Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Spinosad tablets safe and effective for treating fleas in cats
By Paarlberg, Tandy E et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2013·Elanco Animal Health, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Safety and efficacy of spinosad chewable tablets for treatment of flea infestations of cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 211 cats with flea infestations were treated with either spinosad chewable tablets or selamectin topical treatment to see which worked better. The cats receiving spinosad had significantly fewer fleas and better improvement in flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) symptoms compared to those on selamectin. While some cats experienced vomiting, spinosad was well-tolerated overall, with nearly all cats able to take the tablets. By the end of the study, most cats treated with spinosad were free of fleas, making it a highly effective option for treating flea problems in cats.
People also search for: cat flea treatment spinosad · flea allergy dermatitis in cats · selamectin vs spinosad for cats
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare safety and efficacy of spinosad and selamectin and determine effects of those products on flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) in cats. DESIGN: Randomized clinical trial. Animals-211 client-owned cats. PROCEDURES: Cats with ≥ 5 fleas evaluated at 8 veterinary clinics were allocated to receive spinosad (50 to 100 mg/kg [22.7 to 45.5 mg/lb], PO; n = 139) or selamectin (≥ 6 mg/kg [≥ 2.7 mg/lb], topically; 72) once per month. Flea comb counts and FAD scores were determined on day -1, between days 27 and 33, and between days 85 and 95 (evaluations 1, 2, and 3, respectively); day 0 was the first day of drug administration. RESULTS: The most common adverse event was vomiting (14.3% and 2.4% of spinosad- and selamectin-treated cats, respectively). Evaluation 2 and 3 geometric mean flea counts for spinosad-treated cats were significantly lower than those for selamectin-treated cats. Percentage reductions in flea counts for the spinosad and selamectin groups were 97.5% and 88.8% (evaluation 2) and 99.3% and 97.7% (evaluation 3), respectively. At evaluations 2 and 3, 70.6% and 92.6% of spinosad-treated cats and 29.4% and 64.7% of selamectin-treated cats were free of fleas, respectively. Weighted FAD scores for spinosad- and selamectin-treated cats decreased 94.2% and 80.0% during the study, respectively. Spinosad tablets were successfully administered during 98.1% of treatments. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results of this study indicated spinosad and selamectin both reduced flea counts and FAD scores for cats, although spinosad was more effective. Monthly oral administration of spinosad may be practical for treatment of flea infestations and FAD in cats.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23547672/