Pets quite often suffer from a variety of parasites: fleas, ticks, intestinal nematodes, which cause various diseases. The modern drug “Advocate” can help your beloved animal. Drops for cats have an antiparasitic effect and are used not only as a therapeutic agent, but also for preventive purposes.
general description
Advocate is an easy-to-use drug. The fact is that it is produced in the form of drops intended for external use. Drops of spot-on are applied to the withers. To get rid of parasitic insects or prevent their appearance, you do not need to try to feed the animal tablets or pour in a suspension, just drip the solution onto the skin. The procedure is painless and takes only a couple of minutes.
The medicinal liquid is packaged in disposable polymer pipettes, from which it can be easily squeezed out. The manufacturer produces pipettes for cats in two versions:
- 0.4 ml are intended for pets weighing up to 4 kg;
- 0.8 ml are intended for animals weighing from 4 to 8 kg.
When purchasing, be sure to pay attention to the volume of pipettes and the information indicated on the packaging. If the medication is used for other purposes, it can cause toxic poisoning, so be careful.
The antiparasitic should be stored at a temperature not exceeding 30C, but freezing should not be allowed. For storage, you should choose a dark place away from direct sunlight. Do not forget that the drug contains toxic components. For this reason, it should be kept away from feed and food.
Advocate's analogs
Analogs of original medicines are drugs with different names and main active ingredients. The selection of analogues is carried out by a doctor.
Analogues of Advocate
Infection of pets with various parasites threatens the health of not only the animal, but also all family members. Infection with pathogens can have a particularly serious impact on the well-being of younger and older generations. Therefore, timely contact with veterinary hospitals and the use of antiparasitic drugs should not be neglected.
*Prices are as of October 2022.
Composition and properties
The wide spectrum of action of Advocate drops is due to the combination of two active components - moxidectin and imidacloprid. They differ in chemical properties, but both substances negatively affect arthropod receptors. As a result, there is a disruption in the transmission of nerve impulses, which inevitably leads to paralysis and death of the parasites.
When using the medicine in large doses, the active substances may partially accumulate in the body of animals. If the dose is not exceeded, Advocate does not cause mutations and does not suppress the immune system.
When to use
According to the instructions for use, Advocate drops are used for cats with the following parasites:
- fleas;
- scabies mites;
- lice eaters.
The drug can be effectively used to protect the animal from the parasitic insects listed above, that is, to prevent infection. An antiparasitic agent is used to treat and prevent helminthic infestations caused by nematodes. The active components do not affect tapeworms, so the drug can be used for treatment only after testing and determining the type of helminths. If the medication is used for prophylactic purposes, additional medications against cestodes may be required.
Advocate drops are also used to prevent a dangerous disease - dirofilariasis. With this pathology, worms parasitize the heart and pose a mortal danger to the animal. The medicine affects only the larvae of microfilariae, the causative agent of the disease. The drug is not effective against sexually mature individuals, therefore it is used exclusively for prophylactic purposes. Not suitable for the treatment of dirofilariasis.
Note! Advocate can be used in complex therapy in the treatment of allergic dermatitis caused by fleas.
The effectiveness of “Advocate” drops
As soon as the drug enters the skin of a pet, it is rapidly distributed throughout the epidermis and fur. The active substance protects cats and dogs for a long time, providing an insectoacaricidal effect.
“Advocate” drops, unlike other products, penetrate through the skin into the internal organs, which enhances their effect
Unlike imidacloprid, moxidectin does not work on the surface, but inside the body. It enters the systemic bloodstream through the skin, from where it begins to be distributed to tissues and organs. The maximum dose of the active substance of the drug is recorded on days 4-9 after treatment. Complete elimination of moxidectin occurs after four weeks.
Correct way to apply drops
The majority of consumers who used Advocate drops to treat and protect their pets were satisfied with the course they completed. Cats and dogs, when the active ingredient is applied correctly, rarely show side effects, with the exception of cases of hypersensitivity to the active substance.
Many owners noted the fast and effective operation of the drops
Drops were used not only on animals living in an apartment or city, but also on cats and dogs living in rural areas with a large number of insects and parasites. The medication successfully protected the pet from flies and their larvae, repelled ticks and blood-sucking mosquitoes.
Advocate drops also helped pets living in yards and often forced to come into contact with parasites
When eliminating skin disorders, drops were used both as a separate remedy and as a combination with other medications. They showed an equally good therapeutic effect in two regimens, but were more often used as a separate agent in the initial stages of the disease. According to reviews of those who used Advocate drops on dogs and cats, the first results were noticeable after just a couple of applications.
In some cases, one or two procedures are enough for the pet’s condition to improve.
To eliminate flea and tick attacks, a single treatment is sufficient, while pet owners confirm the long-term effect of the active substance, provided that the dose is selected correctly. Allergic attacks occur in less than 1-2% of cases. Severe anaphylactic reactions are extremely rare and are usually associated with previously unknown contraindications for treating skin and fur.
An allergic reaction to drops is extremely rare.
Dosage and procedure for use
To correctly calculate the dose of the drug, you need to know the weight of the animal. The instructions indicate that the dose of Advocate for cats should be as follows:
- for animals weighing up to 4 kg, a 0.4 ml pipette will be required;
- for pets weighing from 4 to 8 kg, you need to use a 0.8 ml pipette at a time.
If the medicine is used for small kittens, it is allowed to apply not the entire pipette, but the minimum dose should not be less than 0.1 ml per 1 kg of weight. If the cat's weight exceeds 8 kg, a combination of pipettes must be used. To calculate the required amount of medicinal solution in this case, for each kilogram of mass you need to take 0.1 ml.
If Advocate drops are used for medicinal purposes, they are applied once. If the main purpose of use is prevention, then the procedure should be repeated monthly. The same regimen for using the drug is also used in cases where there is a high risk of developing dirofilariasis. To ensure reliable protection, you need to use the medication while mosquitoes are flying.
Note! If Advocate is used to treat otodectosis, it is applied to the withers. Do not instill medicine into the ear canals. If the pathology is accompanied by inflammation, antibacterial agents are additionally used.
The drug is easy to apply. You need to follow a simple algorithm:
- Unscrew the cap on the pipette.
- Turn the lid over and pierce the protective membrane with the reverse side.
- Gently part the fur at the withers and apply the medicine. It is important that the drops get on the skin and not on the fur.
If Lawyer is used to kill fleas, the animal’s habitat must be additionally treated with special means. Otherwise, re-infection may occur.
Is poisoning from flea drops dangerous?
It is difficult to say for sure what will happen if a cat licks flea drops. It all depends on the amount of insecticide ingested, the animal’s body weight, its immunity, and age.
If a small amount of poison gets ingested, the pet will get off with a slight illness; if it gets into a serious amount, it will result in severe poisoning.
A healthy young cat may not feel symptoms of intoxication, but a sick, old or, conversely, too young cat will lie down for several hours or even days.
Directions for use and precautions
In order for the use of drops to be effective and safe, the following rules should be followed:
- Do not apply the drug to wet or damaged skin.
- After treatment, the pet cannot be bathed for 4 days, even with the use of special shampoos, since the active ingredients will be washed off and will not affect the parasites.
- It is strictly forbidden to combine the application of the medicine with other antiparasitic agents.
- The drops should be applied in places that the pet cannot reach.
- If several animals are being treated at the same time, they should be isolated from each other until the solution dries. Otherwise, they may lick the medicine off each other, and the drug should not be allowed to get inside.
After applying Advocate drops, the animal should not be petted for 24 hours. During this period, it is worth isolating your pet from small children. If the medicine gets on the skin or mucous membranes, you should immediately rinse them with clean water. If allergies occur, consult a doctor.
Contraindications
“Advocate” drops on the withers are strictly forbidden to be used by sick, emaciated, severely weakened animals, cats whose weight is less than one kilogram. The insecticide-acaricide should not be used on small kittens under ten weeks of age.
Pregnant and lactating cats should be treated with caution and only under the supervision of a veterinarian to avoid the development of severe complications.
After therapeutic or preventive treatment, you should not allow your pet to come into contact with other animals. You should not bathe your furry pet for seven days after the company’s action to destroy ecto- and endoparasites.
Pregnant cats are treated against ectoparasites under the supervision of a veterinarian
To prevent a decrease in effectiveness, Advocate is not prescribed together with drugs that contain macrocyclic lactones.
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Limitations and side effects
Advocate drops should not be used for cats in the following cases:
- if age less than 9 weeks;
- during the recovery period after serious illnesses and operations;
- for infectious pathologies;
- if there is intolerance to the components (allergic reactions occur).
It is better not to use the drug for pregnant and lactating females. If there is an urgent need for this, the procedure should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor. If the animal has acute or chronic diseases of the heart, liver or kidneys, consultation with a veterinarian is necessary.
Animals usually tolerate the medication without problems. Sometimes vomiting, skin irritation, lack of appetite or depression occur. If the medicine is accidentally ingested, vomiting or stomach upset may occur. The drug may cause disruptions in the functioning of the nervous system. They are manifested by impaired coordination of movements, apathy and mood swings.
How does poisoning manifest in a cat?
It is very important to notice in time that the cat has licked the flea drops.
The following symptoms should alert the owner:
- the cat refuses its usual and favorite food;
- diarrhea begins;
- the cat constantly drinks water;
- the animal loses orientation in space, cannot group itself for a jump, it staggers, skids;
- salivation increases;
- The animal's pupils dilate.
Symptoms can be expressed in different ways, it all depends on how much insecticide enters the body. Of course, you don’t have to be afraid of a fatal outcome - in the worst case, the fluffy will lick only a few drops.
It is worth distinguishing between the symptoms of intoxication and allergies. Individual intolerance may occur when using a new drug. It is expressed in lacrimation, redness of the skin, and the appearance of bald patches at the site of application.
To reduce the likelihood of poisoning and allergies, you should give preference to medications from trusted companies.
Owner reviews
Larisa, owner of a 5-year-old cat:
“We used Advocate to treat otodectosis. And although the price of the drug is high, the money is well spent. We managed to get rid of scabies ear mites and prevent infection of a young cat who was in our foster home. Among the advantages I would like to note is the ease of use. There is no need to torture the animal or put drops into injured ears.”
Tatyana, owner of 4 cats:
“There used to be three cats in my house, or rather 2 cats and a cat. I periodically carry out prevention of the appearance of external and internal parasites, so there have been no problems. I recently adopted another cat from the shelter. At home I noticed that she was constantly itching. I bought Advocate drops at the pharmacy. Already on the second day she stopped itching intensely. The medicine has a strong pungent odor and after application for the first 2 hours Lucy was very lethargic, but after a while she came to her senses on her own.”
