Sergeant’s introduces Topical Flea/Tick products

Sergeant’s Pet Care Products Inc. is introducing its new flea and tick products FiproGuard and FiproGuard Plus this week at Global Pet Expo in Orlando, Fla. The products will be available through pet specialty retailers nationwide this spring.

They are the first approved generic topical products for fleas and ticks containing the same active ingredients as Frontline Top Spot (fipronil) and Frontline Plus (fipronil and s-methoprene), at the same concentrations, according to the Omaha, Neb.-based company.

Frontline, a brand of Merial of Duluth, Ga., is only available through veterinarians.

FiproGuard and FiproGuard Plus are both indicated to kill adult fleas and ticks, as well as chewing lice in dogs and cats. The dog formula is also indicated to kill mites that may cause sarcoptic mange.

FiproGuard Plus contains an insect growth regulator (IGR), which prevents re-infestation by addressing all stages of the flea life cycle, according to Sergeant’s.

Sergeant’s acquired the rights to the patented pest-control formula from Sumitomo Chemical Co. of Japan in mid January. The deal allows Sergeant’s to manufacture and sell spot-on pesticide compositions that combine fipronil with an IGR, such as methoprene or pyriproxyfen.

Generic formulations are gaining popularity in the pet market, Caryn Stichler, vice president of marketing for Sergeant’s, said in January.

In its media announcement today, Sergeant’s noted that its new products will be more convenient and less expensive than the brand-name counterparts because of their availability through pet specialty retailers.

Sergeant’s is also introducing PronylOTC and PronylOTC Plus this week at Global Pet Expo. These products contain the same active ingredients as Frontline Top Spot and Frontline Plus, respectively, but were developed for the grocery, mass and drug retailers, according to the company.

PronylOTC and PronylOTC will be available through these channels this spring.