Protective Efficacy of Doramectin Against Experimental Infestation with Hyalomma anatolicum in Rabbits

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the protective efficacy of doramectin against experimental infestation with Hyalomma anatolicum in rabbits. The drug was subcutaneously injected in rabbits at a dose rate of 1 mg/kg body weight, 2 days and 4 days before infestation. The results showed that there was highly significant decrease in weight of engorged female ticks (0.0616±0.0371g) compared with the control (0.3646±0.1424 g), in the weight of egg batch produced, decreased hatchability percentage by 19.83% on day 4 post–injection. The two groups showed significant prolongation of feeding and pre-oviposition periods and decreased oviposition periods. In the two groups, the estimated reproductive factor was significantly reduced, and inhibition of oviposition was 15.45% on day 2 post-injection and 90.79% on day 4 post-injection. It is concluded that doramectin gives protection against tick infestation as well as treatment in animals exposed to ticks.