With the arrival of warm weather, our smaller brothers, like people, are exposed to the attack of various insects. Fleas and ticks are especially nasty. These small-looking insects can be carriers of dangerous diseases, and fiddling with them every time is a thankless and dreary task. We’ll tell you how to quickly cope and prevent infection in our review. We have selected effective products for pets to enjoy outdoor recreation to the fullest.
Do they help against worms, fleas and ticks?
Advantage is an insecticidal antiparasitic drops that have a pronounced lauricidal effect, allowing you to quickly destroy lice, fleas, lice and a number of other parasites.
The German manufacturer of medicines, , enjoys a good reputation throughout the world. Experts from the Bayer Animal division are constantly improving the production of veterinary drugs.
Relatively recently, they launched the production of effective drops against fleas, Advantage, which quickly competed with the most popular antiparasitic agents.
Advantage has the following advantages:
- All parasites begin to die immediately after the first treatment, so there is no need for repeated application.
- The product does not dissolve and is not washed off under a stream of water, so the kitten can be bathed immediately after distributing the drops.
- The effectiveness of the drug has been proven by the experience of many veterinarians and pet owners. According to the latter, the parasites begin to die after 10-12 hours.
- The drug protects the cat from fleas and ticks for a month. This eliminates the need for regular application.
- Advantage is not hazardous to human skin. In this case, the drug does not penetrate the pet’s bloodstream and does not harm its health.
- The product suppresses the activity of not only parasites, but also larvae. When interacting with the active ingredients of Advantage, they instantly die.
Advantage insecticidal drops are widely used in veterinary practice to get rid of cat fleas, ticks, lice and other ectoparasites, including lice. In addition, the product is used to combat harmful blood-sucking insects that often parasitize pets.
In this case, not only adult cats, but also older kittens are treated with Advantage. Particular attention is paid to individuals who often walk outside and come into contact with other living beings.
The effectiveness of the drug is due to the complex interaction of active substances with acetylcholine receptors of arthropods with subsequent transmission of nerve impulses and paralysis of parasites.
After applying the drug, the active components are evenly distributed throughout the coat, practically without penetrating into the systemic blood circulation. Imidacloprid accumulates in the hair follicles, providing a long-lasting insecticidal effect.
How to choose the right dosage and what to choose – Advantage 80 or Advantage 40?
For ease of use and correct dosage, the German company produces insectoacaricide in two forms - Advantage 80 and Advantage 40. The drug with the indicated packaging 40 means that there is 0.4 ml in a tube and is designed to treat cats weighing less than 4 kg. Accordingly, Advantage 80 is intended for cats weighing more than 4 kg.
The drug acts very quickly, destroying ectoparasites in cats 12 hours after application. During this period, about 97-100% of fleas on the pet’s body are destroyed.
Treatment with Advantage 80 and Advantage 40 during the breeding season of fleas and ticks should be carried out only as directed by a veterinarian and no more than once every 28 days. Failure to follow the instructions leads to an overdose and possible poisoning of the cat.
Note! Using only the insectoacaricide Advantage in the treatment of flea dermatitis is not advisable. Treatment should be comprehensive, including pathogenetic and symptomatic therapy.
Composition and storage conditions
The main active ingredients in Advantage are chloro-3-pyredylmethyl and N-nitro-imidazoline (imidacloprid). The composition contains auxiliary additives that increase the effectiveness of the main components. Among them:
- Butylated hydroxytoluene.
- Benzyl alcohol.
- Propylene carbonate.
The product is yellowish-brown, transparent, and has a slightly thick consistency.
You can purchase the drug in sachets of 0.4, 0.8, 1, 2.5, 4 ml. Each package is closed with a protective cap.
Advantage should be stored in a dry place, protected from direct sunlight and out of the reach of children. Do not place packaging with Advantage near food or kitchen utensils. The optimal temperature for storing the drug varies from 0 to +25 °C.
The shelf life, subject to all manufacturer's requirements, is at least 5 years. In the event of depressurization, Advantage must be disposed of in compliance with legal requirements.
Precautionary measures
Based on the type of effect on the body of mammals, Advantage belongs to the category of low-hazard substances (hazard class 4). During the treatment of a cat, the drug does not have a locally irritating, resorptive-toxic, teratogenic, embryotoxic, mutagenic or sensitizing effect. If the drug gets into the eyes, a reaction characteristic of mild irritation of the mucous membranes may occur.
The product should be applied not to the fur, but to the skin. After applying the fluff, it is better to hold it on your hands for a while until the medication is completely absorbed into the skin and the fur dries. Treating a cat with Advantage drops should be done outdoors. If this is not possible, the procedure is carried out in a well-ventilated area.
It is recommended to bathe your pet no earlier than 4-5 days after using the drops, despite the fact that the drug is waterproof.
Advantage must be stored in places inaccessible to children and pets, in dry and protected from light conditions, at a temperature of 0-25 degrees.
Persons prone to allergic reactions should avoid direct contact with the drug. Pipettes and empty containers must be disposed of with household waste after use.
It is not allowed to pet or allow the cat near children and people prone to allergies for 24 hours after treatment.
Instructions for use
How to apply drops to the withers?
The instructions for use of Advantage mention that the drops are distributed over the pet’s clean, dry withers, which are free of damage.
Before applying the product, you must wash the cat with a disinfectant. If the active substances come into contact with exposed or affected areas of the skin, they can enter the systemic bloodstream and cause harm to the central nervous system.
The medicine should be distributed over those areas of the skin where the pet cannot lick it off. In most cases, veterinarians do this in the area between the shoulder blades near the base of the skull.
The drug is distributed gradually, 1 drop at a time. Once the area is completely treated, you should stop bathing your pet for several hours. It is also not recommended to pet the cat in the treated area.
Dosage for pets up to 4 kg or more
Experts adhere to strict dosages when using Advantage drops. For individuals weighing up to 4 kg, the product is used 1 time with a dosage of 0.4 ml. If the weight exceeds 4 kg, the dose is increased to 0.8 ml. In this case, the procedure is carried out once, and if fleas appear again, it can be performed again after 30 days.
If the pet's weight exceeds 8 kg, you will need to distribute 0.1 ml drops per 1 kg of weight.
General recommendations
When working with the drug, you should adhere to a number of precautions and personal hygiene rules:
- Do not smoke, drink or eat while applying drops. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the penetration of active substances into the body.
- If Advantage gets on the skin or mucous membranes, they should be washed off immediately. If the drug gets into your eyes, but the burning sensation does not go away within 24 hours, you will need to consult a specialist and rinse the mucous membranes.
- Tubes are disposed of in accordance with all requirements. They cannot be used for further purposes.
- Advantage can provoke allergies in humans. If symptoms of individual intolerance occur, you must make an appointment with an allergist, and entrust subsequent care for your pet to a veterinarian.
- When the procedure is completed, you should wash your hands using shampoo or soap.
- To apply drops, wear rubberized gloves.
Advantages
Adventage deserves the attention of cat owners for the following reasons:
- imidacloprid acts on parasites within 3–5 minutes;
- the insecticide acts by contact, so the pests die even if they do not bite the animal;
- the drug is safe, therefore suitable for adult cats and kittens;
- provides protection against ectoparasites for 4 weeks;
- the active substance is practically not absorbed into the blood and spreads throughout the body;
- affects sexually mature parasites (imago) and larvae;
- easy to use, just apply drops to the withers;
- the therapeutic effect of Advantage persists even if the cat gets wet;
- It is easy to calculate the appropriate dose for a cat.
Advantage has few contraindications and rarely causes adverse reactions.
According to reviews from cat owners who have already tested the insecticide on their pets, this drug is effective, safe and relatively inexpensive.
Side effects of the drug
A negative reaction of the body to Advantage occurs when the dosage is not observed or there are contraindications for use. Thus, experts recommend avoiding applying drops to the body of cats that are light in weight. In addition, there are age restrictions - the drug is contraindicated for kittens under 2 months.
It is forbidden to use the product for pets with hypersensitivity to the active substances. It should not be used on sick animals or cats with mechanical skin damage.
No significant side effects from the use of the drug were identified. Sometimes your pet experiences symptoms such as:
- Allergy.
- Gag reflex and nausea.
- Redness and itching of the skin.
- General weakness.
In such cases, symptomatic treatment is carried out.
What to do if the cat licked the drops?
Advantage flea remedy is not intended for internal use. Once in high concentrations in the digestive tract, it can cause poisoning. To make the animal feel better, if symptoms are severe, they are given sorbent preparations (activated carbon, Smecta) and provided with plenty of fluids. However, in healthy animals with strong immunity, licking of droplets most often occurs without consequences.
If you licked the drops...
Reviews about the product
Yuri, veterinarian: “Advantage is a proven antiparasitic agent that has many advantages. Among them are maximum effectiveness in the fight against ectoparasites, a long-lasting effect and prevention of the appearance of fleas, lice, ticks, lice and other organisms for 30 days.”
Yulia, the cat’s owner: “Noticing that the cat had red spots all over its body, I went to the veterinary clinic for help. There they determined that the pet was attacked by fleas. The vet prescribed Advantage. I applied the drops to my cat for several days. I was pleased with the result. I recommend it to anyone looking for an effective remedy for parasites in pets.”
Answers to popular questions
The health and cleanliness of pets is important to cat and dog owners. It is difficult to protect your favorite animal from infection by various ectoparasites. If necessary, antiparasitic drugs containing insecticidal elements are used for treatment and as a preventive measure. To clarify solutions to problems regarding treatment and post-procedure care, many owners ask questions. Some of them are more common than others and are quite popular.
- Is it possible to scratch after treatment?
Immediately after treatment, contact with the animal is not allowed. You should not scratch your pet, as its skin must be absolutely healthy. Even a microcrack can cause allergies and irritation. After application, the drug begins to spread over the skin and touching, scratching, stroking can reduce the effectiveness of the drug and also cause a negative reaction in humans and animals.
- Can it be used on a dog?
The drug is allowed to be used for the treatment and prevention of dogs from infection with ectoparasites. The doses used for dogs are different from those for cats.
- Is it possible to divide by less?
The drug is available in plastic pipettes. Each pipette contains a certain amount of the active ingredient and additional substances. All components are calculated, one pipette is intended for an animal with a specific weight (see instructions). It is not allowed to divide the medicine into smaller doses, as this may lead to a decrease in effectiveness or a violation of the intended norm.
- Is it possible to put drops in the ear?
Advantage is not intended to treat ear mites, and therefore dripping the drug into the ear is not advisable. For this purpose, there are special ear drops that are safer for your pet (Bars, Frontline, Amit).
- Is it okay for pregnant cats?
It is allowed to use Advantage for the treatment of pregnant cats, since the drug is completely safe for the health of the female and offspring.
- Is it possible to pet a cat?
The cat should not be petted immediately after applying the medicine. It is not recommended to contact the animal until the drops on the fur have completely dried, which will take several minutes. It is necessary to exclude contact of the animal with children and people prone to allergies for 4 - 5 days. Since the drug is waterproof, the medicine remains on the cat’s coat for quite a long time.
- Is it possible to wash a cat?
Many veterinarians, based on the fact that Advantage is waterproof, do not prohibit bathing the cat several hours after treatment. However, to increase the effectiveness of the medication, it is recommended to bathe the animal 5 days after applying the product.
- Can it be used by newborns?
The drug should only be used by kittens aged 10 weeks or older and after consultation with a veterinarian. Treatment of a lactating female with the product allows you to destroy fleas on newborn kittens, which in veterinary medicine is called the umbrella effect. Directly treating newborn kittens with the drug is strictly prohibited.
- Is Advantage suitable for a nursing cat?
The drug can be used to treat cats during lactation.
- Can rabbits?
Advantage drops against ectoparasites are also used to treat rabbits weighing at least 4 kg.
Due to its high efficiency and safe effects, the drug Advantage is one of the sought-after and popular means in the fight against ectoparasites.
Analogs
The list of Advantage analogues is small. It includes the following drugs:
- Leopard. Fipronil-based drops that effectively fight fleas, ticks, lice and lice. Contraindications include a weakened body or individual intolerance to the active substances. The cost of packaging is from 200 rubles.
- Celandine. An effective solution for external use containing fipronil and permethrin. Intended for preventive purposes, combating lice, lice-eaters, ticks and other parasites. Package price - from 130 rubles.
- Advocate. A product for external use based on moxidectin and imidacloprid. You can buy it for 300 rubles.
Advantage is a good antiparasitic drop with a wide spectrum of action. They effectively destroy various parasites.
Contraindications
It is important not to use Advantage for cats that are sick, weakened after an illness, or during the rehabilitation period. Also, the product should not be used on animals that are extremely light in weight. This mainly applies to the use of the drug "Advantage" for kittens. The main contraindication is traditionally considered to be individual intolerance to any component of this drug.
