febantel and Giardiasis

The therapeutic efficacy of praziquantel, pyrantel embonate and febantel (Drontal Flavour Plus) for three and five consecutive days was evaluated for treating naturally acquired giardiasis in dogs. In the study, 24 dogs naturally infected with Giardia were divided into three groups of eight dogs each. Dogs were treated at the recommended dosage for three or five consecutive days, and a control group remained untreated. Faecal samples from each dog were submitted to coprological examination from day-4 to -2 and at days 5, 7, 9 and 11. Faecal consistency was also assessed daily to study end. All dogs in the control group remained positive until study end. Giardia cysts were not detected in faeces of six of the eight dogs in the group treated on three consecutive days, and in faeces of five of the dogs in the group treated on five consecutive days. Unformed to diarrhoeic faeces were more often reported in dogs in the untreated control group than in dogs in both treatment groups. Efficacy of treatment for five consecutive days was not statistically better than treatment for three consecutive days.

Topics: Animals; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Drug Combinations; Giardia; Giardiasis; Guanidines; Praziquantel; Pyrantel Pamoate

Giardia parasites cause gastrointestinal disease in humans, dogs, and many other animals worldwide. The treatment of dogs for giardiasis requires further investigation to ascertain levels of drug efficacy and the possibility of adverse side effects. Nitazoxanide (NTZ) has shown good clinical anti-Giardia activity in humans, yet it has not been evaluated for the treatment of giardiasis in dogs.. Thirty-five dogs, naturally infected with Giardia were divided into five groups (n = 7): dogs in group NTZ1, NTZ2, and NTZ3 were treated with a single oral dose of 37.5 mg/kg, 75 mg/kg, and 150 mg/kg, respectively, of NTZ on days 0 and 14. The fourth group was treated with a commercially available regimen that includes a combination of pyrantel, praziquantel, and febantel (FEB) administered orally for three consecutive days. Additionally, an untreated control group was established. Giardia cysts from the stool of each dog were quantified on days -3, 0, 5, 7, 9, 11, 14, 18, 25, and 28. Biochemical parameters were evaluated in all dogs, before the first treatment and after concluding the experiment.. Shedding of Giardia cysts was reduced in all treated groups when compared to untreated controls (P < 0.01). However, NTZ2, NTZ3, and FEB had a lower risk during the study. Furthermore, NTZ was also effective against another protozoan, Cryptosporidium spp. at doses of 75 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg, in contrast to the combination of febantel + pyrantel + praziquantel. Biochemical parameters of treated animals, namely, aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase enzymes, remained within physiological ranges.. Based on these results, the implementation of NTZ as a treatment for giardiasis in dogs is proposed. The administration of a single dose is an important advantage of NTZ because it reduces workload, particularly in animals placed in shelters and kennels, where handling of large numbers of animals is required, and personnel is frequently scarce.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Alanine Transaminase; Animals; Antiprotozoal Agents; Aspartate Aminotransferases; Cryptosporidiosis; Cryptosporidium; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Feces; Giardia; Giardiasis; Guanidines; Humans; Nitro Compounds; Praziquantel; Pyrantel Pamoate; Thiazoles

The administration of three consecutive daily doses of the recommended 1x dose of Drontal Plus flavour tablets (Bayer) was examined for its effect on Giardia sp. cyst-shedding in 7 treated and 7 untreated random-source dogs. Dogs were treated on study days 0, 1 and 2. Cysts were quantified using direct immunofluorescent labelling on days -7, -5, -3 and -2, and daily from day 1 through 11. Three treated dogs never shed cysts again during the study, one shed again only on day 4, and the remaining three dogs started to shed again on days 8, 9 and 11. The mean numbers of cysts per gramme in the faeces of the treated dogs were significantly reduced (t-tests using log(10)(counts)) on days 1 and 2 (geometric means: controls = 447,000; treated = 1,050; p = 0.004) and days 3 to 8 (geometric means: controls = 23,400; treated 5.0; p < 0.001). Four controls that had been consistently positive, changed to negative status on day 11, and thus, on the final day of the trial, there were only three positive control and three positive treated dogs. Three consecutive days of treatment with Drontal Plus flavour tablets halted Giardia sp. cyst shedding by dogs. But starting six days post third treatment, some of the dogs started shedding cysts again. Since the prepatent period of Giardia sp. can be as short as 4 days, shedding of Giardia sp. cysts 6 days after treatment could be caused by a reinfection.

Topics: Animals; Antiprotozoal Agents; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Drug Combinations; Feces; Giardia; Giardiasis; Guanidines; Parasite Egg Count; Praziquantel; Pyrantel Pamoate; Tablets; Treatment Outcome

The objectives of the study were to determine the optimal dose of febantel, pyrantel embonate and a combination of febantel/pyrantel embonate required to effectively treat Giardia in a gerbil model and to determine if there is a synergistic effect with the two drugs. SPF gerbils were infected by oral inoculation with 105 Giardia duodenalis trophozoites (day 0). On days 5 to 7, animals (n = 6) were treated once daily via oral gavage with febantel, pyrantel embonate, febantel and pyrantel embonate, metronidazole or placebo. Gerbils were euthanised 24 hours after last treatment and duodenal trophozoites were enumerated on a haemocytometer to obtain a concentration of trophozoites/ cm of gut. Febantel alone, effectively eliminated Giardia trophozoites at 160 and 80 mg/kg. Pyrantel embonate did not eliminate Giardia from the animals but significantly reduced parasite counts at all dosages. Febantel combined with pyrantel embonate effectively eliminated Giardia trophozoites at 160, 80 and 40 mg/kg. Metronidazole did not eliminate Giardia trophozoites from the gut. All placebo-treated animals were heavily infected with Giardia trophozoites. It can be concluded that febantel is more effective in elimination of Giardia infections when combined with pyrantel embonate compared to the agents used alone.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Animals; Antiprotozoal Agents; Drug Synergism; Drug Therapy, Combination; Duodenum; Gerbillinae; Giardia; Giardiasis; Guanidines; Male; Metronidazole; Pyrantel Pamoate; Treatment Outcome

This study evaluated the effect of two combination products containing febantel, pyrantel, and praziquantel (FPP) for the treatment of Giardia species in experimentally infected kittens. In experiment 1, five kittens were administered the United States (US) formulation of FPP at doses of 37.8 mg/kg, 7.56 mg/kg, and 7.56 mg/kg, respectively, PO, q24h, for 5 days and four kittens remained as controls. In experiment 2, five kittens were administered the European formulation of FPP at the doses of 12.5 mg/kg, 12 mg/kg, and 4.16 mg/kg, respectively, PO, q24h, for 5 days and four kittens remained as controls. In experiment 3, six kittens were administered the US formulation of FPP at 56.5 mg/kg, 11.3 mg/kg, 11.3 mg/kg, respectively, PO, q24h, for 5 days and five kittens remained as controls. Thirteen days after treatment, kittens testing negative for Giardia species cysts were administered 20 mg/kg methylprednisolone acetate, IM, weekly for a maximum of two injections. Feces were analyzed for Giardia species cysts using a direct immunofluorescence test. After experiment 3, four of the six treated kittens, but no control kittens, remained negative for Giardia species after the administration of methylprednisolone acetate.

Topics: Aging; Animals; Anthelmintics; Cat Diseases; Cats; Drug Combinations; Female; Giardiasis; Guanidines; Male; Praziquantel; Pyrantel; Tablets; Treatment Outcome

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.. Prospective trial.. 16 Beagles naturally infected with Giardia duodenalis.. 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.. 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.. 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.

Topics: Animals; Anthelmintics; Antigens, Protozoan; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Drug Combinations; Feces; Female; Giardia; Giardiasis; Guanidines; Hygiene; Male; Praziquantel; Prospective Studies; Protozoan Vaccines; Pyrantel; Secondary Prevention; Tablets; Treatment Outcome; Vaccination

Topics: Animals; Anthelmintics; Antinematodal Agents; Dogs; Drug Therapy, Combination; Giardiasis; Guanidines; Praziquantel; Pyrantel Pamoate; Treatment Outcome

To evaluate efficacy of a combination of praziquantel, pyrantel pamoate, and febantel at 2 dosages for treating naturally acquired giardiasis in dogs.. 6 male and 9 female Beagles.. Dogs were identified as naturally infected with Giardia sp, using the zinc sulfate concentration technique (ZSCT), and were allocated to 1 of 3 groups. Group-1 dogs were treated orally with a praziquantel (5.4 to 7 mg/kg of body weight), pyrantel pamoate (26.8 to 35.2 mg/kg), and febantel (26.8 to 35.2 mg/kg) combination, every 24 hours for 3 doses. Group-2 dogs were treated with the combination once. Group-3 dogs were nontreated controls. Four fecal samples were examined, using the ZSCT, from each dog of each group within 6 days of the last treatment. Dogs were considered to have giardiasis if 1 or more of the fecal samples had positive results for Giardia cysts. Dogs were examined daily for at least 10 days after the last treatment.. Giardia cysts were not detected in the feces of any group-1 dog or in the feces of 2 of 5 group-2 dogs. Cysts were detected in the feces of 5 of 5 group-3 (nontreated control) dogs. Signs of toxicosis were not observed in any dog.. The current labeled dose (for treatment of various nematodes and cestodes, but not Giardia sp) of the combination given orally once reduces cyst excretion in Giardia-infected dogs, and should be considered for treatment of dogs shedding Giardia cysts, whether or not they have clinical signs of infection.

Topics: Animals; Antiprotozoal Agents; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Drug Therapy, Combination; Feces; Female; Giardiasis; Guanidines; Male; Parasite Egg Count; Praziquantel; Pyrantel Pamoate