Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Doxycycline and ivermectin kill adult heartworms in dogs
By Grandi, G et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology·2010·Dipt. di Salute Animale, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A combination of doxycycline and ivermectin is adulticidal in dogs with naturally acquired heartworm disease (Dirofilaria immitis).
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with heartworm disease, caused by a parasite called Dirofilaria immitis, were treated with a combination of doxycycline and ivermectin. After starting the treatment, all dogs showed no signs of the parasite in their blood within 90 days, and most of them had no detectable heartworm antigens by 300 days. Additionally, the majority of dogs that had visible heartworms on ultrasound also cleared the infection by the end of the treatment period. The dogs tolerated the treatment well, suggesting it is an effective option for managing heartworm disease.
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Abstract
Canine heartworm disease is caused by infection with Dirofilaria immitis, a filarial nematode that resides in the pulmonary arteries and occasionally in the right heart chambers of infected dogs. Here the authors evaluated the effect of a combination of doxycycline (10 mg/kg/sid for 30 days) and ivermectin–pyrantel(6μg/kg [DOSAGE ERROR CORRECTED] of ivermectin+5mg/kg of pyrantel every 15 days for 180 days) on microfilariemia, antigenemia and parasite load at echocardiography in naturally infected dogs from an endemic region of Italy. Dogs were examined monthly for 6 months and followed-up 4 months later. One hundred percent of dogs became negative for circulating microfilariae by day 90, while 8/11 (72.7%) of dogs became antigen-negative by day 300. Of the 7 dogs that were positive for visualization of parasites at echocardiography, 6 (85.7%) became negative by day 300. Treatment was well-tolerated by all dogs. These results suggest that a combination of doxycycline and ivermectin is adulticide in dogs with D. immitis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20144506/