Flea medication not working on cat
- Incorrect application:. The number 1 reason that flea medication is not working on a cat is because the owner did not...
- Ill-advised behavior. This is most common in topical solution flea medications. Most topical solutions advise that you...
- Inadequate medication. It is important to note exactly what kind of flea mediation you are...
How does your cat react to flea treatment?
She always reacts by scrunching up her neck and trying to run away. Then when I let her go she runs away like lightning. It takes 20 minutes or so before I can pet her again. Does flea treatment hurt or is she just freaked out for some other reason? I don't like her being afraid of me. It's pretty smelly stuff and cats have very sensitive noses.
What happens if you treat your dog for fleas and not cats?
“If you treat your dog and not your cat, the fleas will keep on breeding, keep on laying eggs, and you will continue to see them in the house.” Some negative reactions to flea medications are topical, meaning they’re limited specifically to the area on the skin where the medication is applied.
Is your flea medication not working if there are still fleas?
This sounds like a no-brainer – your flea medication isn’t working if there are still fleas around – but the reality is a little more complicated than that. “By the time you see fleas on your pet, they have generally been laying thousands and thousands of eggs in your house,” Verbrugge said.
Can flea medicine cause allergies in dogs and cats?
Your dog or cat may experience a flare-up of symptoms if it has a food allergy to any of these proteins. By far the most reactions to flea medication occur when cats are exposed to certain flea medications that are meant for dogs, which might happen because a pet owner mistakenly buys the wrong product.
Why does flea treatment not work on my cat?
Incorrectly applying topical flea prevention is the most common cause for its failure to work. Flea prevention is expensive, and you don't want to waste a dose. Topical medication should be applied directly to the skin, not the hair. You must part the hair so that you can apply it to the skin at the base of the neck.
What do you do when flea medicine doesn't work?
Why Has My Pet's Flea Medicine Stopped Working?Make sure to apply topical medications correctly (do not split medications to use on more than one pet)Make sure your pet's skin is healthy so topical flea medications work well.Treat your yard and house where 95-99% of the flea population lives.More items...
Why does my cat still have fleas after using Advantage?
A. The active ingredient in FRONTLINE (fipronil) kills fleas by affecting their nervous system, making them hyperactive before dying. These dying fleas often rise to the top of your pet's haircoat, so the presence of visible fleas after treating your pet, is a sign that the product is working.
How do you treat stubborn fleas on cats?
Comb your cat with a fine-toothed metal flea comb from head to tail several times a day. This will skim off adult fleas and their eggs and ease their itching. Then, dip the comb in a mixture of warm to hot water and liquid dish detergent to kill the fleas.
Can you double up on flea treatment?
It's not usually recommended to use more than one oral flea medication at the same time. However, Comfortis and Capstar can be combined. Another exception is Sentinel, which doesn't kill adult fleas, so it can be combined individually with either Comfortis or Capstar.
Why do I still see fleas after using frontline?
There are no flea products that stop fleas from jumping onto pets. This means that regardless of the licensed flea treatment you use - you may still see fleas on your pet until the flea product kills it.
Can I Deflea my cat twice in a month?
Yes, if after two weeks the flea preventive you applied isn't working, you can reapply flea treatment early, or switch to another brand. I recommend using Advantix or a chewable prescription product from your vet, like Bravecto, Nexgard, Simparica, or Credelio.
Why does my indoor cat keep getting fleas?
The most common way for fleas to enter your household is on the family dog or another pet that comes inside from being outdoors. Cats can also get fleas from neighbor pets and local wildlife, such as birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, racoons, possums, squirrels, and skunks.
Can't get rid fleas?
Step 1: Brush your pet with a flea comb. Vets recommend initially brushing your pet with a flea comb to remove any fleas. ... Step 2: Give your pet a bath. Wash your pet with soap and warm water. ... Step 3: Disinfect the house. ... Step 4: Prevent future infestations.
What kills fleas instantly?
Commercial Products from Your Veterinarian The most common product used to kill fleas on dogs instantly is Nitenpyram, more commonly known as Capstar. This single-use tablet is administered orally and kills fleas within 30 minutes.
What kills fleas on cats best?
The best flea treatment and prevention products for cats in 2022Best topical flea preventive for cats: Revolution Plus Topical Solution., $124 on Chewy. ... Best OTC topical flea treatment for cats: Frontline Plus, $67.48 on Chewy. ... Best fast-acting flea control product for cats: Comfortis Chewable Tablets for Cats and Dogs.More items...•
Why do fleas keep coming back?
The most common reason for fleas coming back time and time again is not treating the environment thoroughly enough. Because the life cycle of fleas is so long it's imperative to continually vacuum and keep picking up fleas at each stage of their life cycle.
2. You used the wrong treatment interval
Remember that each flea treatment will have a recommended dosing interval. This is usually once every month, but it can vary. You should always follow the recommended interval because these instructions are specifically written to match the life cycle of fleas, which is about 1 month to go from egg to adult.
4. Fleas are still hiding in the household
It is a great idea to treat your household with a concentrated flea spray like this one every year, regardless of whether you have noticed fleas. But if you know that one of your pets has had fleas recently, treating your household as well as all in-contact pets becomes absolutely vital to guarantee complete extermination.
So, how do I get rid of fleas?
To recap: Use a quality product, follow the instructions, and be sure to treat your cat’s surrounding pets and environment to get the best results. Even if you do everything right, you may get an occasional breakthrough flea problem. It can feel like nothing is working.
Why isn't flea medicine working on cats?
The number 1 reason that flea medication is not working on a cat is because the owner did not properly administer the flea medication. For oral pills, this could mean that the cat did not eat a full meal before given the pill, which could weaken the effect. For topical solutions, this usually means that you did not put the solution in the right area of your cat’s skin. It is important to put the topical solution exactly where instructed so that it reaches the correct glands and spreads to the whole body. It is very important that you read carefully the instructions on how to administer the flea medication to your cat. Also pay attention to dosage so that you make sure you give your cat enough.
How does flea treatment work for cats?
Then, the chemical spreads through all your cat’s glands and covers the majority of your cat’s skin. Once on the skin, the chemical will cover fleas and paralyze their entire nervous system. Then, the fleas can no longer bite or even move, and they eventually fall off.
How long does it take for flea medicine to work on cats?
Sometimes you just need to be patient when it comes to flea medications. Sometimes it may appear that the flea medication is not working on your cat, but in reality you just need to wait a little longer. While some flea medications can kill fleas in as little as 25 minutes, some medications can take longer than a day to come into effect.
How does flea medicine work?
Pills for flea medication in cats work by releasing a special chemical (insecticide) into your cat’s blood stream. When a flea bites your cat, it ingests some of your cat’s blood. Once the insecticide is in the bloodstream, it immediately kills the flea when it is ingested. This is why flea medication can work in as little as 25 minutes.
Can you let a cat swim with flea medication?
This is most common in topical solution flea medications. Most topical solutions advise that you do not let your cat swim or take a bath for a certain period of time while the medication is spreading to the rest of your body. If your cat’s skin gets wet too soon, it can wash away all of the medication. This is why it is extremely important to read the label and instructions on the medication.
Do flea medications kill ticks?
It is important to note exactly what kind of flea mediation you are buying, as all flea medications are not equal. Some flea medications kill fleas, ticks, and their eggs, while some only kill adult fleas. Additionally, some flea medications only protect against fleas that are already on your cat, and do not prevent new infestations. It is important that you understand the functionality of flea medication when you buy it.
How to get rid of fleas in cats?
While the flea medicine slowly works, you can do other things to get rid of the fleas. Comeb your cat's fur frquently with a fine toothed comb to remove fleas and eggs. Dunk the comb into hot soapy water after each pass throgh the fur to drown the fleas. Vaccum frequently.
Does Broadline kill fleas?
Some use Advantage. They both kill fleas and the eggs . I don't know the active ingredients in Broadline . If one medication fails to work I would try a different one. Sometimes with longhair cats you must make sure you part the hair and apply the drops directly on the skin .
Can you spray flea killer on carpet?
Location. Nebraska, USA. Yes, make sure you vacuum more often, and even spray some flea killer on the carpet to kill the eggs and fleas you suck up. Wash blankets and covers almost daily and spray the area where your cat sleeps before you replace the bedding.
Why do cats react to fleas?
By far the most reactions to flea medication occur when cats are exposed to certain flea medications that are meant for dogs, which might happen because a pet owner mistakenly buys the wrong product.
Why does my dog have a flea reaction?
By far the most reactions to flea medication occur when cats are exposed to certain flea medications that are meant for dogs, which might happen because a pet owner mistakenly buys the wrong product.
What happens when an animal licks flea medication?
Vomiting and Lethargy. You might think these signs are emblematic of a problem with an oral medication, however, Verbrugge says, these reactions are most common when an animal licks off the topical flea medication that’s been applied to the hair and skin.
How to tell if your dog has licked off topical medication?
Other signs that your animal has licked off the topical medication are drooling and foaming at the mouth. Some medications can cause mild oral irritation or ulceration in the mouth if licked in large quantities. Occasionally, these symptoms can also occur as the result of oral medications, said Milosevic.
What happens if you treat your dog and not your cat?
“If you treat your dog and not your cat, the fleas will keep on breeding, keep on laying eggs, and you will continue to see them in the house.”.
How many active ingredients are in flea medicine?
There are more than a dozen “active” ingredients across the spectrum of flea medications. These are the ingredients that give each medicine its potency. Also in each respective formula are numerous “non-active” or “inert” ingredients, which are basically vehicles that help make the active ingredient more effective or palatable.
Is hair loss a problem for cats?
Milosevic adds that hair loss is particularly common in cats. Like redness of the skin, hair loss is not considered an emergency, but you and your vet should find a new medication for your afflicted pet. While this might suggest a topical problem, the tail base is, in fact, a hot spot for flea allergies.
Why do cats hate flea treatment?
There are several reasons why cats hate flea treatment. This will vary some based on the type of flea treatment, and your cat.
Why is my cat nervous after flea treatment?
If your cat is nervous after flea treatment, the best case scenario is that they were simply traumatized by the application process. If this is the case, they will quickly return to their normal self. However, if your cat seems strange, they may be suffering toxicity from the flea medication.
Is it normal for cats to act weird after flea treatment?
No, it’s not normal for your cat to act weird after flea treatment. It’s not unheard of for them to experience some anxiety following application, because the process isn’t pleasant for them.
How to get my cat to like flea treatment?
Unfortunately, it’s unlikely your cat will ever enjoy flea treatment. However, there are some ways to work around this. Some involve stealthily administering the medication, while others require restraining your cat.