A clinical trial of ivermectin against eyeworms in German Shepherd military working dogs.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if monthly ivermectin was efficacious in reducing the observed incidence of eyeworms over a period of 2 months as compared with normal husbandry practices in a population of Republic of Korea Army military working dogs (MWDs).


METHODS
Prospective observation of 114 German Shepherd MWDs in a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial. MWDs were randomly assigned to either a treatment group receiving a monthly dose of 0.2 mg/kg BW ivermectin orally, or to a control group given an equivalent dose volume and frequency of a saline placebo. A quantitative numerical count of eyeworms found in the eyes of MWDs was conducted at 25-day intervals.


RESULTS
The prevalence of eyeworms in the treatment group went to zero at 25 days and remained lower at 50 days (5%) than baseline (24%). Prevalence in the controls remained approximately constant over all treatment times (14% to 18%).


CONCLUSIONS
Although ivermectin does not prevent dogs from being infected with eyeworms, the study suggests that ivermectin administered orally at a dose of 0.2 mg/kg every 3 weeks significantly reduces the prevalence of Thelazia species eyeworms in dogs.
Fudge
Mack
M
129th Medical Detachment, Veterinary Medicine, Yongsan Base, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jeong
Sookwan
S
McInturff
Pat
P
D000818:Animals; D000977:Antiparasitic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001096:Arachnid Vectors; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000150:complications; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004285:Dogs; D015822:Eye Infections, Parasitic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D007559:Ivermectin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D017205:Spirurida Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D013802:Thelazioidea; D013987:Ticks; D014731:Veterinary Service, Military
D000977:Antiparasitic Agents; D007559:Ivermectin