EXPRESS: Oral lotilaner in 21 cats with naturally acquired harvest mite infestation: a case series.

Abstract

Case series summaryThis case series describes 21 client-owned cats with naturally acquired harvest mite infestation treated with a single oral dose of lotilaner. All cats were diagnosed at baseline by visual identification of characteristic orange larvae on the skin. Twelve cats underwent microscopic parasitological evaluation, including semi-quantitative mite scoring and assessment of mite viability, while nine were assessed clinically by visual inspection only. At baseline, inflammatory skin lesions and pruritus were present in 16/21 cats (76.2%), whereas 5/21 (23.8%) were clinically healthy despite visible larvae. Lesions predominantly affected the head and neck region (18/21; 85.7%). In the microscopically evaluated subgroup, live mites were detected in all cats at Day 0, in 2/12 cats at Day 7, and in none at Day 14. Complete clinical resolution was observed in all cats by Day 7 or, when applicable, Day 14. No adverse events were reported.Relevance and novel informationThis case series provides clinical and parasitological observations in cats with naturally acquired harvest mite infestation treated with oral lotilaner. Although the absence of an untreated sentinel group precludes stronger efficacy claims, the consistent temporal association between treatment and clinical/parasitological improvement supports the practical use of lotilaner in affected cats and highlights harvest mite infestation as an important differential diagnosis in cats with seasonal head and neck dermatoses.