OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of moxidectin in the treatment of Canine Demodicosis, performing a retrospective study of its use at the diagnosed cases at the Veterinary Hospital of Sao Paulo State University - UNESP - Jaboticabal Campus.

MATERIALS

Since January 2000, Moxidectin has been widely used to treat Canine Demodicosis at the Veterinary Hospital of UNESP - Jaboticabal Campus. Since then until March 2002, 57 cases of this disease were diagnosed, of whom 51 were treated with Moxidectin, using a dose of 0,5 to 1,0 mg/kg each 3 days, per oral, for at least 30 days.

RESULTS

Among the 51 animals that received this medication, 41,17% showed improvement, as well as regression of skin lesions, following repilation, within 1 month of treatment. The remaining 56,84% showed improvement within 2 months of treatment. Out of all cases where Moxidectin was used, we only observed 3 cases of side effects, which were all related to neurotoxicosis of the drug, which included motor incoordination, muscle shakings and proprioception deficits. All side effects manifested a few time after the ingestion of the drug and disappeared after it was discontinued. It is important to remember that among the cases where side effects occurred, the 1,0 mg/kg dose was being used, and in one of them, decreasing it to 0,5 mg/kg was enough to abolish those adverse effects.

CONCLUSION

According to our experience in using Moxidectin to treat Canine Demodicosis, it is possible to conclude that it is a efficient drug to treat that disease, since it shows a quick response, has an easy administration way, and moreover, showed few incidence of side effects.