Flea blood feeding patterns in cats treated with oral nitenpyram and the topical insecticides imidacloprid, fipronil and selamectin
Abstract
A series of studies was conducted to determine the effect of systemically and topically active insecticides on blood consumption by fleas (Ctenocephalides felis). Infestations were conducted by placing fleas into plexi-glass chambers attached to the lateral rib cage of domestic short-hair cats. After pre-defined periods, fleas and flea feces were extracted using vacuum aspiration and spectrophotometrically analyzed for hemoglobin using Drabkin's reagent. To determine how rapidly nitenpyram kills actively feeding fleas, a single oral treatment was administered 24h after infestation. To determine the effect of nitenpyram on blood consumption of newly acquired fleas, cats were infested with fleas 1h post-treatment and fleas and flea feces from both studies were extracted at 15, 30, 60, 120, 240 and 480min post-treatment or post-infestation. To compare the effects of topically versus systemically active insecticides, 20 cats each with 2 chambers attached, were randomly allocated among groups and were infested with fleas 1h after each of 4 nitenpyram treatments, or at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after a single application of commercial spot-on formulations of fipronil, imidacloprid or selamectin. Infestations were also completed for untreated (control) cats. Twenty-four hours after infestation, fleas and flea feces were removed for host blood quantification. If at any time, flea blood consumption in a treated group did not significantly differ from that of fleas infesting controls, that treatment group was withdrawn from the study. Nitenpyram effects on actively feeding fleas were first observed at 60min post-dosing when 38% of fleas were dead or moribund, and at 240min 100% were dead or moribund. Nitenpyram produced a significant reduction in flea blood consumption (p<0.05), which appeared to cease 15min after infestation. For the treatment comparisons, significantly more (p<0.05) blood was consumed by fleas taken from imidacloprid and fipronil-treated cats than from the nitenpyram or selamectin groups. Only on nitenpyram- or selamectin-treated cats were there significant reductions (p<0.05) in flea blood consumption on days 21 and 28, with significant difference (p>0.05) between these two groups on day 28. In this study systemically acting insecticides such as nitenpyram, and the topically applied but systemically active insecticide selamectin, were more effective in interfering with flea blood feeding than were imidacloprid and fipronil.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Rapid and voracious blood sucking by adult fleas may impair prevention of flea biting and feeding by residual insecticides.
“This is even more important if one considers that rapid and voracious blood sucking by adult fleas (e.g. 25–60% of fleas are blood fed within 5 min and partially digested blood can be defecated in as little as 2–6 minutes after fleas infest a host) may indeed impair prevention of flea biting and feeding by residual insecticides [101,184,185].”
From Fleas infesting pets in the era of emerging extra-intestinal nematodes (2013) · cites this paper as [185]
25-60% of fleas are blood fed within 5 min and partially digested blood can be defecated in as little as 2-6 minutes after fleas infest a host.
“This is even more important if one considers that rapid and voracious blood sucking by adult fleas (e.g. 25–60% of fleas are blood fed within 5 min and partially digested blood can be defecated in as little as 2–6 minutes after fleas infest a host) may indeed impair prevention of flea biting and feeding by residual insecticides [101,184,185].”
From Fleas infesting pets in the era of emerging extra-intestinal nematodes (2013) · cites this paper as [185]
Cites
Flea-borne Rickettsioses: Ecologic Considerations
Azad, A. F., Radulović, S., Higgins, J. A., Noden, B. H., & Troyer, J. M. (1997) · Emerging infectious diseases · doi:10.3201/eid0303.970308 · Cited by 344 · see citing works
THE BIOLOGY, ECOLOGY, AND MANAGEMENT OF THE CAT FLEA
Rust, M. K., & Dryden, M. W. (1997) · Annual Review of Entomology · doi:10.1146/annurev.ento.42.1.451 · Cited by 329 · see citing works
Self-citationFoil, L., Andress, E., Freeland, R. L., Roy, A. F., Rutledge, R., Triche, P. C., & O'Reilly, K. L. (1998) · Journal of Medical Entomology · doi:10.1093/jmedent/35.5.625 · Cited by 197 · cited 2× · see citing works
“Rickettsia felis and Bartonella henselae (Azad et al., 1997; Rust and Dryden, 1997; Foil et al., 1998; Finkelstein et al., 2002; Rolain et al., 2005).”
BackgroundSelamectin: a novel broad-spectrum endectocide for dogs and cats
Bishop, B. F., Bruce, C. I., Evans, N. A., Goudie, A. C., Gration, K. A. F., Gibson, S., PACEY, M. S., Perry, D. A., Walshe, N. D. A., & Witty, M. J. (2000) · Veterinary Parasitology · doi:10.1016/s0304-4017(00)00289-2 · Cited by 124 · see citing works
Host association, on-host longevity and egg production of Ctenocephalides felis felis
Dryden, M. W. (1989) · Veterinary Parasitology · doi:10.1016/0304-4017(89)90171-4 · Cited by 92 · see citing works
Self-citationStudies on the Growth ofBartonella henselaein the Cat Flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae)
Finkelstein, J. L., Brown, T. P., O’Reilly, K. L., Wedincamp, J., & Foil, L. D. (2002) · Journal of Medical Entomology · doi:10.1603/0022-2585-39.6.915 · Cited by 87 · see citing works
Hemoglobinometry as a Method for Measuring Blood Meal Sizes of Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae)1
Briegel, H. J., Lea, A. O., & Klowden, M. J. (1979) · Journal of Medical Entomology · doi:10.1093/jmedent/15.3.235 · Cited by 77 · see citing works
Blood Consumption by the Cat Flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae)
Dryden, M. W., & Gaafar, S. M. (1991) · Journal of Medical Entomology · doi:10.1093/jmedent/28.3.394 · Cited by 66 · cited 2× · see citing works
“Our finding that 10 female fleas consumed on average between 10 and 11 mL of blood within the 24 h post-infestation is similar to a previous report of flea blood consumption of 13.6 mL blood/day (Dryden and Gaafar, 1991).”
MethodResultInfluentialSelf-citationBartonella quintanaandRickettsia felisin Gabon
Rolain, J., Bourry, O., Davoust, B., & Raoult, D. (2005) · Emerging infectious diseases · doi:10.3201/eid1111.050861 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
Sarasola, P., Jernigan, A. D., Walker, D. K., Castledine, J., Smith, D. G., & ROWAN, T. G. (2002) · Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics · doi:10.1046/j.1365-2885.2002.00415.x · Cited by 60 · see citing works
Schenker, R., Tinembart, O., Humbert‐Droz, E., Cavaliero, T., & Yerly, B. (2003) · Veterinary Parasitology · doi:10.1016/s0304-4017(02)00425-9 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
Yeruham, I., Rosen, S., & Hadani, A. (1989) · Veterinary Parasitology · doi:10.1016/0304-4017(89)90105-2 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
Severe cat flea infestation of dairy calves in Brazil
Araújo, F. R., Silva, M. P., Lopes, A. A., Ribeiro, O. C., Pires, P. P., Carvalho, C. M. E., Balbuena, C. B., Villas, A. A., & Ramos, J. K. M. (1998) · Veterinary Parasitology · doi:10.1016/s0304-4017(98)00181-2 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
Efficacy and Longevity of Nitenpyram Against Adult Cat Fleas (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae)
Rust, M. Κ., Waggoner, M., Hinkle, N. C., Stansfield, D., & Barnett, S. (2003) · Journal of Medical Entomology · doi:10.1603/0022-2585-40.5.678 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
A method for large-scale rearing of the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis felis (Bouché).
Hudson, B. W., & Prince, F. M. (1958) · PubMed · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Severe flea infestation in dairy calves
Dryden, M. W., Broce, A. B., & Moore, W. E. (1993) · Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association · doi:10.2460/javma.1993.203.10.1448 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Self-citationLawrence, W., & Ld, F. (2002) · PubMed · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Consumption of flea faeces and eggs by larvae of the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis
Hsu, M.-H., Hsu, Y. C., & Wu, W. (2002) · Medical and Veterinary Entomology · doi:10.1046/j.1365-2915.2002.00388.x · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Antifeeding effect of several insecticidal formulations againstCtenocephalides felison cats
Franc, M., & Cadiergues, M. (1998) · Parasite · doi:10.1051/parasite/1998051083 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Cat Flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae): Factors Influencing Host-finding Behavior in the Laboratory
Osbrink, W. L. A., & Rust, M. Κ. (1985) · Annals of the Entomological Society of America · doi:10.1093/aesa/78.1.29 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Cat Flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) Cocoon Formation and Development of Naked Flea Pupae
Dryden, M. W., & Smith, V. (1994) · Journal of Medical Entomology · doi:10.1093/jmedent/31.2.272 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Self-citationDryden, M. W., Payne, P. A., Lowe, A., Mailen, S., Smith, V., & Rugg, D. (2007) · Veterinary Parasitology · doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2007.10.004 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Self-citationExakte Hämoglobinbestimmung in der täglichen Praxis*1
Legowsky, S., & Boroviczény, K. G. (1962) · DMW - Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift · doi:10.1055/s-0028-1114044 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Spectrophotometric Method of Quantifying Adult Cat Flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) Feces
Kern, W. H., koehler, P. G., Patterson, R. S., & Wadleigh, R. W. (1992) · Journal of Medical Entomology · doi:10.1093/jmedent/29.2.221 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 5
- Akins, D.E., 1984. Relationship between feeding and reproduction in the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché). MS. Thesis, University of Florida, pp. 125.
- Dryden, 2002, Integrated flea control for the 21st Century, Comp. Cont. Ed. Pract. Vet., 24, 36
- Dryden, 2001, Speed of flea kill with nitenpyram tablets compared to imidacloprid spot on and fipronil spot on in dogs, Compend. Contin. Educ. Pract. Vet., 23, 24
- Legowski, 1962, Exact hemoglobin determination in daily practice, DTs ch. Med. Wochenschr., 87, 1953
- Witte, 2001, Laboratory safety studies of nitenpyram tablets for the rapid removal of fleas on cats and dogs, Compend. Contin. Educ. Pract. Vet., 23, 7
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Biology, Treatment, and Control of Flea and Tick Infestations
Blagburn, B. L., & Dryden, M. W. (2009) · Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice · doi:10.1016/j.cvsm.2009.07.001 · Cited by 189 · see citing works
Self-citationThe Biology and Ecology of Cat Fleas and Advancements in Their Pest Management: A Review
Rust, M. Κ. (2017) · Insects · doi:10.3390/insects8040118 · Cited by 164 · see citing works
Flea and tick control in the 21st century: challenges and opportunities
Dryden, M. W. (2009) · Veterinary Dermatology · doi:10.1111/j.1365-3164.2009.00838.x · Cited by 94 · see citing works
Self-citationFleas infesting pets in the era of emerging extra-intestinal nematodes
Traversa, D. (2013) · Parasites & Vectors · doi:10.1186/1756-3305-6-59 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Assessment of the onset of lotilaner (Credelio™) speed of kill of fleas on dogs
Cavalleri, D., Murphy, M. G., Seewald, W., Drake, J., & Nanchen, S. (2017) · Parasites & Vectors · doi:10.1186/s13071-017-2474-0 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
A Review of the Adverse Effects of Neonicotinoids on the Environment
Mota, Z. L., Díaz, I. A., Martinez-Avila, A. E., Otero-Olvera, M., Leyva-Ruíz, D., Pineda, L. S. A., Rangel-Duarte, S. G., Pacheco-Aguilar, J. R., Amaro-Reyes, A., Campos‐Guillén, J., et al. (2024) · Environments · doi:10.3390/environments11090196 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
Cavalleri, D., Murphy, M. G., Seewald, W., Drake, J., & Nanchen, S. (2017) · Parasites & Vectors · doi:10.1186/s13071-017-2466-0 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Wang, W., Ezell, M. J., Lakey, P. S. J., Aregahegn, K. Z., Shiraiwa, M., & Finlayson‐Pitts, B. J. (2020) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.2002397117 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
El-Sayed, M. K. F., El-Shahawi, M. M., Ali, Y. M., Abdel-Haleem, D. R., & El‐Azm, F. S. M. A. (2022) · Bioorganic Chemistry · doi:10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.106258 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Evaluation of spinosad for the oral treatment and control of flea infestations on dogs in Europe
Wolken, S., Franc, M., Bouhsira, E., Wiseman, S., Hayes, B., Schnitzler, B., & Jacobs, D. E. (2012) · Veterinary Record · doi:10.1136/vr.100211 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Siak, M. K., & Burrows, A. K. (2012) · Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery · doi:10.1177/1098612x12470341 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Degradation of pesticides by heterogeneous Fenton using iron-exchanged clays
Boukhemkhem, A., Bedia, J., Belver, C., & Molina, C. B. (2023) · Catalysis Communications · doi:10.1016/j.catcom.2023.106771 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Becskei, C., Cherni, J. A., Vatta, A. F., King, V. L., Lin, D., & Rugg, D. (2017) · Veterinary Parasitology · doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2017.03.010 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Gregarine infection accelerates larval development of the cat fleaCtenocephalides felis(Bouché)
Alarcón, M. E. G., Jara, A., Briones, R., Dubey, A. K., & Slamovits, C. H. (2017) · Parasitology · doi:10.1017/s0031182016002122 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Ranjan, S., Young, D., & Sun, F. (2018) · Parasites & Vectors · doi:10.1186/s13071-018-2927-0 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Wang, C., Mount, J. D., Butler, J. M., Gao, D., Jung, E., Blagburn, B. L., & Kaltenboeck, B. (2012) · Parasites & Vectors · doi:10.1186/1756-3305-5-4 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Ezell, M. J., Wang, W., Shemesh, D., Ni, A. Z., Gerber, R. B., & Finlayson‐Pitts, B. J. (2019) · ACS Earth and Space Chemistry · doi:10.1021/acsearthspacechem.9b00179 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Rajonhson, D. M., Miarinjara, A., Rahelinirina, S., Rajerison, M. E., & Boyer, S. (2017) · Journal of Medical Entomology · doi:10.1093/jme/tjw200 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Cavalleri, D., Murphy, M. G., Seewald, W., & Nanchen, S. (2018) · Parasites & Vectors · doi:10.1186/s13071-018-2972-8 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Farmaki, R., SIMOU, C., Papadopoulos, E., Koutinas, A. F., & Saridomichelakis, M. N. (2013) · Parasitology · doi:10.1017/s0031182013000772 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Snyder, D. E., Rumschlag, A. J., Young, L. M., & Ryan, W. G. (2015) · Parasites & Vectors · doi:10.1186/s13071-015-1195-5 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Evaluation of spinosad for the oral treatment and control of flea infestations on cats in Europe
Franc, M., Bouhsira, É., Böhm, C., Wolken, S., Wolf, O., Loehlein, W., Wiseman, S., Hayes, B., Schnitzler, B., & Fisher, M. A. (2013) · Veterinary Record Open · doi:10.1136/vetreco-2014-000047 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Paarlberg, T., Winkle, J. R., Rumschlag, A. J., Young, L. M., Ryan, W. G., & Snyder, D. E. (2017) · Parasites & Vectors · doi:10.1186/s13071-017-1996-9 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
White, W. H., Riggs, K. L., Totten, M., Snyder, D. E., McCoy, C. M., & Young, D. R. (2016) · Veterinary Parasitology · doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2016.11.018 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Self-citationFlea infestation of dogs and cats in Serbia.
Pavlović, I., Petković, D., Rogožarski, D., Stojanović, D., Hadžić, I., Terzin, V., STOKIC-NIKOLIC, S., Rajković, M. G., & Buzadžić, G. A. (2011) · Lucrari Stiintifice - Universitatea de Stiinte Agricole a Banatului Timisoara, Medicina Veterinara · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Chen, Y., Huang, C., Hsu, J., & Wu, W. (2016) · Journal of Medical Entomology · doi:10.1093/jme/tjw156 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Pittarate, S., Thungrabeab, M., Mekchay, S., & Krutmuang, P. (2018) · Journal of Pathogens · doi:10.1155/2018/1806830 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Copland, A. L., & Elsheikha, H. M. (2020) · Companion animal · doi:10.12968/coan.2020.0069
Ectoparasiticides: Agonists and Antagonists of Cholinergic Transmission
Turberg, A. (2015) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-27769-6_998-2
(2019) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-813890-8.00003-1
Ectoparasiticides: Agonists and Antagonists of Cholinergic Transmission
Turberg, A. (2016) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-662-43978-4_998
Eads, D. A., Castle, K. T., Wild, M. A., Borchert, J. N., Livieri, T. M., Matchett, M. R., Dobesh, P., Hughes, J. P., & Childers, E. (2023) · Journal of Wildlife Diseases · doi:10.7589/jwd-d-22-00168
Borchert, J. N., Poché, R. M., Keefe, T. J., & Eads, D. A. (2026) · Journal of Medical Entomology · doi:10.1093/jme/tjag153
- Authors
- McCoy, C., Broce, A. B., & Dryden, M. W.
- Affiliations
- Kansas State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- McCoy, C.
- Venue
- Veterinary Parasitology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2008-10
- Volume
- 156
- Issue
- 3-4
- Pages
- 293-301
- ISSN
- 0304-4017 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2024537378
- Cited by
- 33
- References
- 24
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 2 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 0.88
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Veterinary Parasitology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Pfizer
- Bayer Animal Health
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Dermatological diseases and infestations
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Insect Pest Control Strategies
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Parasitology › Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Keywords
- Ctenocephalides felis, nitenpyram, imidacloprid, fipronil, selamectin, topical insecticides, hemoglobin quantification, flea infestation, cats, spot-on formulation
- MeSH terms
- Neonicotinoids, Animals, Cats, Drug Therapy, Combination, Ectoparasitic Infestations, Feeding Behavior, Female, Siphonaptera, Imidazoles, Insecticides, Ivermectin, Male, Nitro Compounds, Pyrazoles, Pyridines
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
