Efficacy of moxidectin 2% oral gel against second- and third-instar Gasterophilus intestinalis De Geer.

The research paper discusses the effectiveness of moxidectin 2% oral gel in treating ponies infected by second- and third-instar Gasterophilus intestinalis De Geer, a parasite commonly found in equines. The study recorded efficacy of 100% for second-instar and 99.5% for third-instar parasites.

Methodology

• The study was a structured experiment aimed to evaluate the efficiency of moxidectin 2% oral gel.
• Fourteen ponies were chosen from a herd, based on the criterion which was the presence of Gasterophilus spp. eggs on their hair coats.
• The ponies were randomly allocated with two treatments – one group was given a single dose of moxidectin 2% equine gel at 400 microg moxidectin/kg of body weight, and the other group was given a placebo gel.
• The animals were carefully examined, or necropsied, two weeks (14 days) after the treatment administration.

Results

• The study found that moxidectin 2% oral gel was highly effective in treating the gastric stages of the Gasterophilus spp., a parasite that affects horses.
• The recorded efficiency against the second-instar stage of the parasite was 100%, indicating complete elimination of the parasite at this stage.
• For third-instar Gasterophilus intestinalis De Geer, the efficacy was slightly less but almost as effective with a rate of 99.5%.

Implications

• These results suggest that the use of moxidectin 2% oral gel can be extremely beneficial in treating equines suffering from a Gasterophilus spp. infestation.
• Given its high efficiency, the product can help in maintaining the health of the equines and controlling the parasite population in horse herds.