ORIGINAL ARTICLES NITROSCANATE* A NEW BROAD SPECTRUM ANTHELMINTIC AGAINST NEMATODES AND CESTODES OF DOGS AND CATS
SUMMARY: The efficiency of the broad spectrum anthelmintic nitroscanate against tapeworm and nematode infections of dogs was tested in artificially or naturally infected dogs. The safety of the compound was also evaluated in acute, subacute and chronic toxicity tests. At the recommended single dose rate of 50 mg/kg given to the dogs with food, nitroscanate was 98% efficient against Taenia hydatigena, T. ovis and T. pisiformis. The drug was highly efficient against Echinococcus granulosusonly at the dose rate of 200 mgikg given twice but total elimination of worms was not achieved. Natural infections of Dipylidium caninum, Ancylostoma spp and Uncinaria stenocephala were totally eliminated from all dogs at the dose rate of 25 mg l kg or higher. Nitroscanate was 97% efficient against adult Toxocara canisat a single dose of 50 mglkg. When the dose was repeated 24 hours later total elimination of both mature worms and immature worms in puppies aged 2 weeks was achieved. The repeated dose of 100 mg/kg removed 98% of early immature worms from puppies aged 3 days. The drug was 100% efficient against adult Toxascaris leonina at a single dose of 5c) mglkg and 90.5% efficiency was achieved against early 4th stage larvae by two doses of 50 mglkg. Nitroscanate was not efficient against Trichuris vulpis. The drug was efficient for the removal of Toxocara catiand Ancylostoma tubaeformefrom cats. Nitroscanate caused no serious symptoms of toxicity at dose rates up to 10,000 mg/kg in single or repeated doses in young or older adult dogs. The drug was safely given to dogs during pregnancy, to young puppies and to cats. The regular use of nitroscanate as a broad spectrum anthelmintic for the prevention and control of parasitic infections of dogs is discussed.
Introduction
Infections of dogs with internal parasites may cause death, acute or chronic illness, considerably reduce the performance of working dogs and may interfere with development of immunity following vaccination against infectious diseases. Some parasites cause economic loss to the sheep and cattle industry and some of them are of public health importance. Apart from strict preventive measures, regular strategic use of anthelmintics is essential for the control of internal parasites of dogs. There are highly efficient anthelmintics available for the treatment of either nematodes o r cestodes of dogs (Arundel 1970, 1972; Kelly 1977; Thomas er a1 1975; Baldock and Hopkins 1977) but very few drugs have been reported to be efficient against both tapeworms and nematodes. Those that are efficient include mebendazole (Chevis 1975), ticarbodine (Boisvenue et al 1972; Slonka et af 1972) and uredofos or diuredosan (Seidel et a1 1975; Klein and Bradley 1976; Roberson 1976; Roberson and Ager 1976). Mebendazole is only efficient as a
broad spectrum anthelmintic if it is given twice a day for several days. Ticarbodine and uredofos have shown toxic side effects at therapeutic doses. Recently a new compound nitroscanate" has been developed as a broad spectrum anthelmintic for dogs and its high efficiency against ascarids, hookworms, Dipylidium caninurn, Taenia spp and Echinococcus granulosus was established (Boray ef af 1974; Gemmell and Oudemans 1975; Gemmell et a1 1977; Richards and Sommerville 1978). Nitroscanate, formulated as a 1 g tablets, has been used successfully and safely for the treatment of dogs at the dose rate of 100 mg/kg in European and other countries. Two doses of 200 mg/kg has been recommended against E . granulosus. The only side effect of the drug was a delayed vomiting 4-16 hours after treatment in a proportion of the dogs. Vomiting did not influence anthelmintic efficiency. I t has been established in recent studies that if the particle size of the active ingredient is reduced to 2-3pm (95"Io < 5 pm) by micronization the drug is highly efficient at the dose rate of 33-50 mg/kg against both nematodes and common tapeworms. Also, by reducing the dose rate the occurrence of 5
Thi.
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Ingrcdicnr tned i n ihe\c i a b i e i \ lha, n panicle w r ranging from 10-20
un1
Australian Veterinarj,.loiirnal, Vol. 5 5 , February, 1979
45
the side effect of vomiting was negligible. The high efficiency of the micronized active ingredient of nitroscanate against E. granulosus was reported by Gemmell er a1 (1977). In the present paper the results of recent investigations into the efficiency of nitroscanate tablets formulated with the micronized active ingredient are reported. Furthermore summaries of results of extensive studies on the safety of the drug are presented. Studies were also made on the efficiency and safety of the drug in cats. Material and Methods Efficienc~lrials More than 5(X) dogs were used in the trials. The dogs were moqtl) )oung. aged betwecn 6 months and 2 years, and were of mixed breed and sex All dogs originated from dog pounds in the western suburbs of Sydney. More than 60 cars of all ages mere aiso u\ed i i i the experiments. ,Varur:i//.v '4cyuired fnfecriori.~ M'hcn the efficiency of the drug was tested against D. lo.\toma spp, Toxocara spp and Trichuris vulpis ed animal5 uere used. Egg counts were carried oui before and afrer rreatment and in most experiments all dogs and cat5 \%ereLilied 7 day
SUMMARY: The efficiency of the broad spectrum anthelmintic nitroscanate against tapeworm and nematode infections of dogs was tested in artificially or naturally infected dogs. The safety of the compound was also evaluated in acute, subacute and chronic toxicity tests. At the recommended single dose rate of 50 mg/kg given to the dogs with food, nitroscanate was 98% efficient against Taenia hydatigena, T. ovis and T. pisiformis. The drug was highly efficient against Echinococcus granulosusonly at the dose rate of 200 mgikg given twice but total elimination of worms was not achieved. Natural infections of Dipylidium caninum, Ancylostoma spp and Uncinaria stenocephala were totally eliminated from all dogs at the dose rate of 25 mg l kg or higher. Nitroscanate was 97% efficient against adult Toxocara canisat a single dose of 50 mglkg. When the dose was repeated 24 hours later total elimination of both mature worms and immature worms in puppies aged 2 weeks was achieved. The repeated dose of 100 mg/kg removed 98% of early immature worms from puppies aged 3 days. The drug was 100% efficient against adult Toxascaris leonina at a single dose of 5c) mglkg and 90.5% efficiency was achieved against early 4th stage larvae by two doses of 50 mglkg. Nitroscanate was not efficient against Trichuris vulpis. The drug was efficient for the removal of Toxocara catiand Ancylostoma tubaeformefrom cats. Nitroscanate caused no serious symptoms of toxicity at dose rates up to 10,000 mg/kg in single or repeated doses in young or older adult dogs. The drug was safely given to dogs during pregnancy, to young puppies and to cats. The regular use of nitroscanate as a broad spectrum anthelmintic for the prevention and control of parasitic infections of dogs is discussed.
Introduction
Infections of dogs with internal parasites may cause death, acute or chronic illness, considerably reduce the performance of working dogs and may interfere with development of immunity following vaccination against infectious diseases. Some parasites cause economic loss to the sheep and cattle industry and some of them are of public health importance. Apart from strict preventive measures, regular strategic use of anthelmintics is essential for the control of internal parasites of dogs. There are highly efficient anthelmintics available for the treatment of either nematodes o r cestodes of dogs (Arundel 1970, 1972; Kelly 1977; Thomas er a1 1975; Baldock and Hopkins 1977) but very few drugs have been reported to be efficient against both tapeworms and nematodes. Those that are efficient include mebendazole (Chevis 1975), ticarbodine (Boisvenue et al 1972; Slonka et af 1972) and uredofos or diuredosan (Seidel et a1 1975; Klein and Bradley 1976; Roberson 1976; Roberson and Ager 1976). Mebendazole is only efficient as a
broad spectrum anthelmintic if it is given twice a day for several days. Ticarbodine and uredofos have shown toxic side effects at therapeutic doses. Recently a new compound nitroscanate" has been developed as a broad spectrum anthelmintic for dogs and its high efficiency against ascarids, hookworms, Dipylidium caninurn, Taenia spp and Echinococcus granulosus was established (Boray ef af 1974; Gemmell and Oudemans 1975; Gemmell et a1 1977; Richards and Sommerville 1978). Nitroscanate, formulated as a 1 g tablets, has been used successfully and safely for the treatment of dogs at the dose rate of 100 mg/kg in European and other countries. Two doses of 200 mg/kg has been recommended against E . granulosus. The only side effect of the drug was a delayed vomiting 4-16 hours after treatment in a proportion of the dogs. Vomiting did not influence anthelmintic efficiency. I t has been established in recent studies that if the particle size of the active ingredient is reduced to 2-3pm (95"Io < 5 pm) by micronization the drug is highly efficient at the dose rate of 33-50 mg/kg against both nematodes and common tapeworms. Also, by reducing the dose rate the occurrence of 5
Thi.
iicilic
Ingrcdicnr tned i n ihe\c i a b i e i \ lha, n panicle w r ranging from 10-20
un1
Australian Veterinarj,.loiirnal, Vol. 5 5 , February, 1979
45
the side effect of vomiting was negligible. The high efficiency of the micronized active ingredient of nitroscanate against E. granulosus was reported by Gemmell er a1 (1977). In the present paper the results of recent investigations into the efficiency of nitroscanate tablets formulated with the micronized active ingredient are reported. Furthermore summaries of results of extensive studies on the safety of the drug are presented. Studies were also made on the efficiency and safety of the drug in cats. Material and Methods Efficienc~lrials More than 5(X) dogs were used in the trials. The dogs were moqtl) )oung. aged betwecn 6 months and 2 years, and were of mixed breed and sex All dogs originated from dog pounds in the western suburbs of Sydney. More than 60 cars of all ages mere aiso u\ed i i i the experiments. ,Varur:i//.v '4cyuired fnfecriori.~ M'hcn the efficiency of the drug was tested against D. lo.\toma spp, Toxocara spp and Trichuris vulpis ed animal5 uere used. Egg counts were carried oui before and afrer rreatment and in most experiments all dogs and cat5 \%ereLilied 7 day
