Comparative efficacy of two treatment protocols in the management of canine spirocercosis: A randomized trial

This study aimed to compare treatment protocols for managing canine spirocercosis. This disease causes neoplastic changes in the oesophagus or sometimes stomach of carnivores, causing clinical symptoms such as odynophagia, inappetence, vomiting, regurgitation, and weight loss. In this study, 12 dogs aged between 7 months to 8 years were randomly divided into 2 groups. Group 1 was treated with doramectin at the dose rate of 0.2 mg/kg body weight (Subcutaneously, thrice at 14 days interval), while the dogs in group 2 were treated with ivermectin at the dose rate of 0.6 mg/kg body weight (Subcutaneously, thrice at 14 days interval) along with prednisolone at the dose rate of 0.5 mg/kg body weight (Orally, twice daily for 3 weeks and tapering the dose accordingly). Both groups were compared for the remission of disease symptoms after the end of treatment. It was found that all the dogs suffering from spirocercosis exhibited mild anaemia, leucocytosis and increased alkaline phosphatase levels. Furthermore, both treatment protocols were found to be equally effective in mitigating infestation of Spirocerca lupi.