BVA Warn of Overuse of Anthelmintics
The British Veterinary Association (BVA – The representative body of the veterinary profession in Britain) is encouraging vets toward the responsible use of anthelmintics in grazing animals, following ongoing concern about targeted parasites developing a resistance. Anthelmintics are used throughout the world for the treatment of worms and other endoparasites in horses, as well as other grazing animals, but resistance is an increasing problem and has become a serious threat to the health and welfare of the animals.
Peter Jones, Chair of the BVA’s Medicines Group, said: “Every use of anthelmintics increases the risk of resistance developing. Veterinary surgeons have a duty to ensure anthelmintic use is judicious and limited to circumstances when treatment can be effective, targeted and based on sound veterinary diagnosis. The BVA advises all vets to work with their farming clients to develop a farm health plan that encompasses an effective worming strategy and a full grazing management programme to reduce the need for treatment. Vets must also promote good worming practice to ensure dosage is based on accurate weight measurements. Underdosing is a major factor in the development of resistance.”
In response to growing concerns the BVA’s Medicines Group has produced a poster for vetinary surgeries, accompanied by additional online guidance, clearly outlining the Do’s and Don’ts in the use of anthelmintics. The poster carries advice on encouraging farm health planning and worming strategies, the importance of not underdosing, quarantining incoming animals, and investigating and reporting suspected cases of resistance to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). It clearly tells vets not to treat unnecessarily and not to blanket treat. The launch of the poster follows the success and appreciation of the BVA’s 8-point plan for the responsible use of antimicrobials poster, launched in November, which was welcomed by many interested parties in the UK and by the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE). It is currently being considered for use in other European countries.
See the BVA Website’s Newsroom for more.
