Efficacy of long-term monthly administration of ivermectin on the progress of naturally acquired heartworm infections in dogs

Veterinary Parasitology
Luigi VencoClaudio Genchi

Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of prolonged monthly ivermectin treatment against Dirofilaria immitis in client-owned dogs with naturally acquired infections and to clinically monitor the animal's response to the slow killing of heartworms, with death of the worms distributed over a period of up to 2 years. A total of 17 male and female dogs of different breeds and ages were used. Prior to treatment, all of the dogs tested positive for heartworm antigen (Ag) and all but two had microfilariae (mf). The dogs were randomly allocated to one group of seven dogs which received a commercial formulation of ivermectin (minimum, 6 mcg IVM/kg) plus pyrantel (minimum, 5 mg PP/kg) (Heartgard Plus Chewables, Merial, Ltd.), another group of seven dogs which received a commercial formulation of IVM (min, 6 mcg/kg) (Heartgard Chewables, Merial Ltd.), and a group of three dogs which served as an untreated controls. All dogs were evaluated prior to initiation of treatment and thereafter at 3- to 5-month-intervals for mf, Ag, and radiographic and echocardiographic findings. All of the 17 dogs, with the exception of two dogs in the IVM group, had circulating mf of D. immitis prior to the 1st monthly dose, and a few also had mf of D...Continue Reading

Citations

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