Zoetis has launched a new educational campaign titled “Buy Less Dewormer” aimed at raising awareness about the growing concern of anthelmintic resistance in horses and promoting more thoughtful, less frequent deworming practices among horse owners.
The campaign follows the American Association of Equine Practitioners’ (AAEP) updated Internal Parasite Control Guidelines released in June 2024, which emphasize a strategic shift away from traditional deworming schedules that may contribute to resistance.
“The industry has seen increasing resistance levels to several parasite treatments, which can be caused, in part, by deworming too often and with active ingredients that do not target the right parasites at the right time,” explained Nathan Voris, DVM, MBA, director of Equine Technical Services at Zoetis US, in a company release.
According to the updated AAEP guidelines, the goal of parasite control isn’t to eradicate all parasites—which is impossible—but rather to maintain horse health and reduce clinical illness risk. The guidelines specifically caution against fixed-interval, year-round deworming protocols and blind rotation of anthelmintic classes, practices that have been common among horse owners for decades.
The revised recommendations suggest that most adult horses should be dewormed a maximum of twice yearly, with additional targeted treatments only for identified high-shedding horses. Veterinarians are encouraged to implement regular fecal egg count reduction tests to monitor anthelmintic efficacy and identify horses requiring specialized protocols.
Zoetis’s campaign will feature educational activities including trivia, dewormer giveaways with coupons, and advertisements at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event. The initiative also highlights the importance of selecting the appropriate active ingredients for specific parasite control needs, similar to how external parasite prevention for dogs requires targeted approaches.
As part of the campaign, Zoetis is promoting its Quest line of dewormers, which contain moxidectin as the active ingredient. According to the company, these products can effectively treat multiple parasite types including adult small strongyles, encysted small strongyle larvae, and various other equine parasites.
For veterinary professionals, this campaign represents an important opportunity to revisit parasite control protocols with clients and implement more evidence-based approaches that preserve the efficacy of existing anthelmintic medications while maintaining equine health.
References
1. Zoetis Equine launches “Buy Less Dewormer” Campaign. News release. Zoetis Inc. April 23, 2025.
2. Bautista-Alejandre A. Internal parasite control guidelines for horses are updated. dvm360. August 9, 2024.
3. Internal Parasite Control Guidelines. American Association of Equine Practitioners.
Source: https://www.dvm360.com/view/-buy-less-dewormer-campaign-is-launched-to-raise-awareness-for-less-frequent-deworming