Efficacy of oral doramectin as treatment for Psoroptes ovis and Leporacarus gibbus in naturally infested rabbits

Abstract

The present study evaluated the efficacy of a single oral dose of doramectin in the control of Psoroptes ovis and Leporacarus gibbus in naturally infested rabbits. Sixteen adult rabbits were selected and distributed in two experimental groups. The treated group received 200 µg/Kg of oral doramectin and the control group received the same volume of saline solution. The diagnosis of the mites was made with a stereoscopic microscope. Hairs from the dorsal part of the neck, lumbar right, lumbar left, ventral side of the tail and ventral abdomen were evaluated for L. gibbus, and ear wax evaluated for P. ovis. The evaluation of the efficiency and the clinical assessment of the lesions was made in days 0, +3, +7, +14, +21, +28, and +35 after treatment. An efficacy of 75% and 87,5% was observed for L. gibbus in days +3 and +7 after treatment, an efficacy of 100% was observed in days +14, + 21, +28 e +35. An efficacy of 100% for the control of P. ovis was observed following day +7. The clinical lesion score of the control group remained unaltered, except for one animal which conditions worsened during experimentation. In the treated group animals, regression of the lesions was observed following day +3, and on day +21 no signal of infestation by P. ovis was present. None of the animals from the treated group presented secondary collateral effects caused by the doramectin, which proved itself as an optimal alternative for mite control in naturally infested rabbits.

Alopecia and Dermatitis Caused by Lepoarcarus gibbus in a New Zealand White Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) – Clinical and Parasitological Diagnosis and Treatment

“…Male mites are comparatively smaller than females and have two elongated adanal processes and distinct anal suckers (Fig 2 ) proposed for the disease. Single subcutaneous dose of ivermectin (300 mg/kg) [14,16] ,topical treatment combined with moxidectin 1.0% and imidacloprid 10.0% associated with the application of a miticidebased disinfectant to the animal's housing [7] ,selamectin, imidacloprid ± permethrin combination [10] and doramectin [17] are proved to be effective against L. gibbus by various studies worldwide.…”

Leporacarus gibbus (Acari: listrophoridae) in a naturally-infested domestic rabbit: first report of its occurrence in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil

“…The domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is no longer an animal that is used exclusively for food or the production of skins; it also makes an excellent pet, due to its peaceful nature, captivating appearance, and easy handling (MELO et al, 2008;SANTOS et al, 2017). Various skin diseases have been described in these animals, including neoplasms, and bacterial and viral infections (JENKINS, 2001) as well as zoonoses, particularly dermatophytosis caused by the fungi Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Microsporum canis (RODRIGUEZ-TOREES et al, 1992;CAFARCHIA et al, 2010).…”

“…Various skin diseases have been described in these animals, including neoplasms, and bacterial and viral infections (JENKINS, 2001) as well as zoonoses, particularly dermatophytosis caused by the fungi Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Microsporum canis (RODRIGUEZ-TOREES et al, 1992;CAFARCHIA et al, 2010). However these animals may suffer from several types of dermatoses caused by species of the Acari and Insecta classes (HOPPMANN;BARRON, 2007), such as Cheyletiella parasitovorax, Psoroptes cuniculi and Leporacarus gibbus (SANTOS et al, 2017). Dermatitis in humans, associated with L. gibbus, has been described in some studies (BURNS, 1987;D'OVIDIO;SANTORO, 2014), and there is a significant risk of humans and other animals being exposed to skin mites from newly adopted rabbits (KIM et al, 2008).…”

“…parasitovorax and P. cuniculi are most commonly found in domestic rabbits and laboratory animals. The literature is still discrepant in providing epidemiological information about Leporacarus gibbus (= Listrophorus gibbus), but several studies have described the presence of this mite in both domestic and laboratory rabbits (NIEKRASZ et al, 1998;KIM et al, 2008;SERRA-FREIRE et al, 2010;SANTOS et al, 2017). Serra-Freire et al (2010) mite is considered cosmopolitan, but there have been no records of it in any geographical or geopolitical region of Brazil.…”

“…Affected animals show erythema, pruritus, moist dermatitis, seborrhea, severe scaly dandruff and alopecia in different body regions (PATEL;ROBINSON 1998;JENKINS, 2001). The condition is treated primarily with acaricides, such as doramectin (SANTOS et al, 2017), although other therapeutic protocols have been proposed for the disease, including a single subcutaneous dose of ivermectin (300 mg/kg), (SILVA et al, 2006) and topical treatment combined with moxidectin 1.0% and imidacloprid 10.0% associated with the application of a miticide-based disinfectant to the animal's housing (D'OVIDIO; SANTORO, 2014).…”