Evaluation of febantel used concurrently with piperazine citrate in horses.

The study investigated the effect of febantel used with piperazine citrate in horses known to have benzimidazole-resistant small strongyles. The research found that horses treated with the combined medicines had significantly reduced strongyles presence compared to those treated with febantel, thiabendazole, or placebo.

Experiment and Methodology

• Fifty horses were used in this study, all of which originated from a herd known to have small strongyles resistant to benzimidazole drugs.
• The researchers employed various treatments: febantel alone, combinations of febantel and piperazine citrate at two different doses, thiabendazole, and a placebo consisting of water.
• Prior to treatment and seven days after treatment, fecal examinations were undertaken. The examinations involved fecal cultures, counts of strongyle eggs per gram (epg) in the feces, sugar flotation fecal examinations, and in vitro testing for resistance to benzimidazole.

Significant Findings

• The results indicated that before treatment, all horses showed similar fecal examination outcomes, and all tested positive for benzimidazole resistance.
• However, horses treated with combined febantel and piperazine, irrespective of the dosage, showed significantly lower mean strongyle epg counts and a greater percentage reduction in these counts (99.7% to 99.9%) seven days after the treatment.
• These results contrasted starkly with horses treated solely with febantel, thiabendazole, or the placebo, reinstating the efficacy of the combined treatment.

Adverse Effects and Reactions

• Notably, there were no adverse reactions observed in the horses following any of the treatments, suggesting that the combined treatment of febantel and piperazine citrate is not only effective but also safe for treating horses with benzimidazole-resistant small strongyles.