Answers to commonly asked questions.

• What is the ZIMECTERIN^® (ivermectin) Product Satisfaction Guarantee?
• How often should I deworm my horse?
• How do I administer ZIMECTERIN Gold (ivermectin/praziquantel)?
• Why do dewormers have different amounts of the same ingredients?
• What are the signs of parasite infections?
• Are some parasites a bigger problem at certain times of the year?
• Why should I care about tapeworms in my horse?
• How do horses get tapeworms?
• Can any horse get tapeworms?
• Where do I buy EQVALAN?
• What are dung beetles and should I be concerned about them?
• Can I give my dog ZIMECTERIN Brand Products?

 

topWhat is the ZIMECTERIN® Product Satisfaction Guarantee? Merial backs every ZIMECTERIN Gold (ivermectin/praziquantel), ZIMECTERIN (ivermectin), EQVALAN® (ivermectin) Paste and EQVALAN Liquid product with a 100% Product Satisfaction Guarantee. Not only do we stand behind our product’s effectiveness, but we will work with you and your veterinarian to address any concerns.

topHow often should I deworm my horse?

There have been changes recently in what experts recommend. Talk to your veterinarian about how often he or she recommends your horse be dewormed.

topHow do I administer ZIMECTERIN Gold?

Click here for photos and directions for administering ZIMECTERIN Brand Products. Click here for a printable health record on which you can track your horse’s deworming, vaccinations and other practices.

topWhy do dewormers have different amounts of the same ingredients?

Differences in ingredient amounts do not necessarily mean differences in how well products work. For instance, even at a lower dose of praziquantel, ZIMECTERIN Gold is just as effective — more than 99 percent effective — against natural tapeworm (Anoplocephala perfoliata) infections.¹

Why use more praziquantel than necessary?
	ZIMECTERIN Gold	EQUIMAX®	QUEST® PLUS
Amount of praziquantel in syringe	568 mg	898 mg	1450 mg
Percentage of praziquantel in syringe	7.75%	14.03%	12.5%
Percentages vary due to syringes treating different body weights.
Dosage rate of praziquantel	1.0 mg/kg	1.5 mg/kg	2.5 mg/kg
Weight of horse treated with one syringe	1250 lbs (568 kg)	1320 lbs (600 kg)	1250 lbs (568 kg)
Efficacy vs. tapeworms*	>99%	>99%	>99%
All three products provide the same efficacy against tapeworms, even at very different dosage rates.

Tapeworms are one part of the story. Let’s look at the other active ingredients, too.

Compare macrolide ingredients.
	ZIMECTERIN Gold	EQUIMAX®	QUEST® PLUS
Amount of macrolide in syringe	114 mg (ivermectin)	120 mg (ivermectin)	232 mg (moxidectin)
Percentage of macrolide in syringe	1.55%	1.87%	2.0%
Percentages vary due to syringes treating different body weights.
Dosage rate of macrolide	200 mcg/kg	200 mcg/kg	400 mcg/kg
Weight of horse treated with one syringe	1250 lbs (568 kg)	1320 lbs (600 kg)	1250 lbs (568 kg)
Broadest spectrum per label4	YES	NO	NO

 
At the dosage rates for these active ingredients, one product provides the most comprehensive parasite protection available — ZIMECTERIN Gold. Nothing else controls 47 species and stages of equine parasites,² including tapeworms.

The bottom line: ZIMECTERIN Gold is approved to control more species and stages of parasites than any other brand.⁴ Check the labels and see for yourself.

topWhat are the signs of parasite infections?

Bot eggs on horse leg

Signs of bots include tiny yellow eggs on horse’s forelegs, chin, neck and around the mouth, as well as agitation, lack of appetite, unthriftiness and slow growth.^3,4

Signs of ascarids (roundworms) include poor growth, poor hair coat, respiratory infections and weight loss.^3,5

Signs of small strongyles include mild (often chronic) colic, weight loss, diarrhea, loss of appetite and poor coat condition.⁶

Some parasites, such as tapeworms, have little to no visible signs even when a horse is infected. Without clear signs, a tapeworm infection may not be diagnosed until post-mortem — that’s why preventive care is important.

topAre some parasites a bigger problem at certain times of the year?

All parasites, even bots, cause problems year-round because larval activity continues in every season.

Botfly (Photo courtesy of NatureGraphics.eu)

 

topWhy should I care about tapeworms in my horse?

There are several reasons tapeworms are worrisome:

• Tapeworms

  Tapeworms contribute to colic by causing inflammation, ulceration and spasms in the digestive system.⁷
• A study reported that 80% of ileal impaction colic cases examined were associated with tapeworms.⁷
• Virtually all grazing horses are at risk of infection, due to the nearly universal existence of oribatid mites, the intermediate host that passes tapeworms to horses.⁸
• No reliable fecal diagnostic test is currently available to identify tapeworm-infected horses.^7,9

topHow do horses get tapeworms?

Click to view full size

 

topCan any horse get tapeworms?

Virtually all grazing horses are at risk of tapeworm infection via oribatid mites in the grass. A survey demonstrated that more than half of all horses (54.2% nationwide) will be infected with tapeworms at some time in their lives.¹⁰

topWhere do I buy EQVALAN?

EQVALAN Brand Products are available from your equine veterinarian.

topWhat are dung beetles and should I be concerned about them?

Dung beetles are beneficial winged insects that feed and breed in the dung of horses and other herbivores. They help to break down manure. There is no evidence that any macrocyclic lactone — including ivermectin — causes any long-term adverse effect to the natural degradation of dung pats or on the accumulation of dung pastures when product is used according to label directions.¹¹

topCan I give my dog ZIMECTERIN Brand Products?

No. A severe adverse reaction, possibly death, may result from giving dogs any dewormers that are intended for other species. Contact your veterinarian about the right deworming product for your dog.

 

 ¹Based on label claims and FDA Freedom of Information summaries.

 ²Kaplan RM, et al. Prevalence of anthelmintic resistant cyathostomes on horse farms. JAVMA 2004;225(6);903-910.

 ³Merck Veterinary Manual. 9th ed. 2005:265-266.

 ⁴Hardin DK. Controlling internal parasites of horses. MU Guide 1997:1-4.

 ⁵Clayton HM. Ascarids: recent advances. In: The Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice. Philadelphia, Pa; 1986:2(2):313-328.

 ⁶American Veterinary Medical Association. What you should know about internal parasites in horses, 2003.

 ⁷Proudmen CJ, Trees AJ. Tapeworms as a cause of intestinal disease in horses. Parasitology Today 1999;15(4):156-159.

⁸Lyons ET, et al. Efficacy of praziquantel (0.25 mg/kg-1) on the cecal tapeworm (A. perfoliata) in horses. Veterinary Parasitology 1998;78:287-289.

⁹Bello TR, Abell JE. Are equine tapeworms an emerging disease? A retrospective study. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 1999:19(11).

¹⁰Reinemeyer C, et al. A prevalence survey of antibodies to Anoplocephala perfoliata in horses from the United States. Proc WAAVP 2003:168.

¹¹Merck Veterinary Manual. Ninth edition. 2005:2122.