Treatment of notoedric mange with esafoxolaner, eprinomectin and praziquantel in naturally infested cats under in-home conditions

Notoedres cati is a contagious, burrowing mite infesting cats that causes mange with intense pruritus and dermatological clinical signs. The aim of the current study was to assess the efficacy of a single administration of NexGard® Combo (esafoxolaner, eprinomectin and praziquantel) against N. cati in naturally infested cats under home conditions. A total of 17 domestic shorthair cats naturally infested with N. cati that were living in the same house were randomly assigned to either the treatment group (n = 9) receiving NexGard® Combo at a dosage of 0.12 mL/kg of their body weight according to label instructions or a negative control group (n = 8) receiving mineral oil at 0.12 mL/kg (Day 0). The cats were separated into different rooms with no contact between the two groups in the same household. Clinical scores, mite counts from skin scrapings and body weights were evaluated on Days -3, 0, 14, 28, 42, and 56. Descriptive statistics (means ± standard deviations) were calculated, and a mixed general linear model was used for statistical analysis. NexGard® Combo showed 100 % efficacy against N. cati, and no live mites were found from Day 14 until the end of the study. Treated cats also exhibited lower clinical scores and higher body weights than the control group by Day 56 (p < 0.05), while placebo-treated cats displayed high mite counts and clinical scores throughout the study. None of the cats displayed any adverse events related to treatment. These findings highlight the efficacy of the combination of esafoxolaner, eprinomectin and praziquantel in treating notoedric mange in cats under in-home conditions.