Spot on treatment with imidacloprid and moxidectin kills hookworms

Abstract

Ancylostoma ceylanicum is a common zoonotic hookworm of dogs and cats, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of a spot on combination product containing imidacloprid 10% and moxidectin 1% (Advocate(&#xae;)/Advantage(&#xae;) Multi, Bayer Animal Health) against A. ceylanicum in experimentally infected cats. Sixteen kittens were each subcutaneously injected with 100 infective third-stage larvae of A. ceylanicum. Kittens were stratified by egg count and randomly allocated into control and treatment groups. The kittens in the treatment group were each treated with a spot on combination of 10% (w/v) imidacloprid and 1% (w/v) moxidectin, administered topically at recommended label dose rates. The kittens in the control group were not treated. Egg counts were performed daily until the end of the study period and compared for the treated and control groups. No eggs were detected in the treated group of kittens within 4 days of treatment and faecal samples from this group remained negative throughout the rest of the study, resulting in a treatment efficacy (egg reduction) of 100% (P<0.0001). The egg counts remained high (993 &#xb1; 666 epg) in the untreated control group for the rest of the study period. This study demonstrated that based on faecal egg count reduction, the spot on combination containing imidacloprid 10% (w/v) and moxidectin 1% (w/v) (Advocate(&#xae;)/Advantage(&#xae;) Multi, Bayer Animal Health) given at the recommended dose is highly effective against infection with A. ceylanicum in cats.