Activity of ivermectin against canine intestinal helminths

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
SUMMARY: The anthelmintic activity of ivermectin was tested in 98 dogs against adult ascarids (Toxocara canis, Toxiscaris leonina), hookworms (Ancylostoma caninum, A braziliense), and whipworms (Trichuris vulpis), and against experimentally induced infections (4th-stage larvae) of T canis and 4 caninum. Dosage levels tested were single subcutaneous injections of 50, 100, 200, or 400 μg/kg of body weight with appropriate vehicle-treated controls. A minimum of 4 (usually 5) dogs were tested with each parasite and dosage level. The lowest dosage level, 50 μg/kg, and all higher dosage levels expelled > 99% of the adult forms of both species of hookworms and intesinal larval forms of A caninum, as determined by worm counts at netropsy. A dosage level of 100 μg/kg was required to expel > 99% of whipworms and 200 μg/kg was necessary o expel adult (91%) and larval (97%) stages of T canis. Ivermectin was only marginally effective (34.2%, 46.2%, 69.2% and 53.8%) against Toxascaris leonina at 50, 100, 200, and 400 μg/kg, respectively, and had no effect against occasional infections with the tapeworms, Dipylidium caninum (14 logs) and Taenia spp (3 dogs).