AUTHOR
Donato Traversa
DVM, PhD, DipEVPC, EBVS
University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
_title_
No results found.
No results found.
This is a filled error message
Account sign in.
To access full articles on www.cliniciansbrief.com, please sign in below.
Lavan R, Armstrong R, Normile D, Vaala W. Adherence to veterinary recommendations for ectoparasiticides purchased by cat owners in the USA. Parasit Vectors. 2020;13:541.
Flea and tick infestations can cause clinical disease and have the potential to transmit infectious and zoonotic pathogens.1,2 Abundant safe and effective flea and tick control options should be available at the clinic. Pet owner compliance with treatment recommendations is critical because reduced compliance can lead to treatment failure and persistent infestation.
This study* evaluated duration of coverage of 3 flea and tick treatment products purchased by cat owners in the United States: a 12-week administration product containing fluralaner, a monthly product containing fipronil/(S)-methoprene/pyriproxyfen, and a monthly product containing imidacloprid/pyriproxyfen. All were labeled for flea control; fluralaner and fipronil/(S)-methoprene/pyriproxyfen were also labeled for tick control. The study aimed to evaluate whether the 12-week treatment interval resulted in a different duration of coverage than monthly administration. Transactional records from a commercial database derived from practice management software were obtained and analyzed. The database included the purchasing records of cat owners over a 30-month period from 2017 to 2019 from 671 veterinary clinics; 41,630 cats were represented. Owners purchased a yearly average of 1.5 doses of fluralaner (providing 4.2 months of treatment coverage), 3.6 doses of fipronil/(S)-methoprene/pyriproxyfen, and 2.8 doses of imidacloprid/ pyriproxyfen. The authors concluded that the 12-week administration interval provided 17% or 50% longer annual protection than fipronil/(S)-methoprene/pyriproxyfen and imidacloprid/ pyriproxyfen, respectively.
FIGURE 1 Fleas and flea feces on a cat. Image courtesy of Simone Morelli, University of Teramo
FIGURE 1 Fleas and flea feces on a cat. Image courtesy of Simone Morelli, University of Teramo
FIGURE 2 Tick feeding on a cat. Image courtesy of Ilaria Russi, University of Teramo
FIGURE 2 Tick feeding on a cat. Image courtesy of Ilaria Russi, University of Teramo
Key pearls to put into practice:
Fleas and ticks are key ectoparasites in cats, and although vector-borne diseases are more common in dogs, cats are also affected. Some transmitted pathogens also pose a zoonotic risk to humans.
Educating cat owners on the importance of using flea and tick preventives is imperative, regardless of the recommended/prescribed product. Clinicians should also consider following recognized guidelines (eg, from the Companion Animal Parasite Council) in order to safeguard patient health and minimize risks for humans.
Many marketed ectoparasiticides have efficacy against both fleas and ticks. Recommendations should be made based on individual patient considerations, including geographic location. In addition, owner compliance should be considered, as it has an impact on the reliability of ectoparasite control programs.
References
For global readers, a calculator to convert laboratory values, dosages, and other measurements to SI units can be found here.
All Clinician's Brief content is reviewed for accuracy at the time of publication. Previously published content may not reflect recent developments in research and practice.
Material from Clinician's Brief may not be reproduced, distributed, or used in whole or in part without prior permission of Educational Concepts, LLC. For questions or inquiries please contact us.
*2007-2017 PERQ and Essential Media Studies
© Educational Concepts, L.L.C. dba Brief Media ™ All Rights Reserved. Terms & Conditions | DMCA Copyright | Privacy Policy | Acceptable Use Policy