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Resistance to wormers growing
Cindy
Cindy weighed 60kg more than expected.

Owners urged to check their horse's weight before dosing

There is a growing resistance to wormers because many owners are not giving their horses the appropriate dosage for their weight, according to animal health experts.

A survey carried out last year by the British Riding Club revealed that 44 per cent of horse owners surveyed do not weigh their horse before worming. Not weighing puts horses in danger of under-dosing, which causes worms to develop resistance to the wormers used and can also have a serious impact on how worm burdens can be managed in the future.

The issue of weight was recently highlighted in case studies from a private yard in Suffolk. Cindy, for example, is a 13.hh Connemara mare in 'summer' condition. Her owner was very surprised when the weighbridge clocked her up to 380kg - a full 60kg more than was expected. Usually Cindy's owner splits one wormer, designed for dosing a horse up to 600kg in weight between two similarly sized ponies, when means that she has been significantly under-dosing.

Experts say that resistance to wormers is a growing problem. When a parasite population previously controlled by a drug is no longer susceptible to that drug it is known as resistance. The active ingredient within the horse wormer kills the sensitive parasites in the population, but those parasites not affected go on to create new generations of resistant parasites. 

Eventually, if this process continues, only resistant worms remain the the population. Frequent dosing or under-dosing can cause resistance to occur, reducing the effectiveness of the wormer.

Vet Wendy Talbot said that ideally owners should be weighing their horses at least once a year using the accuracy of a weighbridge.

"Several feed manufacturers offer a portable weighbridge service," said Wendy.  "Weigh tapes, although less accurate, are a great way to keep tabs on weight once you have the accuracy of the weighbridge weight to refer to and have factored in any discrepancies. Remember that many horses will change in weight throughout the year."

Image (C) Zoetis



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Update to TB Advice services

News Story 1
 Vets wishing to access TB Advice services can now use a digital contact form, following updates announced by the APHA.

This new, streamlined service allows customers to provide all necessary information upfront, minimising additional contact between the APHA and the customer. It also ensures questions are directed to the right team, significantly reducing response times.

More contact forms are expected to be announced in the coming months. For more information, visit Gov.uk  

Click here for more...
News Shorts
New form for online veterinary medicines retailers

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has produced a new online form for retailers wishing to sell veterinary medicines on the internet.

The form replace the previous Word version and is part of the VMD's ongoing commitment to digitise its processes. Anyone retailing prescription medicines online, including POM-V, POM-VPS and NFA-VPS categories, is lawfully required to register with the VMD before trading.

The change only applies to new applicants. Retailers already listed on the VMD's Register of Online Retailers or registered under the Accredited Internet Retailer Scheme (AIRS) do not need to do anything.