Comparing oral fluralaner and topical imidacloprid/flumethrin

Researchers evaluated the efficacy of two different treatments, orally administered fluralaner and topically administered imidacloprid/flumethrin, for controlling infestations of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (brown dog tick) in premises where dogs are housed. The study involved 32 dogs in eight kennels, with one group serving as untreated controls, another receiving oral fluralaner, and the third receiving topical imidacloprid/flumethrin collars. Prior to treatment, tick infestations were established in the kennels, and precise off-host tick counting was performed on kennel surfaces.

The results showed that the control group experienced an increase in tick counts over time, reaching 2213 ticks/kennel by day 63, at which point all control dogs were treated. Kennels treated with systemic fluralaner had a mean tick count of 637/kennel on day −7 before treatment. One fluralaner treatment completely eliminated all ticks in the premises by day 70, and these kennels remained tick-free through the study's completion on day 84. Kennels treated with external imidacloprid/flumethrin collars had a mean tick count of 614/kennel at day −7. Collar treatment reduced tick counts by 90% on day 63 but increased afterward, resulting in a 75% reduction by the end of the study.

The study concluded that fluralaner treatment was more effective than imidacloprid/flumethrin collar treatment in reducing the population of engorged female ticks in the premises. While fluralaner eliminated tick populations by day 70, imidacloprid/flumethrin treatment did not eliminate ticks, and tick populations increased before the study's end.