Anti-parasite drugs (“Parasiticides”)
In captive tigers many anti-parasite drugs are given as oral medications in food over several days. This is clearly not a practical approach for treating a free-ranging tiger in the field that will be released on the same day as capture. However, in the majority of cases it wouldn’t be appropriate to do so anyway – there is no need to eliminate parasites unless the burden is exceptionally high and thought to be causing a clinical problem. In such cases single injection treatments are more useful, but for many individuals suffering from exceptionally high parasite burdens there is likely to be an underlying medical problem which should be identified as a priority.
| Parasite | Drug | Dose rate | Comments | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nematodes (Roundworms): | Albendazole | 7.5mg/kg PO | Single dose | |
| Fenbendazole | 20mg/kg PO, q24hrs x 5 days | Ascarids, Hookworms. Can be given at the same time as praziquantel. | ||
| Levamisole | 5mg/kg PO, IM | Single dose | ||
| Ivermectin | 0.2mg/kg SC, IM, PO | Single dose | ||
| Mebendazole | 15mg/kg PO, q24hrs x 3-5 days | |||
| Pyrantel pamoate | 3-5mg/kg PO, q24hrs x 3-5 days | Can be given at the same time as praziquantel | ||
| Cestodes (Tapeworms): | Fenbendazole | 20mg/kg PO, q24hrs x 5 days | ||
| Niclosamide | 100-200mg/kg PO | |||
| Praziquantel | 5mg/kg SC, PO | Single dose | ||
| Praziquantel | 8mg/kg Spot-on | Single dose | ||
| Trematodes (Flukes): | Praziquantel | 5mg/kg PO, SC | Single dose. Praziquantel suppresses shedding of Paragonimus eggs but is unlikley to clear adult flukes. | |
| Protozoa: | Fenbendazole | 50mg/kg PO, q24hrs x 5 days | v's Giardia | |
| Metronidazole | 20-25mg/kg PO, q12hrs x 5 days | |||
| Sulphadimethoxine | 50mg/kg PO | v's Coccidia | ||
| Ectoparasites: | *Ivermectin | 0.2mg/kg SC, IM, PO | Broad spectrum v's endo- and ecto-parasites. Single dose | |
| *Fipronil | 10mg/kg, topical spray, q1 month | |||
| *Fluralaner | 25mg/kg PO, q3 months | v's Fleas, Mites & Ticks. | ||
| *Imidacloprid | 10-20mg/kg topical, q1month | |||
| *Moxidectin + imidacloprid | Commercially available preformulated for spot on as ‘Advocate’ |
*These drugs are neurotoxic insecticides with high environmental persistence. There may be environmental risks associated with their use due to their impact on non-target insects.
