World association for the advancement of veterinary parasitology (WAAVP): Third edition of guideline for evaluating the efficacy of equine anthelmintics

Abstract

This guideline have been developed to assist in the design, execution, and interpretation of studies to assess the efficacy of anthelmintic drugs against internal parasites of equines, including nematodes, cestodes, and larval instars of Gasterophilus spp. The design and execution of critical and controlled studies are outlined, and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. Unique considerations for specific target parasites are included. Information is also provided on selection of animals, procedures for randomization, housing, feeding, dosage titration, dosage confirmation and field studies, record keeping and necropsy procedures. Finally, this document includes guidance for group size determination and statistical analysis of study results. This guideline should assist investigators in the evaluation of anthelmintic drugs in horses by using comparable and standardized procedures in studies with appropriate numbers of animals.