Efficacy of Once-Monthly Doses of Oral Afoxolaner and Afoxolaner/Milbemycin Oxime in a Well-Controlled Study for the Treatment of Canine Generalized Demodicosis

The efficacy of oral treatment with chewable tablets containing afoxolaner 2.27% w/w (NexGard®, Merial, now part of Boehringer-Ingelheim) or 1.875% w/w of afoxolaner and 0.375% w/w milbemycin oxime (NexGard Spectra®, Merial, now part of Boehringer-Ingelheim) was each assessed in eight dogs diagnosed with generalized demodicosis in this parallel group designed, blinded, randomized, single center negative controlled, efficacy study. Afoxolaner at the therapeutic dose (as close as possible to 2.5 mg/kg) was administered to Group 2 dogs, and afoxolaner (as close as possible to 2.5 mg/kg) with milbemycin oxime at 0.5 mg/kg was administered to Group 3 dogs on Days 0, 28 and 56. All dogs were observed once daily for general health starting on Day -7 until Day 84. All dogs were clinically examined on Days -7, -2, 14, 28, 42, 56, 70 and 84. Dogs were weighed on Days -7, -2, 27, 55, and 84. Live mite counts (based on five scrapings per dog and occasion) and clinical assessments, including photographic documentation, were performed on Days -2, 28, 56 and 84. Three monthly treatments with NexGard or NexGard Spectra against generalized demodicosis in dogs were highly effective resulting in a 99.9% and 100% efficacy against mites, respectively. After treatment with NexGard, only three live mites were recovered in five scrapings in one dog on Day 84. After treatment with NexGard Spectra, no mites were recovered in any scraping on any dogs in this group by Day 84. Both treatments resulted in a marked reduction of skin lesions and >90% hair-regrowth at three months after the initial treatment. Reduction of live mite counts was consistent with reduction in the extent and severity of the skin changes. Although the arithmetic mean mite numbers in the negative control group decreased slightly during the study, infection persisted in 7 of the 8 control dogs until Day 84. Both treatment groups of dogs showed a marked improvement of the associated dermatologic signs with steady improvement over the three-month treatment period.