Background: Fleas & Ticks are common parasites of cats, even in the best households. Because they spread diseases, flea & tick control is an important goal. Likewise, so is heartworm control. (Also, fleas are notorious for spreading tapeworms). Strategy: To achieve flea control, it is necessary to treat ALL pets in the household, both indoor and outdoor pets, and to treat all of them on the same day. Because no product kills all stages of the flea life cycle, it is necessary to have an on-going flea control plan, typically once-a-month, every month! Toxicity: Any flea control product, even when used correctly, can cause an adverse reaction in your pet. Cats are much more susceptable than most dogs to toxicity from flea control products. NEVER use "dog only" products on cats (ie., read the label and ensure that it is labelled for cats too!). Always read the label before applying any product to your cat (of the overdose emergencies that we have treated, none of the owners read the label beyond the words "kills fleas"; therefore, Please read the whole label!). During or after the use of any flea product on your cat, if it starts salivating (drooling) profusely, stop administering the product and IMMEDIATELY telephone your Veterinarian (or the Veterinary Emergency Clinic). In most cases the Doctor will request that you bring your cat in to the clinic ASAP (plus, bring the label off of the flea product you used on your cat). Flea Control Plans (for ALL Plans, treat cats all 12 months of each year): ***PLAN_A: For all cats 8 weeks of age & older: The Once-a-Month topical flea control product called "ADVANTAGE" (Imidacloprid) is easy to apply, is safe, and it kills fleas rapidly. Just call and ask us for a prescription of "Advantage". (Call 328-3344) PLAN B: For all cats 8 weeks of age & older: The new once-a-month prescription topical flea control product called "REVOLUTION" (Selamectin) is effective for fleas, plus roundworms, ear mites & heartworms. As it is a prescription product, please schedule a visit with our Doctor. (Call 328-3344) PLAN C: For kittens 3 to 7 weeks of age: Gently bathe kitten with Johnson’s Baby Shampoo, gently dry kitten thoroughly, and pick off fleas with a flea comb. For kittens under 3 weeks of age: Use flea comb only! (no chemicals, no bath).
PLAN T: Tick Control: If ticks are a minor problem at your house, then use "Advantage" for the fleas and an "over-the-counter" tick spray if you see an occasional tick (ensure that it is labelled as safe for cats). On the other hand, if ticks are your major problem, then it is best to use a prescription product to control the ticks. Currently we are still recommending "Frontline" for this task even though it does a poor job of flea control in cats (yet it seems to work adequately in dogs). If you have a lot of ticks and a lot of fleas, then we recommend alternating products (ie., use Frontline the first month, then use Advantage or Revolution the second month, then go back to Frontline the 3rd month). Notes: 1. If you use "Advantage" once-a-month you won’t need any over-the-counter flea products! 2. The traditional over-the-counter flea control products consist of powders, sprays, shampoos, dips & collars. Due to the huge success of the prescription drug "Advantage", many of the older products have been re-labelled to lead you to believe that they are equally effective. We can guarantee that "Advantage" is vastly superior! (for flea control). 3. If you treat all the pets in your household, "Advantage" is truely great at killing fleas; however, it does nothing for ticks (see Plan "T" above). 4. If you have three or more cats in your household, it is more economical to purchase the "Great Dane" size Advantage (also called "Blue" Advantage) rather than the "cat" Advantage. Please ask our Tech (Janna) for instructions as this size requires individual measurement. Thank you.5. Flea control is NOT the same thing as "itch control". If your cat has any signs of skin irritation or hair loss, please schedule a visit with our Doctor. Call 328-3344. 6. We don’t carry "Program" anymore because "Advantage" is so superior!
Comparison of "ADVANTAGE" versus "Frontline" versus "Revolution"
PLAN H: For Heartworm control in Cats: Yes, cats do become infected with heartworms. They get the disease via mosquitoes. There are two methods of preventing heartworm disease in cats. (1) Heartgard (Ivermectin) is packaged as six once-a-month chewable tablets. It also controls hookworms. It is relatively inexpensive. (2) Revolution (Selamectin) is packaged as once-a-month topical drops. It also controls fleas, ear mites, hookworms, & roundworms.
Prices for Flea, Tick, & Heartworm control Products: Frontline Topspot for cats: 6 tubes for $59; 3 for $39; one for $15 Advantage, Blue ("Great Dane size"): six for $60; or four dog tubes for $48 (=20 cat tubes); Purple (cats, 8 pounds & up): 6 tubes for $44; 3 for $29; one for $12 Revolution for cats: 6 tubes for $59; 3 for $39; one for $15 Heartguard for cats: 6 month supply for $23 (not sold in smaller quantities). For more information, please call The CAT CLINIC of Conway at 501-328-3344. Thank You! (aka: Cat Surgery Express) Thank you.
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