Safety of moxidectin in avermectin-sensitive collies

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety of moxidectin administration at doses of 30, 60, and 90 microg/kg of body weight (10, 20, and 30 times the manufacturer's recommended dose) in avermectin-sensitive Collies. ANIMALS: 24 Collies. PROCEDURE: Collies with mild to severe reactions to ivermectin challenge (120 mg/kg; 20 times the recommended dose for heartworm prevention) were used. Six replicates of 4 dogs each were formed on the basis of body weight and severity of reaction to ivermectin test dose. Within replicates, each dog was randomly allocated to treatment with oral administration of 30, 60, or 90 microg of moxidectin/kg or was given a comparable volume of placebo tablet formulation. Dogs were observed hourly for the first 8 hours and twice daily thereafter for 1 month for signs of toxicosis. RESULTS: Signs of toxicosis were not observed in any control group dog throughout the treatment observation period. Likewise, signs of toxicosis were not observed in any dog receiving moxidectin at 30, 60, or 90 microg/kg. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The moxidectin formulation used in the study reported here appears to have a wider margin of safety than ivermectin or milbemycin in avermectin-sensitive Collies.