Treatment of Giardia infection in kittens with febantel, pyrantel

Abstract

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.