It is used in young piglets on farms which have been affected by the parasitic infection coccidiosis in the past to prevent diarrhoea caused by a new coccidiosis infection, to reduce spread of the infection through passage of oocysts (disease spores) in faeces, and at the same time to prevent iron deficiency anaemia due to lack of iron in the piglets’ diet. Toltrazuril is an antiparastic medicine which interferes with the enzymes needed by coccidia parasites to produce energy. As a result it is able to kill the parasites at all stages of their development and prevent the symptoms of coccidiosis and the spread of infection. The other active substance in Forceris, gleptoferron, is an iron-containing compound. Iron is an essential nutrient needed to make haemoglobin to transport oxygen in the blood, as well as certain key enzymes, and may be lacking in the diet of piglets raised under intensive farming conditions. Following injection into the muscle, gleptoferron is absorbed and broken down to release iron for use and/or storage depending on the nutritional need of the piglet. Excess iron is stored mainly in the liver.
