Effect of deworming medication on the microbial flora of the upper gastrointestinal tract of dogs

Control cultures were taken at laporatomy of the stomach or stomach remnant, jejunum, and ileum of 26 adult dogs, 8 of which had had gastric surgery 1 yr earlier. Two wk after the control cultures were taken, 17 of the 26 dogs, including all 8 which had had prior surgery, were treated with anthelmintics, niclosamide, dichlorophene, methylbenzene, and arecoline hydrobromide. Two wk after the anthelmintic treatment, or 4 wk after the control cultures were taken, the 26 dogs were recultured. Samples of microbial flora were obtained by direct needle aspiration employing anaerobic precautions. These samples were processed both quantitatively and qualitatively using both anaerobic and aerobic technics. The specific sites cultured were the lower stomach or stomach remnant, proximal jejunum 15 cm distal to the ligament of Treitz, and distal ileum 45 cm proximal to the ileocecal valve. Bacteria isolated were predominately facultative aerobes. No fungi were isolated. Cultivation of spirochetes was not attempted. The results showed that there was no significant qualitative or quantitative alteration of microbial flora caused by the anthelmintic treatment.