Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Lotilaner (Credelio CAT) controls fleas in homes with cats
By Sutherland, Cameron et al.·Published in Parasites & vectors·2025·College of Veterinary Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Assessment of lotilaner (Credelio® CAT) for control of in-home Ctenocephalides felis infestations.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of homes with cats dealing with flea infestations was treated with an oral flea medication called lotilaner (Credelio CAT). Within just one week, there was a 99.3% drop in flea counts, and by the end of the study, all cats were flea-free. The cats also showed significant improvement in skin irritation and itching, with scores dropping dramatically after treatment. This study shows that lotilaner is highly effective in eliminating fleas and improving skin conditions related to flea bites.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Flea infestations remain a major issue in veterinary medicine. Highly effective flea control for dogs and cats remains the foundation for eliminating infestations from homes and improving skin conditions associated with flea-feeding. METHODS: Homes with pet cats were screened by flea-history questionnaire. Qualifying homes were subselected into "high" (≥ 5 fleas on ≥ 1 cat, and ≥ 5 fleas collected in environmental flea traps over a 16-24 h period), "low" (< 5 fleas on all cats, < 5 in traps), and "no" homes (no evidence of fleas on cats or traps). All cats and dogs in a household were treated with a lotilaner oral tablet (CredelioCAT and Credelio, respectively) in weeks 0, 4, and 8. On-animal and trap counts were performed for: "high" at weeks 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 11-12; "low" at week 0 and at approximately 2-week intervals through week 11-12; and "no" only at week 0. During each visit, one owner completed a pruritus assessment (PVAS) and a veterinary dermatologist assessed dermatologic lesions using the feline allergic dermatitis (SCORFAD) scale. RESULTS: A total of 46 homes met inclusion criteria and completed the study: 19 "high" (35 cats); 17 "low" (27); and 10 "no" (14). By week 1, relative to pretreatment, there was a 99.3% reduction in flea counts on "high" cats, with 31 of 34 cats (91.2%) flea-free. By week 11-12, flea counts across all study cats and traps were zero. Prior to the first treatment, mean PVAS scores were: "high" 6.6; "low" 5.5; and "no" 1.9. By week 1 there was a significant decrease in mean PVAS score of cats from "high" homes to 2.9 (P < 0.0001), and mean week 11-12 scores were 0.5 and 0.8 for "high" and "low" homes, respectively. For SCORFAD, by week 11-12, relative to week 0, there was a significant decline in mean scores of cats from both "high" (8.0 to 1.7) (P < 0.0001) and "low" homes (3.3 to 0.9) (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Lotilaner was 100% efficacious in eliminating flea infestations from animals and their homes. The monthly lotilaner treatments of cats and dogs in flea-infested homes resulted in clinical resolution of pruritus and dermatologic lesions.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41239393/