When it comes to their equine companions, most horse owners are
committed to providing them with the best of care. It’s not uncommon to
hear them lovingly lament:
“He gets new shoes more often than I do.”
“My horse’s trailer is nicer than my house.”
“I feed my horse before I eat my own meals.”
Because of the emotional attachment most equestrians have with
their horses, as well as the economic investment they have made in them,
they are constantly looking for information – whether it’s about
training techniques, new equipment, feeding strategies or advances in
health care. Merial, a leading animal health company, is helping horse
owners not only by providing high-quality, proven health care products,
but also by educating them about important equine health care issues.
“It’s really important for horse owners to understand the health
threats their horses face and how to use preventive measures and
information to manage them,” says Beckie Peskin, Product Manager, Equine
Vaccines and Dewormers. “To help support them, we’ve created several
educational initiatives, making information easily accessible and
understandable. By doing this, we can help horse owners better
understand the risk of disease, the importance of prevention and the
value of working with their veterinarians to help protect the health of
their horses.”
Equine Disease Awareness and Prevention
Diseases such as rabies, West Nile virus (WNV), Eastern/Western
Equine Encephalomyelitis (EEE/WEE), Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) equine
influenza and Potomac Horse fever (PHF) remain potentially deadly
threats to horses. While vaccination is an essential key to prevention,
being aware of existing threats is also important. Launched one year
ago, the free “Outbreak Alert” program is designed to educate
horse owners and veterinarians about equine diseases and keep them
informed of potential disease threats around the country.
Since June 2011, thousands of people have signed up for the
program, which tracks confirmed cases of rabies, WNV, EEE, WEE, EHV-1,
equine influenza and PHF around the country. Those who have signed up
for the notification system and live in the region where a disease
occurs receive a text and/or e-mail message alerting them of the
potential threat. Owners who travel with their horses can enter multiple
ZIP codes in the site’s search field, allowing them to stay informed
about diseases that might have been reported in other areas.
Besides the alert service, the website outbreak-alert.com features
a U.S. map with markers indicating where disease threats have been
identified and educational information about equine diseases and the
importance of vaccinating.
To learn more or register for the program, visit outbreak-alert.com.
Advances in Parasite Management
With calendar-based rotational deworming strategies that were
developed more than 40 years ago still the norm for horse owners,1 Merial recognized a need to provide updated information about protocols.
The website ReThinkDeworming.com is a one-stop resource for horse
owners, encouraging them to partner with their veterinarians to
implement new, more effective parasite management plans. The site
includes educational videos, articles and a quiz to test parasite
knowledge.
To find out more about the latest in deworming strategies, visit ReThinkDeworming.com.
Equine Stomach Ulcer Awareness, Treatment and Prevention
The results of studies have shown that equine stomach ulcers are
prevalent across all breeds, disciplines and even ages – two out of
three non-racing competitive horses and more than half of foals suffer
from stomach ulcers.2,3
To help horse owners better understand the prevalence, potential
severity, treatment and prevention of stomach ulcers, Merial developed
the ULCERGARD® (omeprazole) Trial Program. Since its
inception in 2008, Merial representatives have attended more than 150
horse shows, equine events and competitions throughout the country –
speaking directly to more than 10,000 horse owners, educating them about
equine stomach ulcers.
In addition to valuable information, horse owners are also able to
try ULCERGARD, the only U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
approved and proven product to prevent ulcers.4
Visit ulcergard.com for more information about equine stomach
ulcers and find out which 2012 events will include Merial’s ULCERGARD
Trial Program.
Unapproved Products Initiative
To help horse owners make educated decisions about the products
they are purchasing for their horses, Merial is currently launching an
unapproved products initiative. Through educational press releases,
advertising and ultimately, a website, horse owners will be able learn
about the dangers of illegally manufactured and counterfeit drugs.
“By educating themselves about how products are manufactured,
labeled and regulated, horse owners can be assured they are making good
decisions about what to give their horses,” says April Knudson, DVM,
equine specialist, Merial’s Large Animal Veterinary Services. “They
should be wary of products that are not FDA approved, as well as those
making lofty claims. It’s vitally important horse owners do their
homework and seek out products that have received U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) approval, which ensures those products are legal
and have been tested for both safety and efficacy.”5
“We hope horse owners will take advantage of the information
available to them through these programs,” says Peskin. “Ultimately, we
at Merial have the same goal as all horse owners: to keep horses feeling
and performing their best.”
About Merial
Merial is a world-leading, innovation-driven animal health
company, providing a comprehensive range of products to enhance the
health, well-being and performance of a wide range of animals. Merial
employs approximately 5,600 people and operates in more than 150
countries worldwide. Its 2011 sales were more than $2.8 billion. Merial
is a Sanofi company.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION:ULCERGARD can be
used in horses that weigh at least 600 pounds. The effectiveness of
ULCERGARD in the prevention of gastric ulcers in foals and weanlings has
not been evaluated. ULCERGARD may be used safely in breeding stallions.
Safety in pregnant mares has not been determined.
®ULCERGARD is a registered trademark of Merial Limited. ©2012
Merial Limited, Duluth, GA. All rights reserved. EQUILGN1213 (04/12)
1Kaplan RM. These ain’t your father’s parasites: Dewormer Resistance and New Strategies for Parasite Control in Horses. Proceedings of the Florida Equine Institute and Allied Trade Show 2009:1-8.
2Mitchell RD. Prevalence of gastric ulcers in
hunter/jumper and dressage horses evaluated for poor performance.
Association for Equine Sports Medicine, September 2001.
3Murray MJ. Endoscopic appearance of gastric lesions in foals: 94 cases (1987-1988). JAVMA. 1989;195(8):1135-1141.
4ULCERGARD® (omeprazole) product label.
5Animal Health Institute, American Veterinary Medical
Association, American Veterinary Distributors Association. Veterinary
Compounding. Available at: http://www.aaep.org/siteadmin/modules/page_editor/images/files/AHI%20Compounding.pdf. Accessed April 4, 2012.
