Effectiveness of two flea and worm treatments for cats in Brazil

Abstract

Eprinomectin and praziquantel, nematodicide and cestodicide compounds, are both combined with the insecticide and acaricide compounds fipronil and (S)-methoprene in FrontlineProtect/Broadline, or esafoxolaner in NexGardCombo. These topical feline endectoparasiticide products were tested for efficacy against fleas and intestinal helminths in a field trial in Brazil. Flea- and/or helminth-infested domestic cats were treated twice at a monthly interval following label instructions: 160 cats with FrontlineProtect/Broadlineand 165 cats with NexGardCombo. The flea and intestinal helminth infestations were evaluated using comb counts and copromicroscopy, respectively before first treatment for baseline value, then 9 and 30 days after each treatment for fleas, and 9 days after each treatment for helminths. Multiparasitism was very frequent at baseline, as amongst the 325 included cats, 295, 280, 86 and 93 cats were at least infested with Ctenocephalides fleas, Ancylostoma, Toxocara and Dipylidium caninum, respectively. Efficacies were calculated by comparing the geometric means at baseline and at post-treatment timepoints for each parasite genus/species. Inclusive of both products and of all evaluation timepoints, the Ctenocephalides, Ancylostoma, Toxocara and D. caninum efficacies were at least 98.3%, 99.8%, 99.8% and 96.3%, respectively. No adverse reactions were observed, except for a few instances of mild, transient, and self-resolving hypersalivation occurring on the day of treatment in both groups. This field trial demonstrated high-level efficacy of FrontlineProtect/Broadlineand NexGardCombo against major parasites of cats in Brazil.