Evaluation of doxycycline at different dosages in canine heartworm disease (Diforfilaria immitis): Are we administering too much antibiotic?

Abstract

Dirofilaria immitis, which causes heartworm disease, is one of the most common parasites in the Canary Islands and one of the most pathogenic nematodes for dogs. Although it is a disease that is widely studied, there are still many factors that are unknown about it. The acute phase response, particularly C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, was examined in 39 dogs together with anti-Wolbachia surface protein antibody response. Also, the presence of microfilaria and different parasite loads was evaluated before (D0) and after (D30) antibiotic treatment with doxycycline at three different doses. The study shows variability that suggests the need for further investigation into CRP's role as a biomarker for heartworm-related complications. The results supports the efficacy of doxycycline in reducing Wolbachia and suggests that lower doses may be effective, though further research with larger sample sizes is needed to confirm these findings.