Immunomodulatory effect of levamisole and administration of amitraz in dogs with uncomplicated generalized demodicosis

The immunomodulatory effect of levamisole (Decaris tbl.) in the course of acaricide therapy with amitraz (Taktic) on the functional activity of blood neutrophils (% of phagocytizing cells and ingestion capacity) and lymphocytes (blastogenic response to Con A) in dogs with uncomplicated generalized demodicosis (NGD) was studied. The level of examined parameters was evaluated before treatment, week 3 and 7 after the first application of these preparations; and compared with the values of NGD dogs treated only with amitraz and with those in clinically healthy dogs. In comparison with healthy dogs the initial level of examined activities of both cell populations was significantly depressed. A significantly earlier (4 weeks earlier) increase (when compared with values before treatment) of investigated activities of neutrophils and lymphocytes occurred in dogs treated with amitraz and levamisole in comparison with those in dogs treated only with amitraz. It was manifested especially significantly in phagocytosis, the ingestion capacity of neutrophils at this time of therapy has reached the level of those in healthy dogs. Functional activity of lymphocytes in both groups of NGD dogs has not reached a comparable value with that in healthy dogs either at the end of observation. The presented results indicate that significantly earlier improvement of functional activity of phagocytes and lymphocytes in demodectic dogs treated with amitraz and levamisole was connected with the immunorestorative effect of levamisole.