Twenty-four specific-pathogen-free Beagles were each given 50 cysticerci of Taenia pisiformis that had been harvested from experimentally infected rabbits. Quantitative fecal egg counts and fecal screening for recovery of passed segments were performed on postinoculation days 56 through 70. Twenty-three of 24 dogs fed cysticerci developed patent infections. The 23 dogs with patent infections were assigned to 1 of 2 groups and treated with nitroscanate or a placebo 60 days after inoculation. Egg counts in the treated dogs had markedly decreased by the second day after treatment, and by the sixth day after treatment, segments were not found in the feces of any of the treated animals. The control dogs continued to pass eggs and segments in their feces throughout the 9 days after treatment. The dogs were euthanatized and necropsied 70 days after being inoculated. At necropsy, the mean number of scolices recovered from control dogs was 24.6, the mean number of scolices recovered from treated dogs was 0.25. Worms recovered from the control dogs were intact, gravid cestodes. Efficacy of treatment with nitroscanate at a mean dosage of 56 mg/kg of body weight was 98.9%.

occurrence of larval stage of Taenia solium in brain, skeletal muscles, heart, lungs, and liver of Cape fur seal; Contracaecum osculatum also found in stomach

Taenia taeniaeformis, cats (exper.), parasite longevity and productivity

Fifty-five dogs, naturally infected with Taenia sp or Dipylidium caninum or both, were assigned to the following treatment groups for dose titration studies with epsiprantel: nonmedicated control dogs (n = 14), medicated dogs given a dosage of 2.75 mg/kg of body weight (n = 15), medicated dogs given a dosage of 5.5 mg/kg (n = 16), and medicated dogs given a dosage of 8.25 mg/kg (n = 10). Medication was given orally in a tablet formulation. Feces were examined for cestodes passed and the gastrointestinal tract was examined at necropsy for retained cestodes. Efficacy of epsiprantel was 92.9% against Taenia and 44.8% against Dipylidium for a dosage of 2.75 mg/kg, 100% against Taenia and 99.8% against Dipylidium for a dosage of 5.5 mg/kg, and 94.6% against Taenia and 100% against Dipylidium for a dosage of 8.25 mg/kg. For dose confirmation, 36 dogs naturally infected with Taenia sp or D caninum or both were allotted to 2 treatment groups: nomedicated control dogs (n = 16) and dogs medicated with epsiprantel at a dosage of 5.5 mg/kg (n = 20). Efficacy was 100% for both Taenia sp and D caninum.