Efficacy of imidacloprid, imidacloprid/permethrin and phoxim for flea control in the Mustelidae (ferrets, mink)

• Published in: Parasitology research (1987) Vol. 97 Suppl 1; no. S1; pp. S107 - S112
• Main Authors: Larsen, K S, Siggurdsson, H, Mencke, N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01.10.2005
• Subjects: Administration, Topical; Animals; Drug Therapy, Combination; Ectoparasitic Infestations - drug therapy; Ectoparasitic Infestations - veterinary; Ferrets - parasitology; Imidazoles - administration & dosage; Imidazoles - therapeutic use; Insecticides - administration & dosage; Insecticides - therapeutic use; Mink - parasitology; Neonicotinoids; Nitro Compounds - administration & dosage; Nitro Compounds - therapeutic use; Organothiophosphorus Compounds - therapeutic use; Permethrin - administration & dosage; Permethrin - therapeutic use; Siphonaptera
• ISSN: 0932-0113; 1432-1955
• DOI: 10.1007/s00436-005-1453-0

Farmed mink (Mustela vison), a close relative of the domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo), naturally infested with the squirrel flea (Ceratophyllus sciurorum) were included in a study to investigate three compounds for flea control. The test products were imidacloprid in a 10% (w/v) solution, an imidacloprid 10% (w/v)/permethrin 50% (w/v) solution, and phoxim; all three are well-known compounds for the control of different ectoparasites in a wide range of animals. Two groups of mink received 0.1 ml per animal of the imidacloprid or the imidacloprid/permethrin combination at days 0 and 28, respectively. Two groups of mink were sprayed with 25 ml of a 0.1% phoxim solution at day 0 and either 1x25 ml or 2x25 ml, respectively, of a 0.05% phoxim solution at day 28. One group of mink served as an untreated control. At assessment on day 56 the efficacy was 91.9% in the imidacloprid group, 89.3% in the imidacloprid/permethrin group, 92.2% in the phoxim 1x25-ml group and 99.3% in the phoxim 2x25 ml group, respectively. In the untreated control group an average of 757 fleas per mink nesting material was recorded.