Six-month field efficacy and safety of the combined treatment of dogs with Frontline Tri-Act® and NexGard Spectra®

Jessica M. Abbate, Ettore Napoli, Francesca Arfuso, Gabriella Gaglio, Salvatore Giannetto, Lenaig Halos, Frederic Beugnet, Emanuele Brianti

Safety and efficacy of the combined monthly use of spot-on fipronil 6.76% w/v / permethrin 50.48% w/v (Frontline Tri-Act®) and chewable tablets of afoxolaner 1.9% w/w / milbemycin oxime 0.4% w/w (NexGard Spectra®) in dogs was evaluated in a field study over a period of 6 months. Forty-one healthy dogs living in highly endemic area for canine leishmaniosis and other canine vector borne diseases (VBD) were included in the study at the beginning of the Leishmania transmission season. Sixteen dogs were pet dogs living each in a single household; twenty-five dogs were hunting dogs living in three kennels. At inclusion, the dogs were ELISA (rapid test) negative for antibodies to Anaplasma, Borrelia, Ehrlichia, and for antigens of Dirofilaria. The dogs were also negative for blood microfilariae at the Knott's test, and no clinical or haematological abnormalities were observed. Of the included dogs, six hunting, apparently healthy, dogs were ELISA (rapid test) positive to Leishmania, and some were naturally infected by gastrointestinal nematodes (58.5%) and/or infested by fleas (58.5%) and ticks (9.8%). All the included dogs were treated at Days 0, 28, 56, 84, 112 and 140, and followed-up for efficacy until the study end (Day 168). No adverse events related to the two products, nor skin reactions, general signs, or changes in the haematological profile, were observed during the study. At Day 14, anthelminthic efficacy was 100% for Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina and Capillaria aerophila, while few hunting dogs were still shedding eggs of Trichuris vulpis (1/25 hunting dog) and Ancylostomatidae (9/25 hunting dogs). All pet dogs were nematode free at the end of the study. Hunting dogs were free of roundworms and whipworms. Twenty-four hours after the first treatment, 95.8% of the ectoparasite infested dogs were free from fleas and ticks. Ectoparasites were significantly controlled during the 6-month study period, with 100% efficacy on both fleas and ticks from Day 56 to Day 168. Blood and serum samples collected on Day 168 were tested for vector-borne pathogens using same methods of the inclusion and no new seroconversions or circulating blood microfilariae were observed. Concomitant use of Frontline Tri-Act® and NexGard Spectra® in dogs for six months was well tolerated. The combination was effective in controlling fleas, ticks, gastro-intestinal nematodes, and neither new seroconversion to the tested vector-borne pathogens nor blood microfilariae were detected in treated dogs at the end of the study.