Efficacy of a combination febantel-praziquantel-pyrantel product, with or without vaccination with a commercial Giardia vaccine, for treatment of dogs with naturally occurring giardiasis.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To determine efficacy of treatment with a combination febantel-praziquantel-pyrantel product, with or without vaccination with a commercial Giardia vaccine, in dogs with naturally occurring giardiasis.

DESIGN:

Prospective trial.

ANIMALS:

16 Beagles naturally infected with Giardia duodenalis.

PROCEDURES:

During phase 1, 6 dogs were treated with the parasiticide for 3 days (4 were also vaccinated). Four weeks later, all 6 dogs were treated with the parasiticide again for 5 days and were bathed and moved to clean cages after the last treatment (phase 2). Nine dogs were treated with the parasiticide for 3 (n = 4) or 5 (5) days and bathed and moved to clean cages after the last treatment (phase 3). Fecal samples were collected twice weekly for 24 days after treatment and tested for cysts with a quantitative zinc sulfate flotation technique and for Giardia antigen with an immunoassay.

RESULTS:

Dogs in phase 1 were all shedding cysts again by day 24. In phase 2, only 1 dog shed cysts after treatment, and shedding was transient (day 17). In phase 3, neither cysts nor antigen was detected in fecal samples from 2 of 4 dogs treated for 3 days and 4 of 5 dogs treated for 5 days. In 18 of 57 (31.6%) fecal samples, cysts were seen, but results of the immunoassay were negative.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE:

Results suggest that when a combination febantel-praziquantel-pyrantel product is used to treat dogs with giardiasis, bathing and changing the environment after treatment may be more important in preventing recurrence than duration of treatment.

• Authors: Patricia A Payne, Robert K Ridley, Michael W Dryden, Christine Bathgate, George A Milliken, Patricia W Stewart
• Journal: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (J Am Vet Med Assoc) Vol. 220 Issue 3 Pg. 330-3 (Feb 01 2002) ISSN: 0003-1488 [Print] United States
• PMID: 11829263 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anthelmintics
• Antigens, Protozoan
• Drug Combinations
• Guanidines
• Protozoan Vaccines
• Tablets
• Pyrantel
• Praziquantel
• febantel

Topics

• Animals
• Anthelmintics (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Antigens, Protozoan (analysis)
• Dog Diseases (drug therapy, parasitology, prevention & control)
• Dogs
• Drug Combinations
• Feces (parasitology)
• Female
• Giardia (drug effects, growth & development, immunology)
• Giardiasis (drug therapy, prevention & control, veterinary)
• Guanidines (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Hygiene
• Male
• Praziquantel (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Prospective Studies
• Protozoan Vaccines
• Pyrantel (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Secondary Prevention
• Tablets
• Treatment Outcome
• Vaccination (veterinary)