Today's Veterinary Practice

MAY-JUN 2017

Today's Veterinary Practice provides comprehensive information to keep every small animal practitioner up to date on companion animal medicine and surgery as well as practice building and management.

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90 PRACTICAL PARASITOLOGY The Flea-Infested Pet: Overview of Current Products Cherie M. Pucheu-Haston, DVM, PhD, DACVD Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine PRACTICAL PARASITOLOGY Dealing with flea-infested pets has never been easier—or more complicated. At this time, at least 20 active ingredients are commonly used in prescription flea control products in the United States, with numerous other ingredients appearing in various over-the-counter products. Despite this wealth of options, providing practical and effective suggestions for flea control to clients can still be a frustrating and overwhelming experience. This article provides an overview of some of the clinically relevant features of currently available flea control agents ( Table 1 ). A subsequent article will discuss how to use client and patient information to help select an optimal treatment control program. PYRETHRIN AND PYRETHROIDS These are the oldest flea control products currently in common use. Both pyrethrin and pyrethroids work by disrupting insect nerve sodium channels. 1 They are active against adult fleas but have no efficacy against immature stages. Pyrethrin is derived from the chrysanthemum plant. 2 It is generally very safe when applied properly, even in young cats. 1 Pyrethrin has a very quick "knock-down" effect but minimal residual activity. It is readily removed by water exposure. Pyrethrin products are often formulated to include a synergist, such as piperonyl butoxide. These synergists are typically well tolerated in dogs and cats when used at label doses. However, pyrethrins and many synergists may be highly toxic to other pet species, such as fish and amphibians. 2,3 Pyrethroids are synthetic pyrethrins. Compared with pyrethrin, these products have a slightly slower onset of action but significantly better residual and repellent effects. Examples of this class include permethrin and cyphenothrin. Pyrethroids are often combined with other agents to take advantage of the pyrethroids' repellent effects and efficacy against ticks. Examples of these products include K9 Advantix ( bayerdvm.com ), Certifect, Vectra 3D ( vectrapet.com ), and Activyl Tick Plus ( us.activyl.com ). As a general rule, pyrethroids have relatively poor resistance to water exposure. Unfortunately, most pyrethroids are extremely toxic to cats. 1 Notable exceptions include flumethrin and etofenprox, which appear to be well tolerated by most cats. Signs of pyrethroid intoxication include depression, coma, seizures, hypersalivation, muscle twitching or tremors, and hyperthermia. Severe or shutterstock.com/Elwynn PRACTICAL PARASITOLOGY

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