Disinfestation of Experimentally Infested Cat Fleas, Ctenocephalides felis, on Cats and Dogs by Oral Lufenuron

Abstract

In vivo efficacy of orally administered lufenuron, an insect growth regulator, in disinfesting cat fleas was evaluated, using flea-free cats and dogs which were purchased and infested every 10 days with cat fleas from a colony kept in our laboratory. Lufenuron was orally administered as a single dose of 15, 30, or 60 mg/kg to cats, and 5, 10 or 20 mg/kg to dogs. In cats, adult flea emergence was intensively prevented for 30 days by dosing of 15 mg/kg of lufenuron and 40 days by 30 or 60 mg/kg. The average egg hatch rate in 15mg/kg group was, however, significantly higher than those in 30 mg/kg or more, suggesting necessity to dose 30 mg/kg to cats to prevent development of cat fleas effectively. In dogs, a lower dose of the drug, 10 mg/kg seemed to be sufficient for the complete prevention of flea development.