Accuracy and precision of alternative estimators of ectoparasiticide efficacy.

While there is consensus that the efficacy of parasiticides is properly assessed using the Abbott formula, there is as yet no general consensus on the use of arithmetic versus geometric mean numbers of surviving parasites in the formula. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the accuracy and precision of various efficacy estimators based on the Abbott formula which alternatively use arithmetic mean, geometric mean and median numbers of surviving parasites; we also consider a maximum likelihood estimator. Our study shows that the best estimators using geometric means are competitive, with respect to root mean squared error, with the conventional Abbott estimator using arithmetic means, as they have lower average and lower median root mean square error over the parameter scenarios which we investigated.

Efficacy and acceptability of the new oral phosphate binder Lenziaren(®) in healthy cats fed a renal diet.

The efficacy and acceptability of the new oral phosphate binder Lenziaren(®) (SBR759) were evaluated in healthy cats fed with a commercial diet containing low amounts of phosphate ('renal diet'). Lenziaren(®) at 0.125, 0.

The efficacy of Advantix® to prevent transmission of Ehrlichia canis to dogs by Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks.

The capacity of a topical combination of imidacloprid and permethrin (Advantix(®)) to prevent transmission of Ehrlichia canis was studied in two groups of six dogs. One group served as controls, whereas the other group was treated. All dogs were exposed to E.

Transmission of Ehrlichia canis by Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks feeding on dogs and on artificial membranes.

A South African strain of Ehrlichia canis was isolated and used to infect a laboratory-bred Beagle dog. Rhipicephalus sanguineus nymphs, which fed on this dog, moulted to adult ticks which carried infection rates of E. canis between 12% and 19% and were used in a series of in vivo and in vitro experiments.

Preventive efficacy of Frontline® Combo and Certifect® against Dipylidium caninum infestation of cats and dogs using a natural flea (Ctenocephalides felis) infestation model.

Two studies were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of two monthly topical anti-flea products for the prevention of Dipylidium caninum infestations in cats and dogs. A single treatment with Frontline(®) Combo spot-on for cats (fipronil-(S)-methoprene) and two successive monthly treatments of Certifect(®) for dogs (fipronil-amitraz-(S)-methoprene) were assessed for the prevention of D. caninum infestations following weekly challenges of treated cats or dogs with metacestode naturally-infected fleas.