Control of Canine Endoparasites, Especially Isospora Spp., with Procox&Reg in Naturally Infected Puppies: Parasitological, B
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Open Journal of Veterinary Medicine, 2013, 3, 121-130 http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojvm.2013.32020 Published Online June 2013 (http://www.scirp.org/journal/ojvm) Control of Canine Endoparasites, Especially Isospora spp., with Procox® in Naturally Infected Puppies: * Parasitological, Bacteriological and Health Parameters Barbara Anna Rauscher1, Sabine Schäfer-Somi2, Monika Ehling-Schulz3, Karin Möstl4, Stefanie Handl5, Barbara Hinney1, Joachim Spergser6, Roland Schaper7, Anja Joachim1# 1Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria 2Centre for Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer, Department for Small Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria 3Functional Microbiology, IBMH, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria 4Institute of Virology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria 5Institute of Animal Nutrition, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria 6Clinical Microbiology and Infection Biology, IBMH, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria 7Bayer Animal Health GmbH, Monheim, Germany Email: #[email protected] Received February 7, 2013; revised March 7, 2013; accepted April 7, 2013 Copyright © 2013 Barbara Anna Rauscher et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. ABSTRACT The effect of Procox® (Bayer, emodepside/toltrazuril suspension for dogs) against natural infections with Isospora spp. was investigated. Two groups were treated either with 0.5 ml suspension/kg of body weight (0.45 mg emodepside and 9 mg toltrazuril/kg of body weight) in the 3rd, 5th and 7th week of life (w.o.l.) (Procox® group; n = 28) or with a control anthelminthic (Dewormed Control group; n = 26). Animals were surveyed weekly from the 3rd w.o.l. by coproscopy and clinical examination. Faecal samples were examined microbiologically from the 4th to the 8th w.o.l. and faecal inflam- matory markers canine calprotectin and canine S100A12 were measured in the 8th w.o.l. Specific antibody titres were evaluated in serum samples from five litters before and after vaccination against canine distemper virus and canine parvovirus 2. The prevalence of Isospora-positive animals increased to 67% in the Dewormed Control group (n = 15 puppies from four parasite-positive litters), while in the Procox® group (n = 15 puppies) it was less than 34% with sig- nificantly lower excretion (p < 0.01). Procox® was easily applied and effective; adverse effects did not occur. The level of seroconversion or titre increase upon vaccination was higher in parasite-free animals (91%) compared to Procox®- treated puppies (30%) and the Control animals (10%). Animals from parasite-free litters showed significantly different excretion patterns for haemolytic Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens, while there was no difference between Procox®-treated and Control animals. In some animals kept under poor hygienic conditions diarrhoea was noted in as- sociation with C. perfringens, E. coli or Salmonella. Concentrations of inflammatory markers in the faeces did not sig- nificantly differ between the Procox® and the Control group. Adequate control of parasitic and bacterial infections in suckling puppies requires both antiparasitic treatment and hygiene. Even when parasites do not cause overt effects treat- ment is recommended in cases with a history of parasite infections. Keywords: Dog; Emodepside; Gut Health; Isospora; Toltrazuril; Toxocara; Vaccination 1. Introduction and heavy infections can lead to impaired development and poor health. Canine intestinal coccidia belong to the Coccidia are important intestinal pathogens of puppies genus Isospora and include Isospora canis, the more *Parts of the Results were published in Diploma Theses at the Vetmeduni pathogenic species, and the Isospora ohioensis-complex Vienna 2012 (M. Stejskal, “Untersuchung der Auswirkung von Procox® embracing several species (Isospora ohioensis, Isospora auf die Darmflora von Welpen” and M. S. Konecny, “Auswirkungen burrowsi and Isospora neorivolta) that have morpho- der Darmflora gravider Hündinnen auf die Scheidenflora und auf die Welpengesundheit”). logically indistinguishable oocysts [1]. Infections occur #Corresponding author. worldwide and are usually more prevalent in dogs Copyright © 2013 SciRes. OJVM 122 B. A. RAUSCHER ET AL. younger than 4 months [2]. They take place by ingestion sitic infections have an influence on the immune status of sporulated oocysts from the environment. Although and the immune response to vaccination and therefore transmission via paratenic hosts has been described [3], deworming before vaccination is recommended; however, in young puppies, the infection via ingestion of such no data are available to test this hypothesis. The most im- hosts is unlikely to play a role in the epidemiology of the portant canine anti-viral vaccinations are used to control infection. Invasion of the intestinal epithelium and re- canine distemper virus and canine parvovirus 2 infections production of the parasite induces enteritis with diarrhoea [17]; however, any interactions between maternal anti- (sometimes haemorrhagic), abdominal pain, anorexia and bodies, intestinal parasites (especially nematodes) and vomiting [4,5]. Heavy infections can be lethal due to de- the immune system have not been described for young hydration. After the endogenous development of Isospo- puppies. ra is completed, oocysts are excreted with the faeces and The aims of this study were 1) to evaluate the effect of sporulate in the environment within a few days [1]. Pre- Procox® application in naturally infected puppies from patent periods are 10 - 12 days for I. canis and 6 - 7 days the 3rd week of life (w.o.l.) on the excretion of Isospora for I. ohioensis-complex [2]. oocysts and nematode eggs and on and clinical parame- Besides coccidia, nematodes are common in puppies, ters from the 3rd to the 8th w.o.l.; 2) to evaluate the influ- the most frequent one being Toxocara canis [2,6]. The ence of patent infections on the development of antibody eggs are not infectious upon excretion with the faeces but titres after vaccination against parvovirus and distemper require temperature-dependent development of three weeks virus; 3) to determine the concentration of intestinal in- to several months [7]. Infection can take place via inges- flammation markers in the faeces of puppies with para- tion of infective eggs containing L3 larvae, prenatal or sitic infections under different treatment schemes; 4) to transmammary transmission from the dam to the off- evaluate possible differences between puppies of differ- spring or by ingestion of paratenic hosts [8]. In puppies, ent parasitological status and treatment scheme on the the most common migration route is via liver, lung, tra- composition of the intestinal flora. chea and oesophagus to the small intestines, while in old- er dogs the somatic route with haematogenous dissemi- 2. Materials and Methods nation into the inner organs followed by hypobiosis is the 2.1. Animals and Treatment most common. In pregnant dams reactivation of somatic hypobiotic larvae and transplacental and transmammary A total of 54 puppies from 7 litters of different breeds transmission occurs. Enteritis, rarely associated with di- (Table 1) from eastern Austria were examined from June arrhoea or vomitus, as well as dehydration, anaemia, ano- to November 2011. The litters were kept with the bitch rexia, and bloated abdomen have been described in cli- (indoor or outdoor) and animals were identified indivi- nical canine toxocarosis [6]. dually via microchip or collar. At each sampling (3rd to Procox® (emodepside/toltrazuril suspension for dogs) 8th w.o.l.) the bitches and their litters underwent a clinical is a combination of two drugs registered for the treatment examination. Individual body weight was determined of parasitic infections in animals [8,9]. Emodepside is a weekly for litters D, E and F (for litter description, see semi-synthetic derivate of PF1022A, a fungal fermenta- Table 1). tion product from Mycelia sterilia PF1022 which binds Puppies were randomly assigned to two groups. One to presynaptic latrophilin receptors in nematodes [10]. half of the puppies from each litter was treated with Pro- Toltrazuril is a symmetric triazinone derivate which acts cox® (Procox® group), whilst the other half was treated on all intracellular stages of coccidia except the oocyst. It with Banminth® or Drontal® (Dewormed Control group). is assumed that the primary mode of action is inhibition The Procox® group (n = 28) received an oral dose of 0.5 of enzymes of the respiratory chain but pyrimidine syn- ml Procox®/kg body weight, corresponding to 0.45 mg/ thesis is also affected [11]. Several authors have descri- emodepside and 9 mg toltrazuril/kg body weight in the bed the successful application of toltrazuril in the control 3rd, 5th and 7th w.o.l. The Control group (n = 26) received of canine coccidosis [2,12-14]. Procox® is registered for pup- either Drontal® (5 mg praziquantel and 57.5 mg pyrantel pies of two weeks or older with a mixed infection of ne- embonate/kg body weight) or Banminth® (5 mg pyran- matodes