Therapeutic trial of ivermectin against Notoedres cati var. cuniculi infection in rabbits.

Effect of 400 micrograms/kg of ivermectin against natural infection of Notoedres cati var. cuniculi mange in rabbits was evaluated in twenty rabbits which showed typical symptoms of notoedric mange and were randomly divided into two groups. Group I consisted of 15 rabbits treated with single s/c injection of ivermectin (Ivomec, Dynamic Pharmacals, Bombay). In group II, five infected untreated rabbits were kept as control. Daily observations of clinical improvement and on the basis of examination of skin scrapings on days 0, 3, 6, 9, 16, 23 and 30 post treatment were done. Complete visual shedding of lesions was seen on day 6 after treatment and skin scrapping were found negative for mites after 7th day of treatment till the end of experiment. Histopathologically mites were present in stratum corneum and many were noticed in the burrows in epidermis. Marked hyperkeratosis, hyperplasia and acantholysis along with ballooning degeneration of epithelial cells of epidermis were seen.