Sarcoptic mange infected non-descriptive rabbits were successfully treated with

Ivermectin @ 400 µg / kg body weight sub-cutaneously once weekly for 4 weeks resulted

complete recovery within a month in Kalyani area, West Bengal, India

Arup Kumar Das

Joyjit Mitra

R.N. Shikari

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119Dermatological problems are one of the mostcommon clinical entities in domestic  pets  andfur  bearing  animals (Deshmuk  et  al., 2010)due to hot  and  humid climates  (Aulakhet  al.,  2003).  Among  them, sarcoptic mangeinfestation  is one of the most common  andmajor constrain in commercial rabbitproduction in India (Darzi  et al.,  2007,Ravindran  and  Subramanium  2000).  Mangeis the most obstinate, resistant  and  contagiousdisease with zoonotic  importance ( Kumaret al., 2002). It is characterized  by  pruritis,alopecia and  in prolonged illness,  the animalbecome emaciated and  may even die due tocachexia ( Roy et  al.,  2001).  Among variousspecies of mites, Sarcoptes  scabiei  is a deepburrowing mite in epidermis causing intenseitching, purities, pyoderma, crust formation,scare  production, thickening and  wrinkling onskin of  affected areas.  Being  a contagiousparasitic skin disease, mites are generally spreadrabbit to rabbit  by direct skin contact betweeninfected  and  non-infected rabbits or, throughcontact with  the environment (Panigrahi  andGupta  2013).  Severe  infection especially inyoung or, debilited  animals causes highmortality (Bornstein  and   Samuel 2001).Overcrowded  living conditions  and  poorhygiene  are  significant  factors  for  infectionwith S.  scabiei  mites (McCarthy et al., 2004 ).It  causes  infestation  which affects ears, nose,feet and  areas around  genitalia ( Kachhawaet  al.,  2013 ).  Sarcoptic  mange,  if  leftuntreated  may  cause  significant morbidity andeconomic loss in livestock.   Moreover, highcosts are associated with acaricides used ininfested livestock ( Rehbein  et  al.,  2003,Walton et  al.,  2004 ) . The avermectin  groupof drugs  includes  ivermectin, abamectin,doramectin, eprinomectin and  selamectin,THERAPEUTIC   MANAGEMENT  OF  SARCOPTIC  MANGEIN  RABBIT  WITH  IVERMECTINJoyjit Mitra*,  R.N. Shikari,  Arup Kumar Das, B.B.Roy, Malay Mitra.ABSTRACT:   Sarcoptic   mange   infected   non-descriptive  rabbits  were  successfully  treated  withIvermectin  @ 400 µg / kg  body  weight  sub-cutaneously  once   weekly for  4 weeks  resultedcomplete  recovery  within a  month  in  Kalyani  area,  West Bengal,  India.Key Words :   Ivermectin,  Sarcoptes sp., Mange, Rabbit.Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals, Kolkata-700037, West  Bengal,  India.*Corresponding author. e-mail : joyjit.mitra@rediffmail.comShort  CommunicationExplor  Anim  Med  Res,Vol.4, Issue - 1, 2014, p. 116-120ISSN  2277- 470X (Print), ISSN 2319-247X (Online)Website: www.animalmedicalresearch.org120Exploratory Animal and Medical Research, Vol.4, Issue 1, June, 2014which can be used to treat rabbits  that arenaturally  infected with scabies ( Kachhawaet  al., 2013 ). Among these  acaricides,ivermectin  given orally  or,  parentrally,  hasbeen  reported to be effective in treatment ofacariosis (Aulakh  et  al.,  2003,  Erasian  et  al.,2010). The present communication reportssuccessful management of sarcoptic mangewith  Ivermectin in rabbit.Case history Seventeen  non-descriptive  rabbits  weremaintained by  an  animal  owner  of  Kalyani,Nadia, West Bengal, India. The  rabbits werekept  in  moist , dirty and  ill ventilated  house.Eight  rabbits, aged  3-10 months  were affectedwith clinical signs of  anorexia, anaemia, intenseitching, erythema, dandruff, white indurated drycrust like lesions  on ears, nose,  face , aroundears,  paws,  around  genitalia and over dorsalsurface with brownish discharge (Fig.1). Theclinical manifestation  observed were inaccordance with those of Chandra & GhoshFig.1: Mange affected rabbit beforetreatment.Fig.2:  Sarcoptes  sp.  under  microscope.Fig.3: Curative stage after 21 days oftreatment.Fig.4:  Completely recovered after 28 daysof treatment.121(1990), Hrapkiewicz  and  Medina (2007).Skin scraping of affected parts and  itsmicroscopic examination was performed asdescribed by Soulsby (1985). Skin scrapingfrom each affected rabbits were taken fromdifferent sites viz. ear, nose, feet, eyes, tail andinguinal region. These scrapings were placedin a petridish. Each sample was  treated with10%  potassium hydroxide solution. Themixture was stirred, centrifuged  andsupernatant discarded from each sample. A fewdrops of solution was placed on a slide formicroscopical examination to find outparasites. Clinical and parasitologicalexamination was done on 0,7,14 and 21 and 28thdays of treatment. Skin scrapping examination undermicroscope  revealed adult  parasites ofSarcoptes sp. (Fig.2)  and  their  ova.  Based onhistory, clinical manifestation and detection ofparasites in skin scrapings confirmed that theserabbits were infested with  Sarcoptes  sp.TreatmentThe affected rabbits were treated afterseparating from  healthy ones withsubcutaneous injection of  Ivermectin ( 1% w/v )   (TruemectinR , Sarabhai  Zydus) @ 400 µg/ kg body weight  once weekly for  4 weeks.Disinfection of  the rabbit cages were done  witha  blow lamp once weekly for 4 weeks  tocontrol  mites.There was marked clinical improvement onday 14 of treatment with reduced lesions andskin scrapping  were found positive for lowinfestation. There was complete removal ofcrusts and dis-appearance of lesions occurredafter 14th day of post-treatment in 4 rabbits,while it took 21 days for complete recovery inrest 4 rabbits. On 21 and 28 day post-treatment,all the rabbits were negative to any kind ofmites. Anorexia, alopecia and anaemia wascompletely cured after 21 days (Fig.3). After4 weeks of therapy all the rabbits wererecovered from falling down of remainingscales as well as complete disappearance ofitching and secondary sores. At the same timethe general condition improved and skin lesionsdisappeared.  Lesions due to scratching rapidlyresolved over the whole body surface includingface resulting in hair growth and resolution ofalopecia (Fig.4).Ear mite and mange infestation have  beenreported as major skin diseases in  young onesas well as adult rabbits  (Siegmu 1979). Mangecaused by S. scabiei is more common in rabbitsand distinguished by presence or absence ofprurites, morphology of mite and distributionof lesions (Deshmukh et al., 2010,  Bhardwajet al.,  2012). Diagnosis is usually confirmedby skin scrapings examination and results aresometimes falsely negative for which repeateddeep scrapings are recommended (Birchard andSherding  2000). Demonstration of mites undermicroscope along with characteristic skinlesions in most of the body parts confirm thesarcoptic  mange infestation in rabbit. Sarcoptessp.  the burrowing fur mite, produce theirpathological effects  by burrowing activity andmechanical damage caused by the parasitesduring excavation, irritation action of theirsecretion, allergic reactions to some of  theirextracellular products and especially release ofintra-leukin-I (Wall and Shearer 1997).Ivermectin  given subcutaneously @400 µg/ kg. body weight selectively binds to glutamate-gated and gamma-amino-butaric acid (GABA)gated chloride channels in the mites nervoussystem, resulting  in hyperpolarization of cells,paralysis and finally death of mites, which wasin accordance with Aulakh  et  al. (2003)  andTherapeutic   management  of  sarcoptic  mange  In  rabbit  with  Ivermectin.122Exploratory Animal and Medical Research, Vol.4, Issue 1, June, 2014Quesenberry and Carpenter (2004).Treatment with subcutaneous administrationof 4 doses of  Ivermectin @ 400 µg / kg bodyweight at 7 days  interval was effective intreating S. scabiei (Panigrahi and  Gupta  2013).Bharadwaj  et al. (2012) compared efficacy ofIvermectin and  Doramectin in rabbits affectedwith sarcoptic  and  psoroptic  mange andreported that Ivermectin @ 400 µg / kg bodyweight  subcutaneous injection was moreeffective than doramectin. Treatment withIvermectin once in 6 months is advised tosuppress ear mange (Koopman et  al., 1989).However, administration of  3 doses ofIvermectin @ 200-400 µg / kg  body weight  atan interval of  2 weeks, which is usually curativein rabbits affected with mange.  Disinfectionof the rabbit cages and their houses with a blowlamp was  effective  in control of mange inrabbits, which corroborate with the findings ofDarzi et  al., (2007). However presentobservation indicates Ivermectin  therapycoupled with proper management, disinfectionof rabbit cages and segregation of infectedanimals is effective  in control of mange inrabbits.ACKNOWLEDGEMENTAuthors are thankful to the Director ofAnimal Husbandry & Veterinary Services, WestBengal  to provide  necessary facility for thework.REFERENCESAulakh GS,  Singla  LD,  Singla  N (2003)Pathology and therapy of natural notoedric acariosisin rabbits.  J Vet Parasitol   17: 127-129.Bhardwaj RK, Mir IA, Ahmad O, Kumar A,Wahid A,  Bhardwaj D (2012 )   An outbreak ofmange in rabbits.  Indian Vet  J    89: 78.Birchard  SJ ,   Sherding RG (2000)    Saundersmanual of small animal practice.  2nd edn.  W.B.Saunders Company. Philadhelpia.Bornstein SMT ,  Samuel WH (2001)   Parasiticdiseases of wild mammals.  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AdvParasitol    5: 309-376.*Cite this article as:   Mitra J,   Shikari R N,   Das A K,  Roy B B,   Mitra M  (2014)  Thera-peutic   management  of  sarcoptic  mange In  rabbit  with  Ivermectin. Explor Anim Med Res4(1): 116-120.Therapeutic   management  of  sarcoptic  mange  In  rabbit  with  Ivermectin.

THERAPEUTIC MANAGEMENT OF SARCOPTIC MANGE IN RABBIT WITH IVERMECTIN

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