Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
High-level pyrantel resistance found in dog hookworms
By Kopp, Steven R et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology·2007·School of Veterinary Science, Australia·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: High-level pyrantel resistance in the hookworm Ancylostoma caninum.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs in Brisbane, Australia, was treated with a dewormer called pyrantel for hookworm infections but showed only a small reduction in adult worms. Despite the treatment, the number of hookworm eggs in their feces actually increased, suggesting that the worms are becoming resistant to this medication. This means that pyrantel may not be as effective as it once was for treating hookworms in dogs. Pet owners should be aware of this resistance and discuss alternative treatments with their veterinarian to ensure their pets are properly treated.
People also search for: dog hookworm treatment · pyrantel resistance in dogs · why is my dog still having hookworm eggs after treatment
Abstract
While anthelmintic resistance is now a widely recognized issue in the livestock industries, its existence within companion animal medicine has been rarely established conclusively. We undertook a placebo-controlled in vivo trial to measure the efficacy of pyrantel embonate against pooled isolates of the hookworm Ancylostoma caninum from Brisbane, Australia. A statistically significant fall in adult worm burden was observed among dogs in the pyrantel treatment group compared to the control dogs (178.0+/-24.5 versus 239.7+/-14.0; p=0.02), equating to an efficacy of just 25.7% (95% CI, 15.0-35.1%), as based upon reduction in mean worm burden. Analysis of faecal egg count trends through the course of the study revealed that egg counts rose in both control and pyrantel-treated dogs, with a greater rise observed in the latter group (11.6+/-8.3% versus 17.3+/-7.6%; p=0.04), despite the decrease in adult worm numbers in this group. Our results indicate that high-level anthelmintic resistance does occur in companion animal medicine, and highlight the need for greater vigilance and more judicious use of anthelmintics in small animal practice. They further indicate that the faecal egg count reduction test needs to be used with caution with this parasite.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17011128/