Prevalence and treatment trials against gastrodiscus infestation and its effect on various blood components in horses

Six hundred faecal samples of horses were collected and coprologically examined by fresh smear method to determine 40 naturally infected horses by Gastrodiscus infection. The 40 infected animals were divided into four groups i.e. group A, group B, group C and group D comprising 10 animals each Groups A, B and C were treated with, Albandazole, Melia Azadarch Linn. (Neem) and Kalonji, respectively were as group D was control in remain untreated. The prevalence of gastrodiscus infection at Lahore areas was found to be 6.6%. The eggs per gram (EPG) counts were estimated by using McMaster technique at zero day (pre-medication), 3rd, 7th and 10th day (post-medication). Groups A, B and C were treated with, Albandazole, Neem and Kalonji seeds at dose rate of 10mg/kg body weight, 375 mg/kg body weight and 750 mg/kg body weight, respectively. After medication at 3rd, 7th and 10th day EPG was counted. It was observed that at 3rd day, Albandzaole Neem and Kalonji showed the efficacy as 50%, 47.69% and 9.09% respectively. At 7th day the efficacy of Albandazole, Neem and Kalonji was found to be 66.66%, 53.84% and 20% respectively. At 10th day the efficacy of Albandazole, Neem and Kalonji was found to be 95%, 60% and 27.27 % respectively. The average, efficacy of Albandazole, Neem and Kalonji was found to be 70.5%, 53.6% and 18.78%, respectively. Hence Albandazole and Neem showed better results as compared to Kalonji. It was concluded that Albandazole and Neem were safe against Gastro discus in horses. In the present study forty blood samples from naturally infected horses with different intensities of infection were examined for haematological studies to know the changes in the blood picture due to Gastrodiscus. The blood samples were collected pre-medication i.e. on zero day and then on 3rd, 7th and 10th day post-medication. A marked decrease in haemoglobin was observed after the study of infected animals on Zero day. The normal haemoglobin value was 10.5 to 15.5 g/dl. This value became near to normal on 7th day post-medication and went on increasing up to 10th day as the ova count in the faeces was decreasing. The study regarding the total leukocytic count concluded mild increase values of TLC, but after treatment these values decrease to normal level as the ova count in the faeces was decreasing. The haematological finding of the present study is in complete accordance with the results of Chaudhry et al., (1991) and Peal et al. (1989). They reported that there was decrease in hemoglobin values of infected animals as compared to healthy animals. It is tempting to speculate that the decrease in haematological values may be due to the blood sucking habit of the parasite.