INTRODUCTION

A wide variety of safe, effective parasiticides can eliminate infections and infestations or prevent development or exacerbation of parasitic disease. Despite the availability of these powerful treatments, parasite control continues to be an unmet need for many domestic animals due to lack of use or incomplete knowledge on efficacy. Choosing the parasiticide treatment most appropriate for a particular clinical situation requires careful assessment of risk factors as well as veterinary expertise regarding individual patient, herd, or flock characteristics and needs. Rarely is one treatment or a single protocol the best option for all patients, even when general concerns about the type of parasitic disease of greatest risk are similar. In this chapter we summarize information about anthelmintics, ectoparasiticides, and antiprotozoals currently available to veterinarians. Only products approved by FDA, EPA, or similar regulatory agencies and that have been confirmed to be safe and efficacious will be discussed here; availability of some approved products or formulations may be limited. Products covered in this chapter are largely restricted to those available in the United States and Canada. Veterinarians should be familiar with and consult current regulatory‐approved label information prior to prescribing or recommending any specific product.

ANTHELMINTICS