Controlled field study evaluating the clinical efficacy of a topical formulation containing emodepside and praziquantel in the treatment of natural cat aelurostrongylosis

Abstract

BackgroundAelurostrongylus abstrusus is the most important nematode affecting the respiratory tract of cats in terms of prevalence and clinical relevance. The aim of this randomised controlled field study was to confirm the efficacy of the spot-on containing emodepside/praziquantel (Profender, Bayer Animal Health) in the treatment of aelurostrongylosis.MethodsSeventeen cats with aelurostrongylosis and presenting with clinical and/or radiographic signs were included in the study. Eight cats received two biweekly doses of emodepside/praziquantel, while nine cats were allocated to a control group and received a rescue treatment at the end of the study. Clinical response was the primary outcome, while the secondary end point was the reduction of larval shedding in faeces.ResultsTwo weeks after the first application, the cats showed a significant, though partial, recovery of clinical signs with complete clinical and parasitological resolution. The resolution of inflammatory leucogram and a significant reduction of radiographic lesions were observed two weeks after the second treatment. Red blood cells and albumin values significantly increased after eight weeks from the second application, together with the complete regression of radiographic patterns.ConclusionTwo applications of this spot-on solution two weeks apart assured complete cessation of larval shedding and led to a complete clinical, clinicopathological and radiographic recovery.

Aelurostrongylus abstrusus Infections in Domestic Cats (Felis silvestris catus) from Antioquia, Colombia

“…Fenbendazole is effective in treating aelurostrongylosis if administered at 50 mg/kg of body weight Fenbendazole treatment may require way more than three days of administrations [ 42 ]. A spot-on formulation containing emodepside and praziquantel showed high efficacy against A. abstrusus infection in field conditions [ 43 , 44 ] as well as other spot-on formulations containing either eprinomectin or moxidectin [ 45 ]. Additionally, another effective oral combination was milbemycin oxime and praziquantel administered at 4 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg respectively, three times as a single dose with two-week intervals [ 46 ].…”

Cat Respiratory Nematodes: Current Knowledge, Novel Data and Warranted Studies on Clinical Features, Treatment and Control

“…The abovementioned molecular tools proved to be powerful in a number of studies, to confirm copromicroscopic diagnoses in clinical cases [ 29 , 41 , 42 , 58 , 60 ], in postmortem evaluations [ 60 , 92 ], in epizootiological and biological surveys [ 2 , 14 , 15 , 20 , 40 , 93 , 94 , 95 , 96 ] and in the clinical evaluations of anthelmintics [ 97 ].…”

“…In the same case series [ 26 ], a single dose of a spot-on formulation containing 2.1% emodepside resulted in full clinical recovery and remission of the radiographic alterations in a cat coinfected with A. abstrusus and T. brevior when evaluated 14 days post-treatment. Afterwards, a controlled field study showed high clinical efficacy with two administrations of emodepside, repeated 2 weeks later, in ensuring complete remission of clinical and radiographic signs in eight cats with natural A. abstrusus monospecific infections within 10 weeks of the first administration [ 97 ]. In this latter study, abnormal breath sounds (e.g., crackles) disappeared in around half of the infected cats 14 days after the first administration, while two weeks after the second administration, all study cats did not display clinical signs, with statistically significant differences when compared to the control group [ 97 ].…”

“…Afterwards, a controlled field study showed high clinical efficacy with two administrations of emodepside, repeated 2 weeks later, in ensuring complete remission of clinical and radiographic signs in eight cats with natural A. abstrusus monospecific infections within 10 weeks of the first administration [ 97 ]. In this latter study, abnormal breath sounds (e.g., crackles) disappeared in around half of the infected cats 14 days after the first administration, while two weeks after the second administration, all study cats did not display clinical signs, with statistically significant differences when compared to the control group [ 97 ]. Radiographic alterations disappeared in 3/8 cats and 5/8 after the first and the second administration, respectively.…”

“…Radiographic alterations disappeared in 3/8 cats and 5/8 after the first and the second administration, respectively. None of the treated cats displayed any lesion observable at X-ray imaging at 42 days after the second dose of emodepside [ 97 ].…”