Efficacy of a topically applied formulation of metaflumizone on cats against the adult cat flea, flea egg production and hatch, and adult flea emergence

Abstract

A spot-on metaflumizone formulation was evaluated to determine its adulticidal efficacy, effect upon egg production, and ovicidal activity when applied to flea infested cats. Eight male and eight female adult domestic shorthair cats were randomly assigned to either serve as non-treated controls or were treated topically with a minimum of 40 mg/kg metaflumizone in single spot-on Day 0. On Days −2, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, and 56, each cat was infested with approximately 100 unfed cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis felis. On Days 1, 2, and 3, and at 48 and 72 h after each post-treatment reinfestation, flea eggs were collected and counted. At approximately 72 h after treatment or infestation, each cat was combed to remove and count live fleas. Egg viability was determined by examining hatched eggs after 5 days and adult emergence was determined 28 days after egg collection. Metaflumizone provided ≥99.6% efficacy against adult fleas from Days 3 to 45 following a single application. Following treatment, egg production fell by 51.6% within 24 h and 99.2% within 48 h. Following subsequent weekly infestations egg production from treated cats was negligible out to Day 38, with ≥99.5% reduction relative to non-treated cats. Where there were eggs to evaluate, metaflumizone treatment did not have any apparent effect on the hatching of eggs or on the development and emergence of adult fleas from the eggs produced by fleas from treated animals.