Equine & Livestock

9 Winter/Fall 2020 | Equine Solutions Early disease treatment critical to recovery For those that do succumb to EPM, irreversible damage to the brain or spinal cord is more likely to occur if the parasite has been present for long periods of time. Without treatment, many horses diagnosed with EPM progressively deteriorate to the point of recumbency. Horses treated with an anticoccidial drug, like PROTAZIL ® (1.56% diclazuril) Antiprotozoal Pellets, are 10 times more likely to improve than untreated horses. 1 Diclazuril, the active ingredient in PROTAZIL, is proven to cross the blood-brain barrier and enter the cerebrospinal fluid within hours of administration at levels high enough to either limit the reproduction of protozoa or kill them outright – without a loading dose. 2 PROTAZIL is a top-dressed feed medication, ideal for horses with a reluctance to accept oral medication. Few diseases are more frustrating than EPM. The industry continues to grapple with and study this "master of disguise," including how best to definitively diagnose it in a live horse and whether any preventive strategies might be appropriate (or on the horizon). Of certainty, EPM continues to threaten horses in large numbers and because it has no single defining clinical characteristic, any neurological horse could be a candidate – making your task in managing EPM a difficult one. For more information on EPM, see the accompanying "Quick Facts" infographic. To learn more about PROTAZIL, please contact your Merck Animal Health sales representative , Covetrus representative, or or visit www.merck-animal-health-equine.com. For additional information on EPM For additional information on EPM In February 2016, the American College of Veterinary In February 2016, the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine published an updated consensus Internal Medicine published an updated consensus statement on equine protozoal myeloencephalitis statement on equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), with a focus on parasite biology, diagnosis, (EPM), with a focus on parasite biology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. treatment, and prevention. Important Safety Information Use of Protazil ® (1.56% diclazuril) is contraindicated in horses with known hypersensitivity to diclazuril. Safe use in horses used for breeding purposes, during pregnancy, or in lactating mares has not been evaluated. The safety of Protazil ® (1.56% diclazuril) with concomitant therapies in horses has not been evaluated. For use in horses only. Do not use in horses intended for human consumption. Not for human use. Keep out of reach of children. Copyright © 2020 Intervet Inc., d/b/a Merck Animal Health, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. 1. Reed SM, et al. Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis: An Updated Consensus Statement with a Focus on Parasite Biology, Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention. J Vet Intern Med 2016;30:491–502. 2. Hunyadi L, Papich MG, Pusterla N. Pharmacokinetics of a low-dose and FDA-labeled dose of diclazuril administered orally as a pelleted top dressing in adult horses. J of Vet Pharmacology and Therapeutics (accepted) 2014, doi: 10.111/jvp.12176

• Equine Solutions - Fall/Winter 2020
• Livestock Solutions-Fall/Winter 2020