Authored by Piyarat Chansiripornchai*
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the usability of spot-on parasiticides for cats from the aspects of their stickiness and drying time after application. Eighteen client-owned healthy, munchkin cats (3 males, 15 females), between 9-month-old and 6-year-old, weighing from 1.5-2.9 kg were used in the study. Six spot-on parasiticides which are commercially available in Thailand including selamectin (SE), moxidectin + imidacloprid (MI), praziquantel + emodepside(PE), fipronil + (S)-methoprene + eprinomectin + praziquantel (FMEP), fluralaner (FL) and fipronil + (S)-methoprene (FM) were assessed after their respective application to the skin between shoulder blades of the 18 cats. Stickiness scores (STS) and drying time scores (DTS) were evaluated and recorded at 0.5, 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24 and 48 h after drug administration (DA). SE and MI groups showed the most satisfying scores of STS at 3 h after DA, STS in all groups was zero (not sticky) at 48 h after DA. For DTS, the SE and FL groups had the most satisfying score at 0.5 and 1 h after DA, DTS in all groups were zero (dry) at 24 h after DA. Some skin lesions such as erythema and alopecia were found in the MI and FMEP groups but the lesions completely recovered and all cats had normal general health throughout the study. From the study results, all of the 6 spot-on parasiticides are safe for cats and are acceptable for cat owners.
Keywords: Cats; Parasiticides; Spot on; Usability
Introduction
Cats are hosts to a variety of ectoparasites, such as Ctenocephalides felis, Ixodes ricinus and Notoedres cati, and endoparasites, such as Toxocara cati, Ancylostoma tubaeforme and Dypyridium caninum [1]. It is important to treat parasitic infestations to reduce any serious and/or long term health effects on the cat [2]. Moreover, many parasites of cats are zoonotic agents infecting humans from pregnancy (toxoplasmosis), through childhood (Ancylostoma spp. and Toxocara spp.) and the entire life (echinococcosis) [3]. Therefore, proper management practices for the control of parasite infestations are required including the use of efficacious and safe parasiticides [1]. Effective parasiticides, alone or in combination, have been formulated in the last decades for cats [3]. Among the parasiticides available, Spot-on formulations are very popular because of the ease of application in feline patients. Spot-on parasiticides are often well tolerated by cats and hence easier for owners to administer compared to oral medication and to products that must be applied directly to an affected area (such as otic medication for ear mites).
The benefits of a spot-on parasiticides include; a broad spectrum of activity, a low rate of adverse effects and ease of use, increased owner compliance and improved protection of cats against endoparasites and ectoparasites. Fipronil, selamectin, fluralaner, moxidectin,(S)-methoprene, imidacloprid, praziquantel, eprinomectin and emodepside are the well-known commercially available spot-on parasiticides used in cats in Thailand both in the formulation of a single drug and as combination formulation. The quality of each formulation has been evaluated and has shown high efficacy for the treatment and prevention of parasites, such as helminths, mites, fleas and ticks. Thus, there has been a substantial evolution in the convenience of use and spectrum of The benefits of a spot-on parasiticides include; a broad spectrum of activity, a low rate of adverse effects and ease of use, increased owner compliance and improved protection of cats against endoparasites and ectoparasites. Fipronil, selamectin, fluralaner, moxidectin,(S)-methoprene, imidacloprid, praziquantel, eprinomectin and emodepside are the well-known commercially available spot-on parasiticides used in cats in Thailand both in the formulation of a single drug and as combination formulation. The quality of each formulation has been evaluated and has shown high efficacy for the treatment and prevention of parasites, such as helminths, mites, fleas and ticks. Thus, there has been a substantial evolution in the convenience of use and spectrum of
Usability aspects of pharmaceutical preparations are the product characteristics and attributes of a product that enable the patient and/or caregiver in its personal environment and life situation to use the pharmaceutical drug preparation as intended [5]. Unlike drugs that are taken orally, topical drugs are visible to the patient during application, so characteristics like ease of application, stickiness and drying time are important [6]. These parameters are essential since the topical drugs should be non – sticky to avoid adherence to the cats’ hair-coat and the owners’ clothes which may decrease the drug concentration and drug efficacy [7]. Therefore, examining stickiness characteristics, which are associated with the feel, can provide useful information on the clinical use of drug formulation [6].
This study was performed to determine the usability and satisfaction of cat owners with commercial spot -on parasiticides at the recommended dose ranges for cats in Thailand. To our knowledge, this is the first study on the usability of spot-on parasiticides for cats in veterinary clinical practice.
Materials and Methods
Animals
Eighteen client-owned healthy, Munchkin cats (3 males, 15 females), between 9 months old and 6 years old, weighing from 1.5- 2.9 kg were used in the study. All the cats were routinely vaccinated against common diseases. During the study no medications were prescribed other than the tested topical arasiticides. Cats were housed in their usual environment and received their usual food and water. Temperature and ventilation were controlled, and the environment was monitored to maintain an ambient temperature of 25-27˚C and a relative humidity of 55-70%. To be eligible for enrollment, cats should not have received any parasiticides within the previous 30 days. Cat owner completed an informed consent form for the inclusion of all cats in a household in the study prior to any enrollment and prior to initiation of treatment. The protocol for animal use and care was approved by the Chulalongkorn University Animal Care and Use Committee, Chulalongkorn University (IACUC number 1931002).
Study design
A total of 18 household cats were allocated into 6 groups of 3 each according to the completely randomized blocked design on day 0 of the study. Six spot -on parasiticides for cats including; selamectin (SE) (Revolution R, Zoetis, USA), moxidectin + imidacloprid (MI) (Advocate R, Bayer, Germany), praziquantel + emodepside (PE) (Profender R, Bayer, Germany), fipronil+(S)- methoprene + eprinomectin + praziquantel (FMEP) (Broadline R, Merial, USA), fluralaner (FL) (Bravecto R, MSD, USA) and fipronil + (S) - methoprene (FM) (Frontline Plus, Merial, USA) were applied to the skin at the midline of the neck between the base of the skull and the shoulder blades of the cats assigned in groups 1 to 6, respectively. The cats in each group were rotated to receive all 6 drugs in consecutive months except for 3 months in the case of FL with 3 months for the duration of the action. All the procedures for drug application were performed by the owner under the attending veterinarian’s instruction.
Assessments
After the administration of the parasiticides, each cat was observed for 15 min to determine if any skin irritation was present at the application site. The stickiness score (STS) and drying time score (DTS) of each drug at the administration site were evaluated and recorded by an evaluator based on Tables 1 and 2 at 0.5, 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24 and 48 h after administration of each drug. Each cat was observed and examined physically by a veterinarian and the cat owner. The general health of each cat was observed twice daily throughout the study. In addition, the cat owner was instructed to observe the cats for any adverse effects (Table 1, 2).
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