary practice, knowledge about gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) and their importance in different horse age groups, diagnosis and control methods, anti-worm drugs and resistance, grazing management, and communication lines between vets and clients on worm control matters.
- The questionnaire link was dispatched to all registered members of Equine Veterinarians Australia, a total of 1,148 individuals, in April 2020.
- The received response rate was 10%, garnering 118 responses out of the potential 1,148.
Selected Results
- Most vets showed good comprehension of equine parasites, including their control. However, there was heavy reliance on frequent, scheduled preventive deworming, especially in young horses.
- About 40% of respondents utilize fecal egg counts (FECs) to diagnose GIN infections in horses of various age groups, while only 27% made deworming decisions based on FECs.
- The most preferred class of anti-worm drugs was macrocyclic lactones, for all horse age groups.
- 53% of vets estimated the drug dosage required by visually determining the horse’s weight.
- While 97% recognized anti-worm drug resistance (AR) as an essential factor in worm management, a significant 58% were unaware of the AR status on their clients’ properties. This lack of awareness was despite 42% acknowledging the presence of AR in different worm species.
- About 27% of respondents hardly discussed worm control practices with their clients.
Suggestions and Conclusions
- The study underscores the need for ongoing education and awareness on AR and the use of non-chemical methods for worm control in horses.
- Details also hint at the possibility of creating regulations requiring prescription-only usage of anti-worm drugs based on FECs, to ensure sustainable GIN control in Australian horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Abbas G, Stevenson MA, Bauquier J, Beasley A, Jacobson C, El-Hage C, Wilkes EJA, Carrigan P, Cudmore L, Hurley J, Beveridge I, Nielsen MK, Hughes KJ, Jabbar A.
(2023).
Assessment of worm control practices recommended by equine veterinarians in Australia.
Front Vet Sci, 10, 1305360.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1305360 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, Australia.
- Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, Australia.
- Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, Australia.
- School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, Australia.
- Centre for Animal Production and Health, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia.
- Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, Australia.
- Racing Victoria, Flemington, VIC, Australia.
- Scone Equine Hospital, Scone, NSW, Australia.
- Scone Equine Hospital, Scone, NSW, Australia.
- Swettenham Stud, Nagambie, VIC, Australia.
- Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, Australia.
- M.H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States.
- School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia.
- Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, Australia.
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors of this manuscript are members of the Australian Equine Parasitology Advisory Panel (AEPAP), including Abdul Jabbar, Ghazanfar Abbas, Jenni Bauquier, Charles El-Hage, Abdul Ghafar and Ian Beveridge (The University of Melbourne), Anne Beasley (University of Queensland), Kristopher Hughes (Charles Sturt University), Caroline Jacobson and Emma McConnell (Murdoch University), Edwina Wilkes (Racing Victoria), Peter Carrigan and Lucy Cudmore (Scone Equine Hospital) and John Hurley (Swettenham Stud). Boehringer Ingelheim supported the panel. The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.
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