Long-term efficacy of a deltamethrin-impregnated collar for the control of the Australian paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus, on dogs

Abstract

To determine the duration of efficacy of a 4% deltamethrin-impregnated collar for dogs (Scalibor® ProtectorBand, MSD Animal Health) against adult female paralysis ticks (Ixodes holocyclus). A controlled pen study was conducted. Dogs were artificially infested at 14-day intervals with unfed adult female ticks for up to 140 days following application of the collar to the dogs. Efficacy was assessed by manually counting ticks on dogs at 24, 48 and 72 h after each infestation. Efficacy at the 72-h count was 96% after the day 14 tick infestation. The 72-h efficacy remained above 94% from the day 14 to the day 98 infestations, when efficacy was still 99.5%. Efficacy at 72 h was above 90% after the day 112 infestation and was still 93% at 72 h after the day 140 infestation. The deltamethrin-impregnated collar gave greater than 90% control of paralysis ticks for at least 14 weeks.