RESUMEN
The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy and the egg reappearance period (ERP) of ivermectin (IVM) in donkeys during a 13-week period. The study involved a total of 14 adult Amiata breed donkeys, 7 - 13 years of age, and naturally infected with small strongyles. A group of 10 donkeys was treated with IVM oral paste at a dose rate of 200 mcg/kg BW. Another group of 4 donkeys was kept as untreated control group. Faecal samples were collected and examined for strongyle eggs on day 0 before treatment. IVM efficacy was based on the faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) on day 14 post-treatment. Then individual faecal samples were collected and examined by FECRT at weekly intervals. A FECRT of 100 % was found after treatment with IVM and its ERP, defined as the week when the mean FECRT decreased until to become lower than 90 %efficacy, was estimated to be 11 weeks without signs of developing anthelmintic resistance. No adverse reactions were observed during the study period. Our findings may be useful to veterinary practitioners and breeders as they show that IVM, at the recommended dose rate, can be still considered a highly effective and safe pharmacological tool for the treatment of small strongyles in donkeys. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that all possible strategies are undertaken to avoid the risk of emergence of anthelmintic resistance to IVM in donkeys.
RESUMEN
The study evaluated the effectiveness of a commercially available polyherbal dewormer to control intestinal strongyles in naturally infected donkeys. The animals were allotted to two groups: treated with the herbal dewormer (n=8) according to manufacturer recommendations and untreated control group (n=6). Fecal samples were taken from each animal on days 0 (day of treatment), 14, 21 (day of second additional treatment), 35, and 42. Faecal egg count reduction tests showed very negligible or no reduction in number of strongyle eggs for donkeys in the phytotherapeutic treatment group compared to those in the control group. Thus, the herbal dewormer was mostly ineffective in reducing fecal egg counts in donkeys infected with intestinal strongyles. These findings can make equine practitioners aware of possible disadvantages of herbal dewormers.