Advantage as a veterinary remedy
Advantage is an insecticide product manufactured by the German pharmaceutical company Bayer. This tool is widely used in domestic veterinary medicine.
Advantage is produced in the form of external drops, which are a clear solution of yellowish or light brown color. On the shelves of veterinary pharmacies, online stores and pet stores, this tool can be found in pipettes with a dosage of:
- for kittens and cats weighing up to 4 kg (0.4 ml);
- for cats over 4 (0.8 ml).
One carton contains a blister with four pipettes and instructions for use of the drops. The average cost of the drug is 820 rubles per package. No veterinarian prescription is required to purchase drops.
Advantage - OTC veterinary drug
The active component of this antiparasitic agent is imidacloprid. 1 ml of the preparation contains 100 mg of active ingredient.
Auxiliary components:
- benzyl alcohol;
- propylene carbonate;
- butylhydroxytoluene.
How does an insecticide work?
Drops of Advantage, when in contact with the skin of a pet, are gradually distributed over the entire surface of the animal's body. The maximum effect is achieved after 12 hours.
The active substance of the drug blocks the receptors of the parasite's nervous system, which ends in paralysis and further death of the insect.
According to the degree of impact on the body of cats, Advantage belongs to low-hazard drugs (according to GOST, class 4).
Table: advantages and disadvantages of Advantage drops
Benefits | disadvantages |
| High price. |
Storage conditions
Drops from Advantage fleas should be stored in a dry and dark place, out of the reach of children and animals, with a temperature regime not exceeding 25 degrees. Freezing drops is not recommended. In addition, it is forbidden to store the drug near food and animal feed. The shelf life of the medicine is 4 years.
The drug has an acceptable cost, good quality, is available to a wide range of consumers, is simple and effective to use, all this has made it a popular flea remedy among people who keep not only cats, but also dogs. But nevertheless, the beginning of its application will not be superfluous to consult and examine a veterinarian.
When can you use drops
This insecticide is used to destroy:
- lice;
- fleas;
- lice.
Advantage can be taken for both medicinal and prophylactic purposes.
If the cat is constantly itching, then this is one of the signs of entomanosis.
Advantage can only be used in combination with other drugs in the treatment of flea dermatitis. Using it as an independent tool in this case is impractical.
Contraindications to use and possible negative reactions
There are certain restrictions on the use of drops:
- hypersensitivity to the components of the veterinary medicine;
- kittens are up to ten weeks old.
With extreme caution it is necessary to use this antiparasitic drug in the treatment of pregnant and lactating females... Ideal when the application of Advantage takes place under the supervision of a veterinarian.
Cases of adverse reactions after using the drug are rare. Most often they arise as a result of individual intolerance to the components, overdose or due to non-compliance with the rules of use.
Adverse reactions:
- itching and redness of the skin;
- increased salivation if the pet accidentally licks the drug.
These ailments go away on their own and do not require medication.
Video: the negative consequences of thoughtless use of insecticides on lactating females
General recommendations for the use of drops
To minimize the risk of adverse reactions and to get the most out of the insecticide, there are some guidelines to follow.
- Drip the solution into the area of the withers so that the cat does not have the opportunity to lick off the medicine.
- Make sure the withers are clean, dry and free from damage.
- Remove the cap from the pipette and pierce the protective film of the nozzle with its back side.
- With two fingers of your hand, spread the hair in the area of application of the drug.
- One pipette - one dose. If the cat weighs more than eight kilograms, then several pipettes are used. So, for a cat weighing 10 kg, you will need one pipette with a dosage of 0.4 ml and one - 0.8 ml. The calculation of the drug is made according to the scheme 1 ml / kg.
- During the day, you can not iron, pick up and bathe your pet.
- You can wash your pet at least 2 days later.
- Re-treatment with the drug can be performed after 28 days.
Withers - the area between the shoulder blades closer to the base of the neck
Do not use drugs that have expired. And also it is forbidden to use empty pipettes from medicine for household purposes. They must be disposed of in waste containers.
Precautions
Safety measures when handling an animal
During use, it is important not to allow the product to come into contact with human skin or mucous membranes. As a precaution, you should:
- Handle away from food, utensils or drugs.
- Wear protective gloves only.
- After the completion of the procedure, the container must be disposed of and cannot be used for domestic purposes.
- After completing the treatment, you should wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
Important!
If flea drops come into contact with human skin, rinse the area with copious amounts of water. If the product gets inside the body, immediately contact a medical institution.
Insecticide analogs
The German company Bayer produces two more insecticides for cats with the same active ingredient as Advantage - Advocate drops and Foresto's collar. These drugs contain two active ingredients, one of which is imidacloprid. These antiparasitic drugs can be classified as incomplete structural analogs of Advantage drops.
In addition to structural analogs, the modern market of veterinary drugs is ready to offer the consumer a whole line of antiparasitic drugs that have the same properties as Advanteage, but differ from it in their active and auxiliary composition.
Functional analogues of Advantage:
- Stronghold;
- Leopard;
- Inspector Total K;
- Frontline.
Both the structural and functional analogs of Advanteija have their own contraindications for use and possible negative reactions.
Table: analogues of veterinary medicine
Trade name of the antiparasitic drug | Implementation form | Active composition | Indications for use | Contraindications | Possible negative reactions | average price |
Structural analogs | ||||||
Lawyer | External drops. |
| Treatment and prevention:
|
|
| 4 pipettes with a solution - 400 rubles. |
Foresto | Collar |
| Destruction:
This tool not only destroys parasites, but also prevents their appearance. |
| Itching and redness of the skin. | 1 collar - 1300 rubles. |
Functional analogues | ||||||
Stronghold | External drops. | Selamectin. |
|
| Subject to the doses and rules of use, negative reactions are not observed. | 3 pipettes with a dosage of 0.75 ml - 1300 rubles. |
Leopard |
|
|
|
And also the drug is contraindicated in lactating females. | Veterinary science is not aware of any adverse reactions following the use of this drug. | Collar - 190 rubles. 3 pipettes with drops - 150 rubles. |
Inspector Total K | External drops |
| Treatment and prevention;
|
Under the supervision of a veterinarian, this drug should be used on pregnant and lactating pets. | Allergic manifestations. | 1 capsule of drops for pets weighing up to 4 kg - 300 rubles. |
Frontline |
| Fipronil. |
|
|
| 1 dose of drops - 300 rubles. A spray bottle with a dosage of 100 ml - 900 rubles. |
If you need to treat a large number of animals, for example, in a nursery, then it is best to use sprays for these purposes. The active ingredients in sprays and drops are the same.
Maria Voitekha, therapist of the International Scientific Center for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Animals "Zoovet"
We picked up our first pet on the street. At home, we noticed that fleas were scurrying along the fur of our kitten, and the ears were just black (at that time we decided that this was ordinary dirt, and not ear scabies). Therefore, one of our first acquisitions was the Bars flea collar, which attracted us with its relatively low cost. But as it turned out, this purchase is a waste of money. The number of parasites has not decreased. After consulting a veterinarian, we purchased Stronghold drops from the veterinarian. How the fleas disappeared and where they spilled out, I did not notice. But they almost completely disappeared on the second day.True, while washing the pet, it was necessary to pull out the dead parasites from the wool. After a few days, the ears also cleared, although it was necessary to periodically clean them with cotton swabs. We used this antiparasitic agent only once. Once a week, in order to prevent the development of entomoses, we wash our pet with a budget flea shampoo. If it becomes necessary to take a cat with us to a village full of yard cats, we put on a Foresto collar, which has never failed.
Photo gallery: "substitutes" drops Advantage
Stronghold is not used in the treatment of kittens under 6 weeks of age.
Leopard is not recommended for use by pregnant and lactating females Inspector Total K should be used with caution in the treatment of pregnant and lactating cats Front Line should not be used in case of hypersensitivity to the components of the veterinary preparation Treatment of cats weighing less than 1 kg, pregnant and lactating cats with drops Advocate should be carried out with caution under the supervision of a veterinarian Doctor's Collar Foresto is contraindicated for use in kittens younger than 10 weeks
Video: veterinarian on the use of insecticidal drugs in cats
Important notes
The toxicity of the agent is quite low, but precautions are still needed. It is important not to apply it to the skin where any damage is observed so that the drug does not enter the bloodstream, and you should also not drip it if there are ulcers or even wounds on the dog's skin. Another important advice from the manufacturer of the drug is that you should not wash the dog before the application itself, since the protective layer of the skin is partially washed off, which is why the application will no longer be so safe.
There are also some tips for dog owners: do not drink alcohol, smoke or eat during application, as as a result of the product entering the digestive system, everything can end sadly. Also, the animal should not be allowed to contact children until the product has completely dried, which will happen in just a few hours.
All this practically does not differ from the rules for working with many medicines. After that, wash your hands as thoroughly as possible, using soap. If the drug, for some reason, gets on the mucous membrane of the eye, then it should be rinsed immediately using plenty of water.
If you have hypersensitivity to the previously considered components of the drug, then do not use it or use gloves, avoiding contact. If you have an allergic reaction, then the only solution is to contact a specialist (it is important to take the drug itself and a box of it with you so that the doctor can prescribe the correct treatment).
Now read:
- Seven Signs and Remedies to Get Rid of Fleas in Dogs
- A powerful anti-parasite drug Prazicid complex for dogs
- Fleas, ticks and parasites won't go away with Stronghold for dogs
- An overview of the most worthy eye drops for all dogs