Activity of commerical fasciolicides in small laboratory mammals

The activity is reported of 6 commerical fasciolicides and disophenol administered at doses of effective in sheep, against 6- and 12-week-old Fasciola hepatica in rats and rabbits and 6-week-old flukes in guinea pigs. Tests in rats and rabbits do not give a reliable indication of the activity of fasciolicides in sheep, but results with guinea pigs were closer to those in sheep. A comparison of the effective dose in rats and sheep indicates that tests in rats usually underestimate activity in sheep. The use of a simple egg count procedure in sheep to provide information on potential fasciolicides is described.