EFFECT OF ANTHELMENTIC THERAPY ON HEMATOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN DONKEYS

Parasites are the most common cause of colic and other significant health conditions in equines, among them is the  strongyles species. Donkeys in this study were not initially given treatment. A number of fecal and blood samples (whole blood and serum) were taken from donkeys of the current study. The fecal samples were subjected to fecal flotation test.
The donkeys were positive for strongyloid egg and negative for other eggs. The donkeys were examined by McMaster technique yielding an average of 790 EPG (egg per gram) and fecal culture demonstrating Strongylus equinus larvae. The whole blood samples collected from donkeys were used for hematological examination. The sera collected from donkeys were used for biochemical examination. The donkeys were tested again after using pyrantel tartarate by means of McMaster technique with an average count of 272 EPG and by means of hematological and biochemical parameters. The presented results in this study revealed that treatment with anthelmintic confirms the effect of gastrointestinal nematodes infestation, with special reference to Strongylus species, in Egyptian environmental conditions on biochemical and hematological profile of equine species, which act as metabolic biomarkers.