Abstract
BackgroundA blinded, randomized, negative controlled laboratory study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of lotilaner (CredelioTM, Elanco) when administered orally to dogs, against experimentally induced adult flea infestations and flea egg production.MethodsTwenty dogs were selected for the study and allocated to two treatment groups. Ten dogs were treated with lotilaner (at the lower half of the recommended dose range of 20–43 mg/kg) on Day 0. Ten dogs treated with placebo tablets served as the control group. Each dog was infested with 100 unfed adult C. felis fleas on days -1, 6, 13, 20 and 29. At 24 h post-treatment or post-infestation, each dog was combed for the removal and counting of adult live fleas. Flea eggs were also collected and counted from the pan under each dog cage.ResultsDogs in the lotilaner treated group received a mean dose of 22.6 mg/kg (range 20.2–25.9 mg/kg) and no adverse events were observed in any dog in this study. At each evaluation time point, the lotilaner group provided 100% efficacy against adult live flea counts as compared to the placebo control group. Egg production from lotilaner treated dogs was reduced by 98.5% (geometric mean; 97.4% arithmetic mean) 24 h post-treatment (and 48 h post-flea infestation). No eggs (100% efficacy) were available for collection following infestations on Day 6 onwards from the lotilaner treated dogs. At each evaluation time point, adult live flea counts from the lotilaner treated dogs were significantly lower (P < 0.0001) than from the placebo control group.ConclusionsIn dogs treated with a single dose of lotilaner (mean dose 22.6 mg/kg), 100% of adult fleas were killed within 24 h post-treatment or post-subsequent infestations as compared to the placebo control group, thereby demonstrating that lotilaner kills fleas before they can lay eggs thus preventing subsequent flea infestations for 30 days after treatment. There were no reported adverse events in any dogs, demonstrating that lotilaner tablets were well tolerated at the dose rates assessed in this study.
Highlights
A blinded, randomized, negative controlled laboratory study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of lotilaner (CredelioTM, Elanco) when administered orally to dogs, against experimentally induced adult flea infestations and flea egg production
Dogs in the placebo control group and lotilaner treated group weighed an average of 9.74 kg and 10.51 kg, respectively (Table 1)
All dogs included in the study demonstrated adequate pre-treatment flea retention with Day -6 flea counts ranging from 78–100 fleas/dog and geometric means of 91.0 in the placebo control group and of 91.0 in the lotilaner treated group
Summary
A blinded, randomized, negative controlled laboratory study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of lotilaner (CredelioTM, Elanco) when administered orally to dogs, against experimentally induced adult flea infestations and flea egg production. The adult cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis felis, is the most prevalent flea species worldwide. It is one of the four known subspecies of C. felis but lacks the geographical restrictions of the other three subspecies; C. felis strongylus and C. felis darmarensis are found in Africa, and C. felis orientis is found in Southeast Asia and the East Indies [1]. Adult fleas are the only life stage commonly found infesting domestic cats and dogs worldwide [1]. Within 24 to 36 h of acquiring a host and feeding, female fleas begin laying their eggs [2, 3]. Flea eggs drop off the host into the environment and within a few weeks develop into adult fleas [2]. In the absence of effective treatments, these stages continue to develop and cause an increasing flea burden
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