Merial Equine Health Column
Merial Offers Free Horse Health Record
Durable resource helps track, schedule key informationDULUTH, Ga. — July 15, 2008 — Regular vaccinations, deworming and farrier visits can help prevent damaging and costly diseases. As your partner in equine health care, Merial, the maker of ZIMECTERIN® Gold (ivermectin/praziquantel) is offering a free horse health record available at select veterinary clinics and retailers nationwide.
This durable resource helps record important contact information, feeding schedules, vaccinations, deworming dates, farrier visits and Coggins Test results. These fundamental, preventive horse health care steps can help ensure good overall horse health. Plus, the record offers administration tips for paste dewormers, like ZIMECTERIN Gold.
“Recording routine health care items is essential — and it can help prevent problems before they even occur,” says Dr. Frank Hurtig, DVM, MBA, Director, Veterinary Services at Merial. “For example, we know that serious problems, such as colic, can occur when parasites are not adequately controlled. A basic horse health record is a simple and effective tool that can help prevent bigger health challenges.”
According to a recent survey of more than 1,000 horse owners, 26% used a purge dewormer less than twice per year. What’s more, tapeworm infections can be difficult to detect.
More than half of horses in a survey had tapeworms, and tapeworms aren’t the only parasite threat. Other internal parasites can infect horses, such as strongyles and bots. Using a broad-spectrum dewormer that includes tapeworm control, like ZIMECTERIN Gold, can help control these potentially damaging parasites.
Small steps like deworming and vaccinating at regular intervals recommended by your veterinarian can help maintain optimal health. This spring, ask your veterinarian or retailer for a free ZIMECTERIN Gold horse health record and make sure that no fundamental horse health care needs are overlooked. Accurate records serve as a reminder of the importance of good health care throughout the year.
Merial is a world-leading, innovation-driven animal health company, providing a comprehensive range of products to enhance the health, well-being and performance of a wide range of animals. Merial employs more than 5,000 people and operates in more than 150 countries worldwide. Its 2007 sales were nearly $2.5 billion. Merial Limited is a joint venture between Merck & Co., Inc. and sanofi-aventis. For more information, please see www.merial.com
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Warning: Not for use in humans. Keep this and all drugs out of reach of children. There have been rare reports of swelling and irritation of the mouth, lips, and tongue following administration of ZIMECTERIN Gold. These reactions have been transitory in nature. Do not use in other animal species as severe adverse reactions, including fatalities in dogs, may result.
®ZIMECTERIN is a registered trademark of Merial.
©Merial Limited. Duluth, GA. All rights reserved. LAGEZIM802(05/08)
1Brakke Consulting, Inc. and Market Directions, Inc. Equine Market MegaStudy Product and Market Insights. February 2007.
2Reinemeyer C, et al. A prevalence survey of antibodies to Anoplocephala perfoliata in horses from the United States. Proc WAAVP 2003:18.
Merial
3239 Satellite Blvd.
Duluth, GA 30096
www.merial.com
By Hoyt Cheramie, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, Manager, Equine Veterinary Professional Services, Merial
Q: How can I know if my horse is already infected with tapeworms?
A: Regular parasite control is essential to keeping a horse healthy, and it’s the only way to ensure tapeworms aren’t the cause of colic or larger health concerns, says Hoyt Cheramie, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, Manager, Equine Veterinary Professional Services, Merial.
It’s difficult to know for certain if a horse is infected with tapeworms. There probably won’t be any clinical signs until the horse is in serious distress. Unlike some other parasites, you will rarely see worm segments in manure, and there is no reliable fecal diagnostic test.1
We know that tapeworms — especially the Anoplocephala perfoliata species — are very common in grazing horses of all ages. Across the country, more than half of all horses will be infected during their lifetime.2 In some areas — like Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi — infection rates could be as high as 82.7%.1
It used to be thought that tapeworms could live in a horse without really affecting its health, but researchers disproved that idea, showing that A. perfoliata can be a major cause of colic. Some research suggests that 80% of ileal impaction colic cases are associated with tapeworms,3 and they also can cause many other kinds problems in the digestive system. For instance, tapeworms attach to in the ileocecal area and cause inflammation, ulceration and bowel obstruction.1 Plus, tapeworm infections can cause a potentially life-threatening condition known as intussusception, which is the telescoping of the intestine into itself.1
With such a serious threat, and no convenient or reliable method of detection, routine preventive measures are absolutely critical. Keeping horses in optimal health means controlling tapeworms.
But choose your dewormer carefully: Many products currently on the market do not have a label claim for tapeworms. ZIMECTERIN® Gold (ivermectin/praziquantel) is one of the few parasite control products that does control tapeworms — among the 47 other different species and stages of parasites it treats.4 It’s more than 99 percent effective in eliminating A. perfoliata in horses.4
To be as effective as possible, parasite control should be a regular, ongoing practice. Tapeworm control is truly one of the most important things you can do to keep your horse in good health. To create a comprehensive deworming plan for your horse, consult your veterinarian.
Dr. Cheramie specializes in colic and performance-limiting problems in horses. He has practiced equine veterinary medicine in Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana, Georgia and Illinois.
Warning: Do not use in horses intended for human consumption. Not for use in humans. Keep this and all drugs out of reach of children. There have been rare reports of swelling and irritation of the mouth, lips, and tongue following administration of ZIMECTERIN Gold. These reactions have been transitory in nature. Do not use in other animal species as severe adverse reactions, including fatalities in dogs, may result.
Reinemeyer C. Update on equine tapeworms presentation notes. Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association Equine Committee September 21-23, 2003.
2Reinemeyer C, et al. A prevalence survey of antibodies to Anoplocephala perfoliata in horses from the United States. Proc WAAVP 2003:18.
3Proudman CJ, Trees AJ. Tapeworms as a cause of intestinal disease in horses. Parasitology Today 1999;15(4):156-158.
4Based on data provided in FDA Freedom of Information summaries.
®ZIMECTERIN is a trademark of Merial. ©2008 Merial Limited. Duluth, GA. All rights reserved. LAGEZIM814 (05/08)