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Advantage and K9
Advantix
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Flea control with imidacloprid -
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Summary: Advantage (tm) and K9
Advantix are a spot-on
flea control medications. Advantage can be
used on both dogs and cats but K9 Advantix (tm) adds
permethrin to the ingredient in Advantage to control
ticks and mosquitoes in addition to fleas so should
not be used on cats.
Jack DeAngelis, PhD
OSU Ext. Entomologist (ret.)
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What
are Advantage and K9 Advantix?
Advantage
and K9 Advantix are spot-on flea control
medications for dogs (Advantage or K9 Advantix) and
cats (Advantage only). Both are very effective
topical medications for fleas. Both use the active
ingredient imidacloprid to control fleas
while K9 Advantix adds permethrin to control ticks
as well. K9 Advantix should not be used on cats
because permethrin is toxic to cats.
Both
products come in small, measured-dose applicators
where the amount of liquid is matched to the weight
of the animal. Four dosage levels are available for
dogs, two levels for cats and kittens. Once applied
the insecticide quickly spreads over the skin
providing protection from bites for at least a
month.
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| Adult cat
fleas (1/5"-1/10") move between the host
animal and "nest". |
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Applying Advantage or K9
Advantix
Be
careful to apply the liquid to the pet's skin not to
the fur; see How
to Apply Spot-on Flea Control. Also, please read
over the General
Information and Precautions before using any of
the flea control products.
Imidacloprid,
the active ingredient in Advantage and K9 Advantix, is
not readily absorbed through skin so there is less
chance of side effects compared to systemic flea
control medications. Package instructions say that
monthly applications are allowed; however, unless
fleas are frequently re-introduced into the pet's
environment monthly applications probably are not
needed. Re-apply only when fleas, "flea-dirt" or ticks
(in the case of K9 Advantix) are found.
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Does K9 Advantix protect
against heartworm?
Yes, but...If you
live where heartworm has been reported your
pets should be protected from this serious, often
fatal, parasitic infection (see What
is Heartworm?). Even though heartworm is
transmitted by mosquito bites we believe that systemic
heartworm medications like Heartgard
are better protection than topically-applied mosquito
repellents such as K9 Advantix.
Advantage and K9 Advantix
are available without a prescription from your local
veterinarian clinic and online (see below). Online
sources generally are less expensive than vet
clinics. Be sure
to order the dosage level that closely matches your
pet's weight. If you decide to use Advantage you'll
probably also want to use a flea and tick collar
for protection against ticks.
What is
Imidacloprid Insecticide?
What is Flea Dirt?
Do Flea and Tick
Collars Work?
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