Evaluation of ivermectin paste in the treatment of ponies for Parascaris equorum infections.
Abstract: Twenty ponies less than 18 months of age and infected with Parascaris equorum were treated with either 0.2 mg of ivermectin/kg of body weight (n = 10) or a placebo (n = 10; controls). Five control and 5 ivermectin-treated ponies were euthanatized 14 and 35 days after treatment, respectively. At necropsy, the small intestinal contents, lungs, and liver were examined for larvae and/or adult P equorum. Significantly (P less than 0.02) higher mean total numbers of P equorum were found in the small intestinal contents of the controls on day 14 (51) and on day 35 (21) than in the ivermectin-treated ponies on days 14 (0) and 35 (3). The efficacy of ivermectin in removing adult and intestinal larvae of P equorum at 14 days after treatment was 100%. The efficacies of ivermectin in removing adults and intestinal larvae of P equorum at 35 days after treatment were 100% and 76.9%, respectively. Gross examination of liver and lung tissues revealed damage as a result of P equorum infections in all ponies. The Baermann technique used on liver and lung tissues did not yield any P equorum larvae. Adverse reactions attributable to treatment were not observed.
Publication Date: 1987-05-01 PubMed ID: 3583895
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research study investigates the effectiveness of ivermectin paste in treating Parascaris equorum infections in ponies. The results show that ivermectin was significantly effective in reducing P. equorum infestations, thus suggesting its potential use as treatment.
Study Design
- The study involved twenty ponies, all of which were less than 18 months of age and infected with Parascaris equorum.
- The ponies were randomly divided into two groups, each containing ten ponies. One group received a dose of 0.2 mg of ivermectin per kg body weight, while the control group received a placebo.
- At certain time intervals (14 and 35 days) after treatment, 5 ponies from each group were euthanized and examined for P. equorum.
Results
- The control group ponies had higher mean numbers of P. equorum present at both 14 and 35 days after treatment compared to the ivermectin-treated ponies.
- At 14 days after treatment, the ivermectin treatment successfully removed 100% of adult and intestinal larvae of P. equorum.
- At 35 days after treatment, the efficacy of ivermectin in removing adults remained 100%, but its ability to remove intestinal larvae slightly decreased to 76.9%.
- All ponies, regardless of treatment, showed liver and lung damage caused by P. equorum infection. A technique called the Baermann technique confirmed that no P. equorum larvae were present in these organs.
- Importantly, the treatment with ivermectin did not cause any observable adverse reactions in the treated ponies.
Conclusions
- The findings demonstrate that ivermectin is significantly effective in reducing P. equorum in infected ponies, suggesting it could be a potential treatment.
- However, the study findings also show that P. equorum infections can cause substantial damage to the liver and lungs. Regardless of the efficacy of ivermectin in removing the parasite, the lasting organ damage emphasizes the importance of prevention strategies for P. equorum infections among ponies.
Cite This Article
APA
DiPietro JA, Lock TF, Todd KS, Reuter VE.
(1987).
Evaluation of ivermectin paste in the treatment of ponies for Parascaris equorum infections.
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 190(9), 1181-1183.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Ascaridoidea
- Horse Diseases / drug therapy
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horses
- Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / drug therapy
- Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / veterinary
- Intestine, Small / parasitology
- Ivermectin / administration & dosage
- Ivermectin / therapeutic use
- Nematode Infections / drug therapy
- Nematode Infections / veterinary
- Ointments
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Janssen IJ, Krücken J, Demeler J, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Transgenically expressed Parascaris P-glycoprotein-11 can modulate ivermectin susceptibility in Caenorhabditis elegans. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2015 Aug;5(2):44-7.
- Lind EO, Christensson D. Anthelmintic efficacy on Parascaris equorum in foals on Swedish studs. Acta Vet Scand 2009 Nov 22;51(1):45.
- Lyons ET, Tolliver SC. Prevalence of parasite eggs (Strongyloides westeri, Parascaris equorum, and strongyles) and oocysts (Emeria leuckarti) in the feces of Thoroughbred foals on 14 farms in central Kentucky in 2003. Parasitol Res 2004 Mar;92(5):400-4.
- Nielsen MK. Anthelmintic resistance in equine nematodes: Current status and emerging trends. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2022 Dec;20:76-88.
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