A small-scale open-label study of the treatment of canine flea allergy dermatitis with fluralaner.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Fluralaner is an isoxazoline systemic insecticide and acaricide that provides persistent flea-killing activity on dogs for 12 weeks. European and US field studies have shown that fluralaner treatment alleviates the signs of flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) in client-owned dogs. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical response in FAD affected dogs over the 12-week period following a single oral fluralaner treatment. ANIMALS: Twenty client-owned dogs were diagnosed with FAD on the basis of compatible clinical signs and a positive response in flea antigen tests, using intradermal and or serological methods. METHODS: An open-label small-scale study with all dogs receiving a single oral fluralaner treatment. All enrolled dogs were diagnosed with FAD and then clinically monitored at 4-week intervals for 12 weeks. Twenty dogs completed the study. RESULTS: All dogs were flea-free at all post-treatment assessments except for one dog that had a single flea at the first post-enrollment assessment at 4 weeks. At the 4-week post-treatment assessment active FAD signs had resolved in all dogs; at 8 weeks post-treatment, two dogs showed mild signs. All clinical signs of FAD had resolved at the final assessment of 12 weeks after treatment. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: A single administration of fluralaner alleviated or resolved signs associated with FAD in all treated dogs over the recommended 12-week treatment period.