Uso de spirulina associado ao amitraz no tratamento da demodíciose canina generalizada juvenil.

Abstract

Canine demodicosis is a parasitic skin disease caused by a large than normal number of a skin commensal mite in the hair follicle, Demodex canis. The disease is related to immunossupressive and genetic factors. The traditional treatment is based on therapy with amitraz, however systemic drugs are prescribed for resistance and toxicity cases. The cyanobacteria Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) is a small aquatic microorganism with bluish green color, length around 0,3 mm and due its richness in vitamins, it has immunomodulatory and oxidant action. The aim of this work was to evaluate the therapeutic efficiency of association between spirulina and amitraz on treatment of generalized juvenile canine demodicosis. Ten animals were divided in two groups (SG – spirulina group and CG – control group) with five animals each. 5 (five) g, orally daily, was given to dogs that had until 20 kg and 10 g for those between 20 e 40 kg. Additionally, all animals were treated with therapy of amitraz performed in 4 mL by liter of water, weekly, topically for 90 days. All dogs from CG were treated with the same protocol of amitraz therapy without spirulina. It was not used antimicrobial agent to pyoderma. Before beginning the treatment, the animals from both groups had anaemia and those from SG also had leukocytosis. 45 days after beginning the protocol of treatment, the dogs from SG had already returned to normal hematocrit and leukocyte count values, by other hand, animals from CG had their parameters normalized after 90 days as well as lower mean corpuscular volume (VCM). Therapeutic success was of 60% in CG and of 100% in SG. The mean time of clinical cure was 64 days to CG and 52 days to SG. The mean time of therapy to obtain the first parasitological negative results was 80±5 and 70±5 days to CG and SG, respectively. The recovery showed by the animals from SG happened, probably, due the spirulina nutritional content that acted as immunomodulator.