Poor efficacy of the most commonly used anthelmintics in sport horse nematodes in Morocco in relation to resistance

Abstract

Sport and leisure horses in Morocco are treated with several anthelmintics, organophosphates (dichlorvos), benzimidazoles (mostly thiabendazole) or tetrahydropyrimidines (mostly pyrantel pamoate) against nematodes. We studied three horse stables in Rabat, one in Meknes and one in Bouznika. Two of the Rabat and Bouznika stables had introduced a large number of horses from countries (Argentina or Europe) where resistance to benzimidazoles is frequent, whereas the Meknes stud farm remained without foreign introduction. The number of treatments was not very frequent (twice a year in adult horses) but the same anthelmintics were used repeatedly. No resistance to dichlorvos was detected whereas benzimidazole and pyrantel pamoate resistances were detected for the first time in African horses, outside South Africa.

Keywords

• anthelmintic
• horse
• nematode
• Morocco
• resistance