Abstract
BackgroundA study was conducted to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of two different spot-on topical flea products to control flea infestations on naturally infested dogs and cats in Tampa, FL USA.MethodsThirty-two dogs and 3 cats with natural flea infestations living in 18 homes were treated topically with a 19.53% w/w spot-on formulation of indoxacarb. Another thirty dogs and 2 cats living in 19 different homes were treated topically with either fipronil (9.8% w/w)/(s)-methoprene (8.89% w/w) or fipronil (9.8% w/w)/(s)-methoprene (11.8% w/w), respectively. All products were applied according to label directions by study investigators on day 0 and again between days 28 and 30. Flea populations on pets were assessed using visual area counts and premise flea infestations were assessed using intermittent-light flea traps on days 0, 7, 14, 21, 28–30, 40–45, and 54–60.ResultsA single application of the indoxacarb or fipronil (s)-methoprene formulations reduced flea populations on pets by 97.8% and 85.5%, respectively within 7 days. One month (28–30 days) after treatment the indoxacarb and fipronil (s)-methoprene formulations reduced on-animal flea burdens by 95.0% and 49.5%, respectively. Following two monthly applications of either the indoxacarb or fipronil (s)-methoprene formulations, pet flea burdens were reduced by 99.1% and 54.8%, respectively, by days 54 – 60. At the end of the two month study, 77.1% and 15.6% of the dogs and cats in the indoxacarb and fipronil (s)-methoprene treatment groups, respectively were flea free. Flea numbers in the indoor-premises were markedly reduced in both treatment groups by days 54–60, with 97.7% and 84.6% reductions in intermittent-light flea trap counts in the indoxacarb and fipronil (s)-methoprene treatment groups, respectively.ConclusionsThis in-home investigation conducted during the summer of 2013 in subtropical Tampa, FL, is the first published U.S field investigation of the indoxacarb topical formulation. The indoxacarb formulation was able to effectively control flea populations in heavily flea infested pets and homes. The efficacy achieved by the fipronil (s)-methoprene formulation against flea infestations on these pets was lower than in previous investigations using the same study design.
Highlights
A study was conducted to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of two different spot-on topical flea products to control flea infestations on naturally infested dogs and cats in Tampa, FL USA
Previous studies conducted in the United States, Europe and Australia have demonstrated that dinotefuranpyriproxyfen, fipronil (±, (s)-methoprene) imidacloprid, imidacloprid-flumethrin, lufenuron (+pyrethrin spray or + nitenpyram tablets) selamectin, and spinosad were effective in markedly reducing or eliminating natural flea infestations on dogs and cats and in private residences without the need for treatment of the premises [2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10]
In one of the households in the indoxacarb treatment group, the single enrolled pet was not at the home to be counted on days 21 or 28 – 30; in another household in that treatment group one of the dogs displayed extreme aggressiveness and mauled another dog in the home; and, in the third home, the owner moved to another residence one week into the study
Summary
A study was conducted to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of two different spot-on topical flea products to control flea infestations on naturally infested dogs and cats in Tampa, FL USA. Since the introduction of the modern topical and systemic products in the mid1990s it appears that flea control on pets and in their owners’ homes succeeds or fails based upon a product or combination of products’ ability to suppress flea reproduction [6,7] The objective of this current study was to evaluate the performance of a new indoxacarb containing topical spot-on formulation to eliminate natural flea infestations on dogs and cats in Tampa, FL USA. A previous laboratory study conducted at Kansas State University demonstrated that a single topical spot-on formulation of indoxacarb applied to cats provided ≥99.6% efficacy against flea infestations for 6 weeks [13] This treatment markedly reduced or eliminated egg production for 45 days and reduced the viability of the few eggs that were produced for up to 38 days following a single treatment [13]. Both fipronil only and fipronil (s)-methoprene topical spot-ons have been used previously in our studies in Tampa with good results [4,6,7]
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