Control of Filaroides hirthi in commercially reared beagle dogs

Two commercial research Beagle breeding colonies began a control program for Filaroides hirthi. All stud dogs and all nonpregnant, nonlactating brood bitches were given two courses, 2-4 weeks apart, of 25 mg/kg body weight albendazole per os twice daily for 5 days. Puppies of treated dams were isolated from puppies of nontreated dams. The proportions of infected puppies of puppies killed in 1979 were 45% and 78% from the two colonies. After 1979, the proportions were 0.2% and 24%. One colony may have had a problem with albendazole toxicity; the problem was stopped by changing the diet.