Materials and Methods
All routine FECs performed at Bell Equine Veterinary Clinic in southeast
England during a 3-month period (August to November 2017) were assessed
and owners of horses with FEC greater or equal to 400 strongyle eggs per
gram (EPG) were invited to participate in the study. The FECs were
processed using a modified McMaster technique with a sensitivity 12.5
EPG. Following enrolment of a horse into the study, a repeat FEC was
performed within two weeks of the first, and the mean of the two values
for that horse was recorded. The horses’ weight were measured using
either a weigh tape only (n=10), a weighbridge only (n=6), or both a
weigh tape and a weighbridhe (n=32), and oral moxidectin was
administered by the owners at a dose rate of 400 mcg/kg per osimmediately (within 24 hours) following sampling for the second FEC.
Faecal egg counts were subsequently performed every 2 weeks for 16
weeks. No further doses of anthelmintics were administered during this
period.