Therapeutic management of Muellerius capillaris infection in Himalayan musk deer (Moschus leucogaster)

Abstract

An investigation was conducted to determine the cause of mortality and ill health in a captive musk deer farm at the Musk Deer Research Centre, Bageshwar, Uttarakhand. Six musk deer died within a period of two months, and pathological findings confirmed verminous pneumonia due to nematode infestation. Faecal samples collected from eleven animals and examined using standard flotation and sedimentation techniques revealed infection with Muellerius capillaris in all animals, with mild infection in 7 and moderate and severe infection in two animals. All animals were initially treated with ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg body weight, subcutaneously), but follow-up examination on day 10 indicated persistence of infection in seven animals. Subsequently, fenbendazole (5 mg/kg body weight orally for 15 days) was administered to all animals. Post-treatment faecal examinations on days 10 and 30 confirmed complete clearance of lungworm infection and overall improvement in animal health. The poor response to ivermectin may be due to limited drug availability within nodular lung lesions, whereas prolonged fenbendazole treatment proved effective in eliminating persistent M. capillaris infection in captive musk deer.