Ivermectin: activity against larval Strongylus vulgaris and adult Trichostrongylus axei in experimental infections in ponies.

The research study conducted tests about the efficacy of the drug Ivermectin against parasitic worms in ponies. Encouraging results were observed with fewer parasites found in Ivermectin-treated ponies compared to those receiving only the vehicle.

Study Design

• The research involved conducting controlled tests to judge the efficacy of the drug Ivermectin against migrating larvae of Strongylus vulgaris and adult Trichostrongylus axei in experimentally infected ponies.
• The study was performed on a total of 6 ponies that were raised in a worm-free environment. Ponies were infected with specific amounts of S. vulgaris and T. axei larvae before treatment. The treatment involved intramuscular administration of Ivermectin at a dosage rate of 200 micrograms/kg of body weight.
• The ponies were divided into two groups, one treated with Ivermectin plus vehicle and the second group treated with the vehicle only, serving as the control. Seven to Nine days post-treatment, the ponies were euthanized and necropsied to assess the parasite load.

Results

• The results were promising, showing the effectiveness of Ivermectin. In the Ivermectin-treated group, no 4th-stage S. vulgaris larvae were found in the visceral arteries. In contrast, each pony in the control group had 21 to 40 larvae.
• Regarding T. axei worms, only one out of the three Ivermectin-treated ponies had a modest count of 140, while each pony in the control group showed a very high count ranging from 4,610 to 6,410 specimens.
• No signs of toxicosis were observed following the treatment with Ivermectin, indicating its safe use at the dosage rate employed in this study.

Conclusions

• The research concluded that Ivermectin displayed effective activity against these two types of parasites when administered at the specified dosage rate.
• The absence or low count of parasites in Ivermectin-treated ponies versus significantly high counts in the control group demonstrated the drug’s efficacy.
• The lack of toxicosis post-treatment confirmed the safety of Ivermectin for use in ponies against these parasites.

Wholly, these findings underscore the potential of Ivermectin as a potent remedy against parasitic infections in ponies.