[Inquiry of veterinarians in Niedersachsen concerning the occurrence of parasitic diseases and their control in large animals].

The research article outlines a survey conducted among veterinarians in Lower Saxony, focusing on prevalent parasitic infections in large animals, and the control measures and drugs used. The most common parasites were found to be gastrointestinal strongyles, particularly in cattle, sheep, and horses, while ascarids were mostly diagnosed in pigs. Various anthelmintic drugs were notably in use, with benzimidazoles being the most prominent.

Survey design and participation

• The research involved a questionnaire sent to around 3500 veterinarians in Lower Saxony, yet only 48 participated. This limited sample size prevented representative conclusions, but some notable trends were observed.

Occurrence of parasitic diseases

• The survey found that gastrointestinal strongyles were the most prevalent parasites in cattle (34.8%), sheep (28.0%), and horses (42.3%).
• In pigs, the most often diagnosed parasites were ascarids (41.9%), followed by strongyles (27.9%).
• 40.0% of the veterinarians identified horse strongyles as parasites that caused problems.

Control measures and antiparasitic drugs in use

• Most participants reported using prophylactic measures either alone or in addition to therapy, particularly for lungworms or gastrointestinal strongyles.
• Anthelmintics were broadly used for therapy, specifically for cestodes in horses (65.0%) and liver flukes in cattle (41.7%), sheep (33.3%), and horses (57.1%).
• Benzimidazoles were the most commonly used anthelmintics in sheep (78.3%), horses (42.1%), and pigs (42.0%). For cattle, ivermectin (27.7%) and benzimidazoles (26.5%) were commonly used.

Diagnostic measures

• Diagnosis of parasites primarily relied on a coproscopical examination (93.7%).
• 51.1% of these diagnoses were conducted by the veterinarians themselves.
• Traditional diagnostic tools were generally considered adequate by the practitioners.

Interest in parasitological support

• About half of the surveyed practitioners expressed interest in support for veterinary herd management from parasitological institutes.