Prevalence of the dog nematode Spirocerca lupi in populations of its intermediate dung beetle host in the Tshwane (Pretoria) Metropole, South Africa.

Spirocerca lupi (Spirurida: Spirocercidae) is a cosmopolitan parasite, principally of domestic dogs and dung beetles are its main intermediate hosts. In South Africa there has recently been growing concern over the upsurge of reported cases of clinical spirocercosis in dogs, while little is known or understood about the dynamics of the host-parasite associations between dung beetles and this nematode. We determined and compared the prevalence of infection in dung beetles between rural, urban and peri-urban areas of Tshwane (Pretoria) Metropole. Dung beetles were sampled during April and October 2006, at various localities in each of these areas. Localities were selected on the basis of being focal areas of high infection with S. lupi in dogs. Pig, dog and cow dung-baited pitfall traps were used for sampling the beetles. Trap contents were collected 48 h after the traps had been set and only dung beetles were collected from the traps. In total, 453 specimens belonging to 18 species were collected from 63 pitfall traps in all three areas. The numbers of species that were collected varied among the three areas. Dung beetles, irrespective of species (18) and numbers (447), predominantly preferred pig dung. The prevalence of dung beetles infected with the larvae of S. lupivaried considerably in the three areas. In the urban area 13.5% of the dung beetles dissected were infected, while the prevalence of S. lupi in dung beetles in the rural area was 2.3%. All the dung beetles that were infected with this nematode showed a preference for omnivore (pig and dog) dung.

Flystrike prevention on Merino lambs with the insect growth regulator dicyclanil.

The efficacy of a ready-to-use 5% dicyclanil pour-on formulation as a preventative of natural flystrike on Merino lambs was investigated in a field trial involving 5 sites in the southern Cape Province. A total of 1,804 lambs treated with dicyclanil were compared with 882 untreated control lambs for up to 25 weeks after treatment. Efficacy was assessed by calculating the weekly cumulative strike rate at each site and aggregated for all sites, as well as by calculating the percentage reduction achieved in treated lambs. Cumulative strike rates for the untreated controls aggregated for all sites at Weeks 9,14 and 19 after treatment reached 6.2, 12.8 and 17.8%, respectively, compared with 0.4, 1.7 and 3.6% for the dicyclanil treated lambs. Percentage control aggregated for all sites at Weeks 9,14 and 19 after treatment was 93, 87 and 80%, respectively. Heavy rains during the 1st half of the trial did not substantially reduce the efficacy of the product.

Desoxycorticosterone pivalate in the management of canine primary hypoadrenocorticism.

Primary hypoadrenocorticism in dogs may be poorly responsive to oral fluorocortisone treatment. Desoxycorticosterone pivalate is a suggested alternative treatment in these and all other cases of hypoadrenocorticism. Primary hypoadrenocorticism was diagnosed in a 3-year-old Cocker Spaniel bitch. Treatment with oral fluorocortisone at a dose rate of 0.13 mg 5 kg-1 d-1 was ineffective at maintaining serum electrolyte concentrations within normal limits. Administration of DOCP at a dose of 1.6-2.2 mg kg-1 intramuscularly every 28 d over a 5-year period, successfully maintained normal serum sodium and potassium concentrations. Side-effects encountered were minimal and were dose- or disease-related.