Flea and Parasite Control Choices
There are numerous flea, tick, and heartworm prevention products available. Listed below are the products we feel are both effective and safe. Remember to treat all animals in the household.
PROGRAM is a once-a-month oral flea control product. Its active ingredient, lufeneron, prevents fleas from completing their life cycle; therefore, it is an effective barrier against your home becoming infested. It does not have any adulticidal effect (it does not kill the adult fleas), so pets on Program may carry some live fleas. Because of this, we feel Program is not the first choice for flea-sensitive pets or in the face of an active flea infestation. It is a good choice for pets that have an overall low risk of flea exposure. Program is approved for use in cats and kittens treated than 6 weeks old. A 6 dose package costs $40 or $6.66 per cat per month. Program is available in a liquid form that is mixed with soft food and in tablet form that is given directly by mouth with a meal.
FRONTLINE TOPSPOT is a once-a-month topical flea and tick control product. Applied to the back of the neck, its active ingredient, fipronil, becomes concentrated in the oil glands of the skin and has an adulticidal effect. Any fleas on the pet are killed within 24 hours. Ticks may take a bit longer to die. Frontline remains effective even if the pet is bathed or rain-soaked. It is approved for use on cats and kittens greater than 12 weeks old. A 3 dose package costs $27 or $9 per cat per month.
HEARTGARD FOR CATS (ivermectin is the active ingredient) is a once-a-month chewable heartworm preventative. Heartworm disease can cause asthma-like respiratory problems, vomiting, and rarely death. Since both indoor and indoor/outdoor cats may be exposed to mosquitoes, we recommend heartworm prevention for all our patients. Heartgard also treats and prevents infection by the intestinal parasite hookworm. It is approved for use in cats and kittens greater than 6 weeks old. A package of doses is $14 ($2.33 per month per cat) for cats less than 5 pounds, and $22 ($3.66 per month per cat) for cats less than 15 pounds. Cats greater than 15 pounds must take a combination of tablets.
REVOLUTION is a once-a-month topical product with a broad spectrum of activity against many parasites. Its active ingredient, selamectin, kills fleas and ear mites, treats and prevents the intestinal parasites roundworms and hookworms. This product is an excellent choice for the cat that goes outside or is difficult to medicate with oral heartworm preventative. It is approved for use on cats and kittens greater than 6 weeks old. A package of 6 doses costs $72 or $12 per month per cat.