There are different types of mites in nature. Many of them are harmless, but some pose a threat to the life and health of domestic animals and humans, since they are carriers of dangerous infectious diseases. The most common parasites in cats are ear mites, which cause the disease otodectosis (ear scabies).
In veterinary medicine, there are many different drugs designed to kill parasites. The most popular dosage forms include anti-tick drops for cats.
Which brand of flea drops for cats is best to choose?
Concentrated solutions with insecticidal action are offered by many popular and new pharmaceutical companies. You can judge the quality and effectiveness of goods in absentia by the reputation of the manufacturer, its operating strategy and position in the world market. The following companies that produce the best flea drops for cats and other medicines enjoy the greatest demand and trust from customers:
- Bars (AVZ) is a brand of pet products owned by the Russian company. Currently, this is the only manufacturer that has certificates of compliance with GMP rules issued by Rosselkhoznadzor and the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation. Products bearing this name are exported to 18 different countries around the world. The assortment includes several categories - products for animals, pest control products, scratching posts, beds, houses, sleeping places, leashes, and other veterinary drugs.
- Inspector is a brand of veterinary drugs and various pet products, owned by the Russian company Ecoprom. The production is built on high-tech equipment from Germany. The Inspector line of comprehensive products protects against 14 types of external and internal pests. But unlike other analogues, these drugs protect against re-infections for much longer.
- Bayer Animal Health GmbH is a German chemical and pharmaceutical company that began its activities back in 1863. The company gained great popularity thanks to the development of aspirin and heroin. Today the company has 3 subsidiaries and 3 service companies. Among them is the manufacturer of an insecticidal solution for dogs and cats, Bayer Animal Health.
- Celandine is a series of preparations and cosmetics for the care of pets. The owner is Russian. The wide range consists of antiparasitic tablets, drops, sprays, shampoos, etc. Insectoacaricidal collars and polymer tapes have also proven their effectiveness.
- Agrovetzashchita is a Russian company of drugs for the prevention and treatment of domestic and farm animals, birds and aquarium fish. Founded in 1993. The company has 58 patents, which indicates successful large-scale activities. The products of the research and development center have gained a strong position in the veterinary medicine market. The factory complex is equipped with modern Italian equipment.
- BioVax is a cosmetic line owned by the Russian company. All products produced under this name are intended for the care and behavior correction of four-legged friends. These are predominantly natural remedies that do not have a toxic effect on the animal’s body. Their insecticidal and repellent action does not kill insects, but repels them.
Imported means of production
Advocate
Veterinary drug used for the treatment and prevention of nematodosis, demodicosis, entomosis and sarcoptoidosis, intended for external use. The product is characterized by a very wide range of effects against parasites - it allows you to effectively fight fleas, ticks, lice, lice, and even helps cope with worms and intestinal nematodes living inside the animal. The drug belongs to the group of moderately hazardous substances. If the dosage is observed, dogs and cats tolerate its effects well. These are products of the German company Bayer, which has been producing medicines for people and animals for many years. The solution is packaged in pipettes, the volume of which can vary from 0.4 to 4 ml. The main active ingredients here are moxidexin and imidacloprid; additional components are also present - propylene carbonate, benzyl alcohol and butylated hydroxytoluene. After application to the skin, the drug actively spreads throughout the animal’s body within a couple of hours without being absorbed.
The product is securely attached to the wool, which ensures a long exposure time. Moxidectin is absorbed into the skin, penetrating into tissues and the circulatory system. Its highest concentration in the animal’s body is reached on days 5-6 and is completely eliminated within a month. If you need to rid your pet of parasites living in the fur, then a single treatment will be enough; when you have to fight internal parasites, you will have to re-apply the drug - this is done after about 3-4 weeks. If the product is used for preventive purposes, the animal must be treated after bathing without shampoo.
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Advantages:
- Very effective;
- Has water-resistant characteristics;
- Extended spectrum of action.
Flaws:
- Not all animals tolerate it well;
- High price.
Advocate
Frontline Combo
Very effective drops, which are easy to use, can quickly get rid of blood-sucking insects. This product is produced by the French company Merial, which is known throughout the world for its discoveries in the field of veterinary medicine. The drug has unique properties; it penetrates under the chitinous cover of insects, acts at the cellular level, which initially leads to paralysis of the nervous system of fleas, and subsequently causes their death. In some cases, the larvae and eggs of bloodsuckers remain intact, which is why the animal's fur will need to be re-treated, which is carried out after eight weeks. It is not recommended to apply to the skin of a pet if its age does not exceed 2 months. The drops penetrate deep into the epidermis, making it possible to provide complete protection. The dosage is calculated based on the weight of the animal. After the treatment has been carried out, you should limit the pet’s contact with children, minimize exposure to the open air, and you should also not bathe it.
The drug also has a calming effect - it helps get rid of itching after bites, prevents flea dermatitis, and prevents infection of the apartment. The product copes with all types of ticks. It must be kept on the animal’s skin for about two days, after which the dog or cat is allowed to be bathed. Fipronil is used as the main active agent. The animal will be completely protected from fleas for the next three months.
Advantages:
- Widely used drug;
- Actively fights fleas and ticks, as well as the consequences of their bites;
- Long lasting.
Flaws:
- Cannot be used if the animal is under at least two months old.
Frontline Combo
Stronghold Pfizer
American-made products are based on selamectin, a chemical compound that not only kills adult fleas and ticks, but also blocks the incubation of their eggs. It is also suitable for combating ear and scabies mites, helps cope with heartworm, which can affect a pet’s heart, and can be used when treating an animal for roundworms and hookworms. The product dries very quickly, has no foreign odor, and is highly moisture resistant. Safe for pets if they are over 6 weeks old. Tests of its action were carried out even on the most sensitive breeds of dogs and cats - no allergic reaction was detected, although cases of individual intolerance to the drug were encountered.
The drug has an inhibitory effect on chlorine channel receptors. As a result, the normal transmission of nerve impulses in the synapses of the muscle tissue of the parasites is disrupted. Selamectin is absolutely safe for animals - after application, it is almost instantly absorbed into the skin and enters the circulatory system, without causing any harmful effects on the pet’s body. The maximum concentration is achieved one day after treating the cat and three days if the drug was applied to the dog's fur. The therapeutic concentration of the substance is maintained for a whole month. This product is also absolutely safe for people, so immediately after the drug is absorbed, the animal can be petted, picked up, bathed and played with.
Advantages:
- Absorbed into the blood very quickly;
- An expanded list of parasites that this drug can fight;
- The required concentration is quickly achieved.
Flaws:
- Not a very convenient form of release.
Stronghold Pfizer
Bravecto Spot On
It begins to act very quickly - after treating the skin, the product begins to rid the animal of fleas in just 4 hours, and after another 4 hours, about 98% of the insects living in the pet’s fur die. After about a day, the pet has a death rate of fleas and ticks that is close to 100%. This drug is a fairly effective solution in the fight against flea dermatitis. During the development of the drug, studies were carried out on all varieties of ixodid ticks, both on adults and on eggs and larvae. Ticks will die regardless of which part of the animal’s body they are attached to. This drug was developed specifically for cats and dogs, and its degree of toxicity is so low that it is allowed to be used if the animal is pregnant or nursing offspring. Adaptability in fleas to this drug is not observed.
The principle of action is as follows: the active substance penetrates under the chitinous cover of the animal, blocks the work of nerve impulses and the digestive system. The insects stop feeding, so literally immediately after application the animal’s level of discomfort decreases - it begins to itch less and hardly licks itself. The key ingredient here is fluralaner, which is a mammal-safe insecticide. It penetrates into the circulatory system, maximum concentration is achieved just a day after use.
Advantages:
- Easy to use;
- Begins to act almost immediately after application;
- Suitable for lactating and pregnant individuals;
- Actively fights fleas and ticks;
- Safe for animals and people.
Flaws:
- It's very expensive.
Bravecto Spot On
UltraGuard Plus Drops
The leader in this section of our review of the best drops for fleas and ticks is the product developed by a well-known American company that specializes in the production of various veterinary drugs. The composition can be used if the animal is at least 12 weeks old. It will have to be applied to dry and intact skin; it is advisable to cover the area from the withers to the root of the tail. Due to the fact that the animal can reach out and lick the product off, it is advisable to put a muzzle or a special collar on it. The composition should not be applied to the skin of sick or convalescent animals. If your pet is bearing or feeding offspring, you should definitely consult a veterinarian before use. If all these points are observed, there are no contraindications or side effects, however, there are cases of individual intolerance.
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The drops are absorbed quite quickly - it takes about two hours, after which the body of the dog or cat becomes completely invulnerable to parasites. As soon as a tick or flea tries to bite a pet, the insect immediately dies. In addition, the drug has a preventive effect, preventing pests from re-entering the wool over the next 30 days, after which the skin will need to be re-treated.
Advantages:
- One package is enough for three treatments, that is, for most of the summer season;
- Protects against ticks, mosquitoes and fleas;
- Penetrates deep into the skin and begins to act almost immediately after application to the animal.
Flaws:
- The need to use a muzzle or collar to prevent the pet from licking it off.
UltraGuard Plus Drops
Rating of flea drops for cats
Any flea remedy for cats on sale has its own individual parameters, according to which you need to make a choice. Experts first looked at demand indicators to identify the most purchased drugs. Next, we got acquainted with the recommendations of veterinarians and their experience in treating cats. After this, each candidate for inclusion in the review was tested against a group of criteria:
- Composition – active ingredient, additional substances;
- Efficiency – therapeutic properties of the composition;
- Activity – to fleas, ticks, worms, and other pests;
- Operating principle: paralysis, suffocation, repelling pests;
- The result is speed of action, period of protection against re-infection;
- Safety – degree of toxicity, risks of side effects;
- Smell – neutral or pungent;
- Consistency – oily, quickly absorbed into the skin;
- Directions for use – ease of use according to instructions;
- Dosage – the ratio of the dose to the weight and age of the animal;
- Contraindications – pregnancy of the animal, health status.
Real reviews from the owners of cats and cats determined the advantages and disadvantages of each nominee included in the top rating of 2020. This information also helped determine the level of demand, the degree of trust, and whether the manufacturer's stated warranties correspond to reality. Since for most buyers one of the main criteria for choosing a product is price, the review included budget offers from domestic manufacturers.
Best Anti-Tick Collars for Dogs
Precautionary measures
Despite the fact that all drugs are recommended as safe, we should not forget that their main components belong to potent antiparasitic agents and are classified as hazard class III.
Precautions to be observed:
- Do not exceed the dosage; symptoms of intoxication are possible: trembling, vomiting, drooling, weakness.
- It is dangerous if the drops get into the cat’s mouth; the symptoms may be the same as those listed above.
- You should not pet a cat, especially in the first 48 hours, much less allow children to do so.
- Try not to breathe these substances to avoid poisoning.
- After handling ticks, you should wash your hands thoroughly.
- It is prohibited to smoke, eat or drink while applying the drops, as residues of the drug remain on the hands.
- The medicine should be kept out of the reach of children and animals.
- Given the toxicity of droplets, containers containing medications are disposed of immediately after use.
- Medicines for ticks are poisonous to other pets: fish, rabbits.
Your veterinarian will help you choose a high-quality and safe product for treatment and protection against ticks.
Which flea drops for cats are best to buy?
The cat's body is vulnerable to various insects, helminths, and parasites, especially in the warm season. Therefore, for prevention, protection or treatment, a proven and effective medicine should be selected. These are all the nominees in the expert review. The following results of a comparative analysis will tell you what to buy from these drops:
- Inspector Total K – activity against different types of parasites, long-term protection;
- Bars - the best ratio of quality, results and price, the highest demand;
- Advocate (Bayer) – high quality, no risk of side effects;
- Celandine Bio – natural ingredients, no contraindications;
- BioVax – antifungal, antiseptic effect, safe composition.
Treatment of an animal with any of the presented means is carried out according to one scenario. The liquid solution is applied pointwise to the withers, avoiding spreading. It is important that there is no damage to the skin in this area. Before starting the procedure, you need to compare your weight and age with the permissible dosage. If the composition contains essential oils, you can test the drops for an allergic reaction. To do this, apply a couple of drops to the withers and wait about half an hour. If there is no reaction, treatment can be carried out.
How dangerous is a blood-sucking tick bite for a cat?
Excidian mites (60 species) are distributed throughout Russia. Three genera are carriers of infectious diseases:
- Ixodes (taiga tick, dog tick);
- dermacentor (pasture mite);
- hyalomma.
They live in grass and bushes at a height of 1 m from the ground. They are active from March to November, but are especially dangerous in spring and autumn, since during this period they are especially hungry and angry.
Most often, free-roaming cats become victims of tick attacks, but there is always a danger for apartment cats, since the owner can bring the parasite on his clothes.
The tick tick is a carrier of diseases dangerous to cats.
When a tick bites, it secretes saliva, which has an analgesic effect. It hardens over time, thanks to which the parasite is securely attached. After this, it begins to feed on the cat’s blood, which is why it increases in size. Having thoroughly eaten, the tick falls off (this can happen after 3-4 days or a month), but the female lays eggs and dies. But before that, they can infect the animal. Excidian ticks are carriers of many diseases:
- hemobartonellosis - the disease is caused by microscopic parasites that penetrate red blood cells, which leads to depletion and gradual death of the latter (the disease can be suspected by the presence of fever, anemia, heart failure);
- tularemia - pathogens attack the lymphoid tissues of the cat, as the disease progresses, it spreads throughout the body, which can result in intoxication, sepsis (if untreated, death cannot be avoided);
- theileriosis - caused by single-celled parasites that penetrate all organs with the blood, the disease manifests itself with sudden weakness, loss of appetite in the animal, heavy breathing, the functioning of the heart and lungs is gradually disrupted, and fever appears;
- feline encephalitis - there are two types of the disease (muscle pain accompanied by headache and a disease involving the nervous system);
- Lyme disease - manifests itself as a rash and can cause problems with the joints, heart, and nervous system.
The tick, engorged with blood, increases in size
Do you need a flea collar?
Benefits of using a flea collar:
- protection of the animal when worn constantly – 98% for a long time;
- the cat does not need additional treatments with repellents;
- helps significantly reduce the risk of disease transmission through ectoparasites and infection by ectoparasites themselves;
- moisture-resistant, retains insectoacaricidal properties after bathing the animal;
- Can be used for pregnant and lactating cats (after consultation with a doctor).
However, it is impossible to remove fleas and other invasive insects with a collar. This is not a therapeutic, but a prophylactic agent!
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Application procedure
The main indications for prescribing Amit drops to cats are sarcoptic mange, demodicosis, notoedrosis and cheyletiosis. The solution is used according to the following scheme:
- Clean the affected areas of the body from crusts and scabs.
- The drops are evenly distributed over the site of the disease, covering up to 10 mm of healthy skin (treatment is carried out from the periphery to the central part).
- A cervical collar is put on the cat for 20 minutes to prevent licking of the drug.
The animal is treated with the drug 2 to 5 times at weekly intervals. A single dose of the drug is calculated based on the ratio of 0.5 ml per kilogram of the pet’s weight. In case of extensive skin damage, Amit is applied to problem areas in two doses (first on one half of the body, and a day later on the other). The basis for discontinuing the medication is the clinical recovery of the pet, confirmed by two negative laboratory results.
An additional indication for the use of Amita is otodectosis (ear scabies) in cats. The drug is used according to the following algorithm:
- Clean the animal's external auditory canal from dirt.
- Fix the cat's head to prevent splashing of the solution.
- Instill 3 drops of medicine into each ear canal (even in the case of unilateral otodectosis).
- Fold your pet's ears in half and lightly massage them at the base for a minute.
Treatment of the ear canals is carried out twice with an interval of 8-10 days. When a secondary infection occurs, the treatment regimen includes the use of anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and antibacterial drugs.
Active ingredients
Insectoacaricides obtained by chemical synthesis are of industrial importance, although the ability to kill insects was initially noticed in some plants. The most popular chemical compounds used in veterinary medicine:
- phenylpyrazoles (fipronil and pyriprole);
- pyrethroids (permethrin, deltamethrin, etc.);
- isoxazolines (fluralaner and afoxolaner);
- carbamates (propoxur, etc.);
- neonicotinoids (imidacloprid, etc.);
- amidines (amitraz, etc.);
- macrocyclic lactones – avermectins (ivermectin, etc.).
Used less and less due to severe toxicity:
- organochlorine compounds - COCs (DDT, etc.);
- organophosphorus compounds - FOS (chlorophos, thiophos, metaphos, etc.).
COCs accumulate in the body and easily penetrate deep into the mucous membranes and skin. At the same time, parasites can develop resistance to them. The use of the most toxic COCs has been banned or limited.
OPCs also have a toxic effect on the body, but to a lesser extent compared to COS.
Phenylpyrazoles and pyrethroids are much less toxic and more effective, which explains their popularity as pesticides and insectoacaricides.