Calls made for rethink of ‘irresponsible’ worming policies

Major veterinary sector organisations have been urged to review their position on worming treatments amid fears that current practices are “totally irresponsible”.

Two leading vets and researchers clashed on the issue during a packed, and at times heated, discussion that took place at the BSAVA Congress in Manchester.

The BVA has defended use of the products, though it also urged vets to take individual circumstances into account when making prescribing decisions.

Reconsider

But Oxfordshire-based vet Martin Whitehead told delegates the entire sector should now be reconsidering the issue.

He said: “I think the companion animal profession as a whole, including BVA, BSAVA, really need to seriously think about what the profession is doing. To me, it’s just totally irresponsible.”

Although concerns over the potential environmental impact of some parasiticide treatments have increased in recent months, the primary focus of the 22 March discussion was on the outcomes for animals receiving them and wider potential health implications.

Dr Whitehead, who is also international director of the Evidence-Based Veterinary Medicine Association, stressed the view that vets should continue to worm puppies, kittens and pregnant females, and suggested that screening should take place in settings where there are large numbers of dogs, such as rescue facilities.

But he argued there was “clear” research evidence from eight different studies that indicated regular treatment was not effective.

‘Not a good look’

Dr Whitehead also urged delegates to remove regular worming treatments from their practices’ health plans, and suggested it was “not a good look” for the profession to be charging clients for a potentially ineffective service amid a cost of living crisis and the ongoing Competition and Markets Authority review process.

European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP) director Ian Wright said his and Dr Whitehead’s presentations had collectively identified “huge data gaps” on the subject.

But he argued that vets had a “duty of care” to reduce the known zoonotic risks associated with worm types, such as lungworm and heartworm, that are recognised as being more dangerous.

Zoonosis

The latter is already common in the US, where 1.2 million dogs were estimated to have tested positive for it in 2016, and Dr Wright said he was concerned it could reach the UK in future, too.

He added: “We need to help owners to make informed decisions.”

Although he disclosed that one of ESCCAP’s present guidelines is under review, he said its advocacy for worming treatments to be administered four times a year, with the exception of indoor cats, was based on available evidence in the absence of a known best frequency.

He also claimed Dr Whitehead had a “fantastically optimistic” view of owners’ collection of dog faeces and its potential role in reducing risk, while there was an audible reaction among the audience when Dr Whitehead claimed Dr Wright had not read his presentation properly.

Welfare issues

In a statement released after the congress, BVA president Anna Judson, who attended the session, said: “If left unaddressed, parasites such as worms can lead to serious health and welfare issues in both animals and people.

“Parasiticides play an important role in preventing and treating parasites – but it is important they are used responsibly to minimise their impact on the environment.

“We strongly encourage vets to consider the individual circumstance and risks of exposure of both the animal and their owners when prescribing or recommending parasiticides, and urge them to ensure owners know how to use and dispose of these medicines responsibly and safely.”

Dr Judson also highlighted the association’s joint policy position with BSAVA and the British Veterinary Zoological Society, published in 2021, which urged clinicians to avoid “blanket treatment”. The BSAVA had not commented on the issue at the time of going to press.