Quote:
Originally Posted by kjc  The only drug used in this study was Doxycycline. If they're not killing the adults with Immeticide, then the reason for the population of microfilaria being reduced is that the Adult Heartworms cannot breed and make more microfilaria.
The microfilaria in dogs treated with Doxycycline is affected by the death of the Wolbachia (caused by the Doxycycline) "turning them incapable of completing developement" (if they cannot reach adulthood, they cannot reproduce).
IMHO, these findings are saying that treating Heartworm positive dogs with Doxycycline can effectively limit the spread of this disease.
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As I said I have nothing more for this thread; but I need to address this that I saw after I posted. I am not going to banter with you on this topic. I read the study and see nowhere that it says that the conclusion was the weakening of adult heartworms.
From the site...below...and I remain convinced the study had to do with the effect of Doxy on Wolbachia. If it were so effective against heartworms, that would be a breaking development and the end of immiticide treatments! I have not heard that forthcoming.
Doxycycline treatment did not alter the detection of adult parasite antigens with the exception of two animals, though the number of animals carrying Wolbachia sp. DNA decreased, despite the presence of the microfilariae.