Ivermectin Could be Ineffective Against Some Pinworms

Ivermectin was ineffective in treating pinworms in a herd of Welsh ponies. Fenbendazole, however, eliminated the worms.
Share
Favorite
Close

No account yet? Register

ADVERTISEMENT

Ivermectin Could be Ineffective Against Some Pinworms
Targeted deworming practices should continue to be the treatment of choice in managing equine intestinal parasites.| iStock
As reports of intestinal parasite resistance to drugs increases, owners and veterinarians are heading toward more targeted approaches for managing worms. But French researchers suggest that targeted treatment with ivermectin might be overlooking a nuisance worm: the pinworm.

Ivermectin is a currently used treatment against cyathostomins (small strongyles) and other life-threatening parasites. But it was ineffective in treating a herd of Welsh ponies against Oxyuris equi (pinworms) at a French research center over the course of three years.

Fenbendazole, however, eliminated the worms, which can cause anal itching and tail-rubbing, said Guillaume Sallé, DVM, PhD, of the French National Agricultural Institute (INRA), in Nouzilly, France.

“The targeted treatment strategy that’s generally recommended (with ivermectin) aims to control strongyles, against which the drug fenbendazole is no longer effective,” said Sallé. “However, fenbendazole is still every effective against ascarids (roundworms) and Oxyures (pinworms). It’s possible that by reducing the treatment load, we’re favoring a greater prevalence of Oxyures

Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.

TheHorse.com is home to thousands of free articles about horse health care. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.com.

Start your free account today!

Already have an account?
and continue reading.

Share

Written by:

Passionate about horses and science from the time she was riding her first Shetland Pony in Texas, Christa Lesté-Lasserre writes about scientific research that contributes to a better understanding of all equids. After undergrad studies in science, journalism, and literature, she received a master’s degree in creative writing. Now based in France, she aims to present the most fascinating aspect of equine science: the story it creates. Follow Lesté-Lasserre on Twitter @christalestelas.

Related Articles

Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with

FREE weekly newsletters from TheHorse.com

Sponsored Content

Weekly Poll

sponsored by:

Where do you primarily feed your horse?
320 votes · 320 answers

Readers’ Most Popular

Sign In

Don’t have an account? Register for a FREE account here.

Need to update your account?

You need to be logged in to fill out this form

Create a free account with TheHorse.com!