Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Honors Paper

Degree Name

Equine Pre-Veterinary/Pre-Graduate Studies-BS

Department

Equine Science

Advisor

Steffanie Burk

First Committee Member

Sheri Birmingham

Second Committee Member

Halard Lescinsky

Keywords

Horse Deworming, Parasites, Inflammatory Marker

Subject Categories

Animal Sciences | Higher Education

Abstract

Small strongyles parasitize horses worldwide. The life cycle of small strongyles has been well documented, and the burden of hosting thousands of parasites has been shown to cause extensive inflammation. Dewormer efficacy, excess adipose tissue and increased age are all factors that could potentially increase inflammatory responses in horses. To further understand horses’ inflammatory response to small strongyle parasitization following deworming, serum interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) was quantified using a cytokine 5 plex assay. IFN-γ is a proinflammatory cytokine that functions within both the innate and adaptive immune response. A sample of 57 horses, with a preliminary eggs per gram (EPG) >200 was selected for this 7-day study. Horses were blocked by body condition score (BCS) and age, then randomly assigned to a group: control, fenbendazole or moxidectin. Blood samples were taken via jugular venipuncture from which serum was isolated and sent to Cornell’s Serology and Immunology Lab to run the 5 plex assay cytokine panel. Fecal samples were also collected, and the modified Stoll method was used to determine EPG. Two non-parametric tests, Freidman and Kruskal Wallis, were performed using SPSS software. Additionally linear regression models were created, and a fecal egg count reduction (FECR) test was performed to test dewormer efficacy. No significance was found for the between group and within group comparison indicating deworming had no effect on IFN-γ throughout the duration of the study (p < .05). Similarly, linear regression models indicated no relationship between IFN-γ, age, EPG, or BCS. Taken together, this study provides useful knowledge for horse owners about inflammatory cytokines like IFN- γ and demonstrates the efficacy of moxidectin in suppressing strongyles eggs.

Licensing Permission

Copyright, all rights reserved. Fair Use

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Acknowledgement 2

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