Wildlife Toxicology Laboratory at Texas Tech University

Wildlife Toxicology Laboratory at Texas Tech University https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ronald_Kendall

The WTL at Texas Tech University is dedicated to studying the effects of environmental contaminants, disease, and/or parasites on the reproduction, health, and well-being of wildlife.

Check out this article by Suber et al. titled ‘Demonstrated laboratory effectiveness of an anthelmintic medicated feed f...
08/17/2026

Check out this article by Suber et al. titled ‘Demonstrated laboratory effectiveness of an anthelmintic medicated feed for the treatment of Oxyspirura petrowi infections in northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus).

In this study we experimentally infected bobwhite with the eyeworm and fed them QuailGuard medicated feed for 3 weeks at different frequencies. This study determined how much QuailGuard feed wild quail may have to consume and how often to clear eyeworm infections. It was discovered that quail that had consumed 38.887 total grams of QuailGuard were fully worm free independent of the number of times they ate the feed.

PDF | In May 2024, a medicated anthelmintic feed was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat parasitic infection in wild quail... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

Linked below is an article titled ‘Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) population response to anthelminthic treatmen...
08/14/2026

Linked below is an article titled ‘Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) population response to anthelminthic treatment in the Rolling Plains ecoregion of Texas, 2014-2016.’

This 2024 article by Henry et al. describes a quail population increasing by 300% after being treated with QuailGuard for only one year, while the neighboring untreated population showed no growth.

PDF | Northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) are an economically significant gamebird that has experienced continued general decline in the... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

Check out this 2025 article by Henry et al. titled ‘Depletion of fenbendazole sulfone residues in northern bobwhite (Col...
08/10/2026

Check out this 2025 article by Henry et al. titled ‘Depletion of fenbendazole sulfone residues in northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) liver following medicated feed treatment.’

They looked at how quickly fenbendazole sulphone, which is a conjugated metabolite of the active ingredient in QuailGuard, cleared from the quail’s tissue so they could ensure it would be safe for hunters to eat. The metabolite was cleared by the liver in 9.38 hours and never exceeded 6 ppm in tissue, which is extremely low. This means there is a 0-day withdrawal period before hunters can consume quail meat that has been treated with QuailGuard.

PDF | Northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) are an important game bird that generates substantial revenue for rural communities and is also an... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

The article ‘Efficacy of a medicated feed to treat parasites of wild Northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus),’ des...
08/07/2026

The article ‘Efficacy of a medicated feed to treat parasites of wild Northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus),’ describes some of the first work conducted to get QuailGuard FDA approved. The 2025 article by Henry et al. found the feed was 71.5% (cecal worm) and 81.7% (eyeworm) efficacious against the cecal worm and eyeworm respectively. An additional final efficacy study found after randomly assigned medicated, or control feed on a private ranch for 21 days there was a 99.5% efficacy against the cecal worm.

In conclusion, medicated feed significantly reduced parasite burden over control feed.

PDF | Parasites are ubiquitous in wildlife populations and can cause reduced fecundity and survival in several species, as well as influence cyclic... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

Check out this 2025 article by Leach et al. titled ‘Effects of a Common Intestinal Helminth on F***l Corticosterone Meta...
08/03/2026

Check out this 2025 article by Leach et al. titled ‘Effects of a Common Intestinal Helminth on F***l Corticosterone Metabolite Concentrations of Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus).’

This work took the previously validated f***l corticosterone metabolite (FCM) validation and applied it to wild bobwhite captured in the field. Bobwhite were trapped in Oklahoma and qPCR results of cecal worm infection were compared to FCM levels in f***s. It was found that as cecal worm infection intensifies so does the level of FCM in the f***s.

Meaning cecal worms induce stress and likely affect reproduction and survival.

PDF | It has been shown in several wild populations that helminths can affect survival and reproduction in avian hosts, even at moderate intensities.... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

Please read ‘The effects of different sample storage conditions on faecal corticosterone metabolite measurements in nort...
07/31/2026

Please read ‘The effects of different sample storage conditions on faecal corticosterone metabolite measurements in northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus).’

This 2025 article by Suber et al. investigated how different storage conditions and timing of extraction may affect the results of f***l corticosterone metabolite (FCM) results. It was discovered that there was no difference in female’s f***s exposed to environmental conditions before extraction vs frozen immediately. However, female’s f***s that were extracted immediately were significantly lower in FCM concentration. Male f***s exposed to the environment were significantly higher than that which was immediately frozen. In conclusion we can compare FCM concentrations between environmentally exposed from both sexes and frozen female f***s.

PDF | The northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) is an economically and ecologically vital gamebird in North America experiencing vast population... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

Check out this 2024 article by Leach et al. titled ‘Validation of an enzyme immunoassay for the detection of corticoster...
07/27/2026

Check out this 2024 article by Leach et al. titled ‘Validation of an enzyme immunoassay for the detection of corticosterone metabolites from northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) f***s.’

This work validated a method to detect f***l corticosterone metabolites in northern bobwhite quail f***s. This assay allows us to assess stress hormone metabolites in quail f***s which is relevant to the immune and overall health of the gamebird.

PDF | Interest in the effects of stressors on wildlife has grown substantially over the past few decades. As this interest has grown, so has the need... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

Check out this article on one of our hallmark field demonstration sites in Oklahoma titled ‘Response of Northern bobwhit...
07/24/2026

Check out this article on one of our hallmark field demonstration sites in Oklahoma titled ‘Response of Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) and two parasitic nematode populations in western Oklahoma to anthelmintic supplemental feed.’

Leach et al. found that the bobwhite population receiving medicated feed grew between 2019-2022 while the neighboring population had no change in abundance. Resulting in the treated population being significantly larger by 2021 and having significantly less parasites across study years. This study not only showed the success of medicated feed but that untreated populations will have a negative impact from helminth infections.

PDF | It has been demonstrated that helminths are capable of critically impacting the fitness of their hosts. This has typically been shown... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

The research in the article ‘In Vitro Lethality of Fenbendazole to the Eyeworm Oxyspirura petrowi’, found the lethal dos...
07/20/2026

The research in the article ‘In Vitro Lethality of Fenbendazole to the Eyeworm Oxyspirura petrowi’, found the lethal dose of fenbendazole to eyeworms. Leach at al. found that 100% of eyeworms died after 7.5 days being exposed to 200 micromolar concentrations of fenbendazole.

PDF | Oxyspirura petrowi is a heteroxenous nematode that infects the harderian gland and other ocular tissues in birds. High-intensity infections often... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

Check out this article by our recent graduate H. Suber titled ‘Implications of Treating Parasitic infection in Northern ...
07/17/2026

Check out this article by our recent graduate H. Suber titled ‘Implications of Treating Parasitic infection in Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) on Overall Helminth Lifecycle.’
This research found that reducing parasitic burden in bobwhite may affect prevalence in insect intermediate hosts. There was a significant reduction in overall prevalence of eyeworms in intermediate hosts on a site treated for 5 years, but the site treated for 2 years and a control site were not significantly different.

PDF | This study was conducted to determine how reducing the parasite burden in a definitive host may affect the prevalence in intermediate hosts. Here... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

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