Abstract

Dimninazene aceturate concentration in plasma and residues in tissues of dogs treated with secnidazole-diminazene aceturate combination and with diminazene aceturate alone was investigated in apparently healthy dogs. Fourteen apparently healthy dogs were randomly assigned to 3 groups. The first group consisted of 6 dogs pre-treated with 100 mg/kg secnidazole (SEC) orally 30 min before administration of 3.5 mg/kg diminazene aceturate (DA) im. The second group consisted of 6 dogs treated with 3.5 mg/kg DA im alone, while the third group had 2 dogs untreated and used to prepare the control tissues and standards. Blood samples were collected at 24, 48 and 72 h post-administration of DA and serum harvested for estimation of DA concentrations in the serum.  For estimation of DA residues in tissues, 2 dogs were sacrificed in each group at 240, 360 and 480 h post-administration of the drugs. Ten grams of tissue samples (liver, kidney, brain, heart and skeletal muscle) were collected in triplicate. Intramuscular administration of DA, led to detectable and measurable levels of DA up to 72 h in the serum of both groups of dogs. However, there was no significant difference in the serum concentration of DA in both groups of dogs from 24 – 72 h. The concentration of DA was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the brain of SEC pre-treated dogs at 240 h. In the kidney and liver, DA concentration was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in SEC pre-treated dogs at 480 h. There was no significant difference in the DA concentration in the myocardium and skeletal muscles of both groups of dogs. We therefore concluded that DA persists in the tissues of treated dogs beyond 20 days post-treatment and that SEC alters the elimination pattern of DA in SEC pre-treated dogs.

Keywords: Combination, Diminazene aceturate, Dogs, Secnidazole, Tissue residues