Toltrazuril treatment for acute clinical coccidiosis in hair goat kids: Clinical, pathological, haematologic and biochemical findings

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate effectiveness and safety of oral administration of toltrazuril at a dose of 25 mg/kg/day for two consecutive days. The present study was carried out in a goat flock, reared in Kirikkale province of Turkey. Faeces samples were collected from 26 goat kids (6,716 ±1.11 weeks old) exhibiting the clinical sings of acute clinic coccidiosis including dysentery, tenesmus, inappetence, and weakness. The diseased kids were randomly allocated into two groups: group I (n = 16); toltrazuril treatment and group II (n = 10); no treatment. An additional group was included as a healthy control (group III; n = 10). Prior to toltrazuril treatment, the number of oocysts was 8350 ±4009 and 6295 ±1490 in groups I and II, respectively. Eimeria arloingi (67.8%), E. ninakohlyakimovae (21.7%), E. apsheronica (6.4%), E. alijevi (4.1%) were determined in faeces. After toltrazuril treatment in group I, the number of oocysts reduced significantly down to 0 to 250 oocysts per gram faeces (p < 0.001). In contrast, the number of oocysts in untreated group (group II) did not declined, but even increased slightly. At the end of the study, all goat kids treated with toltrazuril (group I) recovered from clinical signs of coccidiosis. At necropsy carried out on two kids, one died prior to the beginning of the study and the other one died from group II, typical nodular coccidia lesions were encountered in intestinal tract. In goat kids with coccidiosis, a mild hypochromic macrositer anaemia developed which was determined on the basis of normal RBC count, increased MCV, lower Hb and PCV near the lower limit of the reference value. In addition, monocytosis and lymphopenia are also associated with coccidiosis in goat kids. Based upon clinical findings and a significant decrease in the number of oocysts in faeces (p < 0.001), it is concluded that oral administration toltrazuril at a dose of 25 mg/kg/day for two consecutive days provides an effective treatment for acute clinical coccidiosis in goat kids. As ALT, AST, BUN, and serum creatinine levels remain within the reference limits after the treatment; toltrazuril at the scheduled dose does not result in acute liver and kidney damage.