Comparative effects of milbemycin oxime-based and febantel–pyrantel embonate-based anthelmintic tablets on Toxocara canis egg shedding in naturally infected pups

The effect of two treatment programmes on egg shedding in dogs naturally infected with Toxocara canis, one based on a milbemycin oxime–praziquantel–lufenuron combination (SENTINEL® Spectrum; Group 1) and the other based on a febantel–pyrantel embonate–praziquantel combination (DRONTAL® Plus; Group 2), was compared in a study involving 104 suckling pups from three different kennels. The animals in Group 1 were treated at a minimum milbemycin oxime dose of 0.5 mg/kg bw starting at 2 weeks of age and subsequently every 4 weeks until reaching 26 weeks of age. The animals in Group 2 were treated every 2 weeks from week 2 until week 12 of age and then once at week 26 at a minimum febantel and pyrantel embonate dose of 15.0 and 14.4 mg/kg bw, respectively. Toxocara egg counts were determined fortnightly starting at 2 weeks of age and continuing until 26 weeks of age for every pup. Any adverse drug event was recorded during the trial. Both treatment programmes significantly reduced the zoonotic Toxocara egg shedding and were well tolerated by the pups. The pups in Group 1 showed lower average faecal egg counts and were found more frequently shedding no eggs than the pups in Group 2.