Efficacy of a novel formulation of metaflumizone for the control of fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) on cats.
A novel spot-on formulation containing metaflumizone (ProMeris for Cats, Fort Dodge Animal Health, Overland Park, KS) was evaluated in five laboratory studies to determine the duration of residual efficacy in cats against fleas after a single spot treatment. In each study, eight domestic shorthair cats were randomly allocated to each treatment group and individually housed. One group in each study remained non-treated. In one study, an additional group of eight cats was treated with a placebo formulation. Cats were treated topically with metaflumizone formulation to provide a dose of at least 40mg metaflumizone/kg. Cats were infested with 100 cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis felis) once per week for approximately 8 weeks. Cats were comb counted 48h after treatment and each infestation to determine the number of viable fleas present. There were no significant differences in flea counts between the non-treated control and the placebo-treated control (P>0.05) other than a 26% reduction at week 1, demonstrating that the formulation excipients had no activity. Metaflumizone treatment resulted in significantly lower flea numbers relative to non-treated controls on all post-treatment count days (P<0.05). Metaflumizone provided >90% control of flea infestations up to 7 weeks following a single treatment.
Holzmer
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Fort Dodge Animal Health, P.O. Box 5366, Princeton, NJ 08543, USA. holzmes@pt.fdah.com
Hair
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Dryden
M W
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Young
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Carter
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L
D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002415:Cats; D004478:Ectoparasitic Infestations / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D007300:Insect Control / Q000379:methods; D007306:Insecticides; D008297:Male; D012664:Semicarbazones; D005423:Siphonaptera
D007306:Insecticides; D012664:Semicarbazones; C528570:metaflumizone