TOLTRAZURIL / BAYCOX

"EPM" means equine protozoal myelitis or equine protozoal myeloencephalitis or a disease which manifests as symptoms of either equine protozoal myelitis or equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, or closely related apicomplexan-based neurological diseases of horses, pigs, dogs, greyhounds, alpacas, camels & pigeons.

In some areas of North America, Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM) is one of the most important neurologic diseases in Horses, Chickens, Cattle, Rabbits, Sheep, Alpacas, Cows, Camels, Dogs, Greyhounds, & Pigs. The disease may be frustrating to owners and veterinarians to diagnose and treat.

Horses, Chickens, Cattle, Rabbits, Sheep, Alpacas, Cows and Pigs are infected incidentally when they eat feed contaminated with the feces of opossum, which contain infective sporocysts or coccidiosis. Once the sporocysts or coccidiosis have been ingested, they migrate from the intestinal tract into the blood stream, cross the blood/brain barrier and attack the central nervous system. The Horses, Chickens, Cattle, Rabbits, Sheep, Alpacas, Cows and Pigs are considered a dead-end host for S. neurona since it cannot transmit the disease to other animals. EPM will be found most commonly in Horses, Chickens, Cattle, Rabbits, Sheep, Alpacas, Cows and Pigs that reside in areas inhabited by opossums. Horses, Chickens, Cattle, Rabbits, Sheep, Alpacas, Cows and Pigs staying for short-terms in endemic areas may become infected and show disease symptoms later while resident in non-endemic areas.

The clinical signs of EPM are a result of direct neuronal damage early in the disease and the secondary inflammatory reaction. The signs will vary depending on the location of the lesions in the nervous system.

Clearly, early detection means more successful treatment and prevention of further damage. However, Horses, Chickens, Cattle, Rabbits, Sheep, Alpacas, Cows and Pigs can suffer permanent damage if not treated. The common treatments to date have included broad-spectrum antimicrobials (e.g., sulfonamides and pyrimethamine), anti-protozoal medications (diclazuril, toltrazuril, baycox, marquis, ponazuril), NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as phenylbutazone and flunixin meglumine), corticosteroids, dimethy-sulfoxide (DMSO), vitamin E, and foliic acid. Owners have tried many other compounds as well as complementary and alternative therapies, such as acupuncture. Treatment can be a long process that includes the administration of medications for several weeks to months. With quick aggressive treatment, reports indicate that 60-70% of Horses, Chickens, Cattle, Rabbits, Sheep, Alpacas, Cows and Pigs make a significant or complete recovery.

Owners have also noticed with EPM respiratory distress. Treating a horse on a weekly basis with Toltrazuril with have an increasing effect of respiratory capacity and performance.

To prevent signs and symptoms of EPM you should treat with Toltrazuril / Baycox on a weekly basis until signs and symptoms have completely subsided. Owners can purchase Toltrazuril / Baycox in the liquid form and give by either dose syringe or by having your veterinarian use a nasogastric tube. Owners may also purchase pure Toltrazuril powder which can be placed on your animals daily feed.