The use of injectable rafoxanide against natural ovine nasal myiasis

Rafoxanide (Flukanide), 7.5 mg kg-1 b.w. was administered to a group of 17 sheep naturally infected with Oestrus ovis larvae. A similar untreated control group was simultaneously observed for changes in clinical signs and body weights. Three animals from each group were slaughtered and examined for the presence of larval instars of O. ovis. While no larvae were recovered from the treated group, a total of 26 larvae, predominantly first and third instars, were recovered from nasal sinuses of the untreated group. There was clinical recovery and additional weight gain (+3.52 kg) after 2 months in the treated animals and a noticeable clinical deterioration of the untreated animals. The effect of the drug lasted for greater than 25 days.