Preventive efficacy of Frontline^®Combo and Certifect^®againstDipylidium caninuminfestation of cats and dogs using a natural flea (Ctenocephalides felis) infestation model

Abstract

Two studies were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of two monthly topical anti-flea products for the prevention of Dipylidium caninum infestations in cats and dogs. A single treatment with Frontline® Combo spot-on for cats (fipronil-(S)-methoprene) and two successive monthly treatments of Certifect® for dogs (fipronil-amitraz-(S)-methoprene) were assessed for the prevention of D. caninum infestations following weekly challenges of treated cats or dogs with metacestode naturally-infected fleas. The rate of infestations using the model in cats versus dogs explains the choice of a 1-month trial in cats and a 2-month trial in dogs. The experimental flea-infection model resulted in a range of 22–53% of the fleas being infected by Dipylidium cysticercoids. The arithmetic mean flea counts recorded for the untreated cats ranged from 51.2 to 68. The geometric mean flea counts recorded for the Frontline Combo treated cats differed significantly (p < 0.05) from those of the untreated control cats on all assessment days. The arithmetic mean flea counts recorded for the untreated dogs ranged from 166.6 to 238.6. The geometric mean flea counts recorded for the Certifect treated dogs differed significantly (p < 0.001) from those of the untreated group on all assessment days. Frontline Combo treatment on cats provided ≥99.8% persistent anti-flea efficacy throughout the 30-day treatment period. In the dog study, the two Certifect treatments provided ≥97% persistent efficacy throughout the 60-day study. Based on the collection of expelled D. caninum proglottids by cats, 100% (6/6) of the control cats and 0% (0/6) of Frontline Combo treated cats were infested with D. caninum. Frontline Combo spot-on for cats was therefore 100% effective in preventing infection with D. caninum. In dogs, 7 out of the 8 control group dogs (87.5%) produced proglottids following infestation of infected fleas, whereas 0 out of 8 dogs (0%) in the treated group were infected. The infection rates of the two groups were significantly different. The percent effectiveness for the Certifect treatment group for the prevention of D. caninum infection was 100% during this 2-month trial. No treatment-related adverse events were observed in either cats or dogs during these studies.

The Biology and Ecology of Cat Fleas and Advancements in Their Pest Management: A Review

“…Both treatments prevented the establishment of Dipylidium caninum . Dogs treated monthly with fipronil/methoprene and fipronil/methoprene/amitraz provided >97.5% efficacy when fleas were counted at 24 h from day 135 to 232 [ 303 ].…”

Praziquantel Resistance in the Zoonotic Cestode Dipylidium caninum

“…One drawback of this study was the inability to establish the resistant clinical isolates in experimentally infected laboratory animals to further study them. Reliable experimental Dipylidium infection in dogs using a flea infestation model has only recently been established 13,14 and involves rearing of flea larvae in classical flea-breeding units with D. caninum egg packets for up to 2 weeks to allow for the development of the metacestode in the fleas before ingestion by dogs or cats.…”

“…11 In addition, control of ectoparasites (fleas and lice) aids in breaking the life cycle of the parasite and in preventing transmission of the cestode to the vertebrate host. [12][13][14] In veterinary medicine, control of D. caninum is more often focused on eliminating ectoparasite intermediate hosts.…”

Topical or oral fluralaner efficacy against flea (Ctenocephalides felis) transmission of Dipylidium caninum infection to dogs

“…The adult flea then emerges and infests a host, and within 2–3 days the hexacanth cestode embryo develops into an infective cysticercoid stage within the flea. The cysticercoid larvae require at least 24–36 hours before they are infective for the definitive host [ 4 – 6 ], a development period that is temperature-dependent [ 5 ]. Dogs and cats become infected when they ingest fleas containing the infective cysticercoid larvae during grooming.…”

“…Effective and persistent flea control can control the environmental proglottid load and prevent D . caninum infection, provided that fleas are killed sufficiently quickly before animals with fleas become tapeworm infected [ 4 ]. This is an additional benefit from an effective flea control regimen, adding to the control of other flea-related disorders such as flea-bite dermatitis and flea hypersensitivity dermatitis [ 2 , 9 ].…”