Abstract
BackgroundThe Australian paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus, causes tick paralysis in dogs and cats in the eastern coastal regions of Australia. Prevention is the best option to protect dogs against this potentially fatal disease and sarolaner provides rapid and sustained efficacy against I. holocyclus. In this laboratory study, the efficacy of two combination endectocides containing sarolaner + moxidectin + pyrantel (Simparica Trio™) and afoxolaner + milbemycin (NexGard Spectra®) was evaluated against an artificial infestation of I. holocyclus.MethodsTwenty-four (n =24) foxhounds were randomly allocated to three treatment groups and artificially infested with 30 adult female viable ticks on Days − 1, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35. On Day 0, dogs in each treatment group were treated with either Drontal® (control group), Simparica Trio™ at the label dose to provide minimum doses of sarolaner (1.2 mg/kg), moxidectin (24 µg/kg) and pyrantel (5 mg/kg) or NexGard Spectra® to provide minimum doses of afoxolaner (2.5 mg/kg) and milbemycin (0.5 mg/kg). Live tick counts were performed at 48 and 72 hours after treatment and after each re-infestation on Days 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35. Efficacy was determined at each time point relative to counts for control dogs based on geometric means.ResultsAgainst an existing infestation, efficacy of both Simparica Trio™ and NexGard Spectra® was 99.6% and 100% at 48 and 72 h time points, respectively (P = 1.000). Against subsequent weekly infestations, treatment with Simparica Trio™ and NexGard Spectra® resulted in efficacy of ≥ 97.7% and ≥ 95.5% (P ≥ 0.0911), respectively at the 48 h time point and at the 72 h time point, Simparica Trio™ and NexGard Spectra® resulted in efficacy of ≥ 99.0% and ≥ 98.4% (P ≥ 0.0511), respectively. There were no treatment-related adverse events in the study.ConclusionsSingle doses of Simparica Trio™ and NexGard Spectra® were highly efficacious and provided comparable efficacy against the Australian paralysis tick, I. holocyclus for up to 35 days.
Highlights
The Australian paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus, causes tick paralysis in dogs and cats in the eastern coastal regions of Australia
Since the introduction of isoxazolines in Australia, the incidence of tick paralysis related insurance claims appears to be declining which is a testimony to their efficacy [36]
Safety Three dogs in the Simparica TrioTM-treated group were treated for dermatitis or lick granuloma and three dogs in the NexGard Spectra®-treated group were treated for trauma, lick granuloma and/or gastrointestinal upset
Summary
The Australian paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus, causes tick paralysis in dogs and cats in the eastern coastal regions of Australia. Prevention is the best option to protect dogs against this potentially fatal disease and sarolaner provides rapid and sustained efficacy against I. holocyclus. Known as the Australian paralysis tick, is the major cause of tick paralysis in dogs in Australia It is widely distributed along the eastern coastal regions of Australia from North Queensland to Lakes Entrance of Victoria [26,27,28,29]. Another ixodid tick, Ixodes cornuatus, is reported to cause clinically significant paralysis in some parts of south-eastern Australia [29, 30]. Since the introduction of isoxazolines in Australia, the incidence of tick paralysis related insurance claims appears to be declining which is a testimony to their efficacy [36]
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