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First cross-sector guidelines for worm control launched
The guidelines draw on the expertise of international authorities on equine health and parasitology.

Blanket treatments for drug-resistant equine worms are no longer recommended.

The first set of cross-sector guidelines for prescribers on equine worm control has been launched to tackle the rise in wormer resistance.

Developed by CANTER (Controlling ANTiparasitic Resistance in Equines Responsibly), the guidelines outline key principles to support vets, pharmacists, and SQPs in their prescribing decisions. They also recommend sustainable strategies for parasite control to equine clients.

CANTER chair Alison Pyatt, who launched the guidelines at the Equine Infectious Disease meeting (3 October), said: "Publishing the first edition of these industry-agreed guidelines is a seminal moment in the life of CANTER and our work to address the very real threat posed by anthelmintic resistance.

"Our intention is for them to be a free, easily accessible, live resource that underpins our first aim, to support prescribers with practical, evidence-based principles to slow wormer resistance."

The guidelines draw on the expertise of international authorities on equine health and parasitology to promote a consistent approach across prescriber groups. They state that repeated blanket treatments for drug-resistant worms are no longer recommended, and that prescribers should now consider alternative approaches, including:

  • applying pasture and horse management strategies to reduce parasite infection in the environment and break worm transmission cycles
  • using monitoring tools such as worm egg counts to inform the need to treat individuals shedding higher levels of eggs and to monitor for resistance
  • applying a risk-based approach to estimate parasite transmission potential in individual horses.

"Antiparasitic resistance is a critical and growing threat to equine health and welfare, so the publication of the CANTER guidelines as key principles for equine parasite control is a huge step forward in tackling this crisis," commented World Horse Welfare’s chief executive, Roly Owers.

"We have no doubt that the much-anticipated publication of the guidelines will be essential in promoting clarity and consistency in the approach to sustainable equine parasite control."

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New guidelines published for wildlife disease surveillance

News Story 1
 A set of international guidelines for disease surveillance in wildlife has been updated for the first time since 2015.

Released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the World Organisation for Animal Health, General Guidelines for Surveillance of Diseases, Pathogens and Toxic Agents in Free-ranging Wildlife is designed to help wildlife authorities and others working with wildlife carry out effective surveillance programmes.

The document, which cover areas including choosing appropriate strategies, safety and biosafety protocols, and ethical and legal considerations, can be read here.  

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News Shorts
Farmer survey to reveal on-farm impact of bluetongue

A nationwide survey has been launched to better understand how the bluetongue virus is affecting UK farms.

Results will inform the support that farmers receive for bluetongue, as well as preparing the livestock industry for the future.

The short online survey is open to all livestock farmers, regardless of whether they've had a confirmed case of bluetongue on their farm. It asks how many animals have been affected, the severity of their clinical signs and how it has impacted farm business.

The survey takes five minutes to complete and is fully anonymous.

It is led by Fiona Lovatt, of Flock Health Limited, and the Ruminant Health & Welfare bluetongue working group, in collaboration with AHDB and the University of Nottingham.

Dr Lovatt says: "We need to find out what level of clinical signs farmers are seeing in their animals, whether they are experiencing mortality with BTV-3 cases, and what their appetite is to vaccinate in future for bluetongue serotype 3."

The survey can be found here.