Activity of ivermectin against canine intestinal helminths.

The anthelmintic activity of ivermectin was tested in 98 dogs against adult ascarids (Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina), hookworms (Ancylostoma caninum, A braziliense), and whipworms (Trichuris vulpis), and against experimentally induced infections (4th-stage larvae) of T canis and A caninum. Dosage levels tested were single subcutaneous injections of 50, 100, 200, or 400 micrograms/kg of body weight with appropriate vehicle-treated controls. A minimum of 4 (usually 5) dogs were tested with each parasite and dosage level. The lowest dosage level, 50 micrograms/kg, and all higher dosage levels expelled greater than 99% of the adult forms of both species of hookworms and intestinal larval forms of A caninum, as determined by worm counts at necropsy. A dosage level of 100 micrograms/kg was required to expel greater than 99% of whipworms and 200 micrograms/kg was necessary to expel adult (91%) and larval (97%) stages of T canis. Ivermectin was only marginally effective (34.2%, 46.2%, 69.2%, and 53.8%) against Toxascaris leonina at 50, 100, 200, and 400 micrograms/kg, respectively, and had no effect against occasional infections with the tapeworms, Dipylidium caninum (14 dogs) and Taenia spp (3 dogs).