Comparative clinical and parasitological efficacy of moxidectin pour-on, ivermectin, and piperazine citrate on Toxocara vitulorum infection in buffalo calves (Bubalus bubalis): a randomized clinical trial

Toxocara vitulorum is an important intestinal nematode that causes great economic losses in farm animals worldwide. However, there is a paucity in the development of effective and safe anthelmintic drugs against this parasite in buffalo calves. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the antitoxocariasis efficacy of moxidectin, ivermectin, and piperazine citrate in buffalo calves. To achieve this purpose, 130 buffalo calves were randomly selected from Kafr El-Sheikh governorate, Egypt, and were examined for the presence of Toxocara vitulorum. Thirty calves were identified to be infected. Diseased calves were allocated randomly into 3 groups (10 each). The first group received moxidectin pour-on, the second group received ivermectin, and the third received piperazine citrate. Clinical, hematological, and parasitological responses of treated animals were assessed at 7, 14, 28, and 56 days after treatment. The fastest clinical recovery and complete elimination of parasite eggs from feces were exhibited in calves treated with moxidectin. Significant inhibition of eosinophil counts was observed in all treated calves at 1 week following treatment. From the obtained data, we conclude that moxidectin is an alternative effective and safe drug for treatment of buffalo calves infected with Toxocara vitulorum when administrated in the pour-on route under field conditions.