Russian (AVZ) develops and produces medicines for domestic and farm animals. It produces insectoacaricidal products: sprays, shampoos, collars. An effective drug is “Bars” - drops against fleas and ticks for cats, the instructions for which must be studied before using the medicine. There is a product for treating kittens. It has a softer effect. "Leopard" kills not only adult ectoparasites, but also their larvae. The drug is also used to prevent infection.
Advantages and disadvantages
Medicine cannot be completely harmless. It has both pros and cons. It must be used if the animal has ectoparasites or is likely to become infected with them. The insectoacaricidal agent is well tolerated by dogs and cats if used correctly.
The following advantages of drops for cats “Bars” are highlighted:
- high efficiency;
- ease of application;
- low level of toxicity;
- innovative formula with a wide spectrum of action;
- the ability to dose the medicine depending on the weight of the animal;
- low concentration of active components;
- synergy of active ingredients (strengthening each other);
- prolonged action (protection up to 2.5 months).
The disadvantages of the drug are:
- risk of overdose;
- presence of contraindications;
- unpleasant odor;
- the need for re-treatment in case of severe infection;
- the likelihood of animals licking drops.
Poisoning of cats with an insectoacaricidal agent is possible. This happens with individual intolerance to the components or overdose. Therefore, before treating your pet, you must take into account all the pros and cons of the medicine.
Features of using Bars drops for kittens and puppies
For the youngest pets, the Bars line of drops includes the release of anti-tick and flea products under the Bars Forte brand. The line differs from the usual product not only in composition, but also in the reduced concentration of the active substance fipronil. The composition of Bars Forte is supplemented with an insect growth regulator, which makes it possible to more effectively combat ectoparasites.
Features of treating puppies and kittens with Bars Forte drops include:
- Strict consideration of age. Before reaching 10 weeks of age, kittens and puppies cannot be treated with Bars or Bars Forte drops.
To safely treat kittens and puppies with Bars drops, you need to wait until they are at least 10 weeks old and use only the Bars Forte variety. - Particular care in dosage and strict adherence to instructions: for a puppy or kitten weighing up to 1 kg you will need only 0.18 ml of the product (about 4 drops).
- The ability to bathe your little fluffy as many times as needed: shampoo and water do not reduce the effectiveness of Bars Forte drops.
The composition of Bars Forte drops allows your pet to perform water procedures without restrictions.
Otherwise, the methods for treating a puppy or kitten with Bars Forte drops against external parasites do not differ from treating an adult pet with Bars or Bars Forte drops.
Composition and pharmacological properties
The veterinary drug is available in the form of a solution for external use. The dispenser pipette contains 1 ml of insectoacaricidal agent. The liquid is oily, yellow or light yellow in color.
At the same time, 3 components of the drug are active:
- fipronil - 10 mg/ml;
- dicarboximide (MGK-264) - 1 mg/ml;
- diflubenzuron - 1 mg/ml.
The composition also includes excipients:
- isopropyl alcohol - 50 mg/ml;
- Tween-80 - 30 mg/ml;
- polyvinylpyrrolidone - 30 mg/ml;
- polyethylene glycol 400 - up to 1 ml.
The drops are distributed over the fat layer on top of the skin, accumulate in the sebaceous glands, without entering the systemic bloodstream. This ensures long-term protection against ectoparasites.
Fipronil blocks GABA-dependent receptors of fleas, lice, lice and ticks. The conduction of nerve impulses in their bodies is disrupted. This leads to paralysis and death of ectoparasites. It takes 7-10 hours to completely kill insects.
Thanks to diflubenzuron, the synthesis of chitin in parasitic individuals slows down. The process of molting and egg-laying is disrupted. Hatching of larvae from eggs becomes impossible. Adults do not leave offspring.
Dicarboximide is necessary to enhance the effectiveness of fipronil and diflubenzuron. With minimal doses of active substances, maximum impact on ectoparasites is achieved. At the same time, the harm to cats remains minimal.
The active components of the drug are classified as moderately hazardous substances. If you use the drops correctly, there will be no harm to cats. The main thing is to follow the instructions and monitor your pet for several days after instillation.
Operating principle
Bars drops for fleas are a low-toxic product that does not pose a threat to the health of humans and warm-blooded animals. When the medicine is applied to the skin, it lingers in the top layer and also penetrates the hair follicles and sebaceous glands. The active components of the drug are not absorbed into the bloodstream, therefore they are not capable of harming the pet. The effect of the drops begins 24 hours after application and lasts for 4 weeks.
The medicine initially causes paralysis of adult parasites, and then death due to circulatory problems. Also, the active components of the drugs penetrate the protective shell of the larvae, which leads to a stop in their development and death.
Indications for use
Many people believe that Bars drops are effective against fleas and ticks (exclusively). However, this opinion is wrong. The drug has a wider spectrum of action. Indications for its use are:
- Entomoses. This is an infestation of fleas, lice and lice.
- Otodectosis. This is an ear pathology caused by microscopic mites.
- Cheyletiellosis. This disease is otherwise called stray dandruff. The pathology is caused by microscopic mites of the genus Cheyletiella, which feed on the keratin layer of the skin.
- Sarcoptic mange. The disease is also called pruritic scabies. The causative agent is the microscopic subcutaneous mite Sarcoptes canis.
- Notoedrosis. The disease is often referred to as cephalic scabies. The causative agent is the subcutaneous microscopic mite Notoedres cati. These parasites most often affect the scalp and the edges of the ears.
- Infection with ixodid ticks. This parasite reaches 2.5 mm. It can increase 10 times in size if it attaches itself to an animal. Ixodid ticks carry piroplasmosis, which is often fatal.
Drops can be used on cats from 2 months of age. If a pet lives on the street or goes for walks, treatment with an insectoacaricidal agent is carried out for prevention once every 2.5 months.
Possible reactions, contraindications
Not all animals can easily tolerate the effects of the chemical components of Bars drops against fleas and ticks for cats. The medicine is contraindicated:
- cats during lactation;
- pregnant individuals;
- kittens under 2 months old;
- sick animals;
- cats that have irritation or damage to the epidermis;
- animals with individual intolerance to the drug;
- cats with perforated eardrums (if drops are used in the ears).
Important! If several cats live at home, treatment for parasites is carried out simultaneously for all animals.
Practice shows that Bars rarely disrupts the normal well-being of pets. However, in some cases, a cat may develop:
- skin irritation;
- lacrimation;
- muscle tremors;
- nausea.
As a rule, these individual reactions of the body are caused by intolerance to any of the components of the product. To avoid allergic manifestations, a special test is performed during the initial use of Bars. Apply 1 drop of the drug to the cat’s skin (on the withers) and leave for 12 hours. If no reactions occur, the product can be used.
Dosage of the drug
After treating the cat with any insectoacaricidal preparations “Bars” against ticks, lice and fleas, apply no earlier than a month later. Otherwise, you can cause an overdose, since the active components of the previous medicine still remain in the fat layer of the animal.
Drops must be dosed according to the cat’s weight:
- up to 1 kg - 0.3 ml (10 drops);
- from 1 to 3 kg - 0.6 ml (20 drops);
- over 3 kg - 1 ml (whole pipette).
If the cat is a large breed (Maine Coon, Savannah, British, Siberian) or is overweight (over 6 kg), the exact dose of the medicine should be checked with a veterinarian. To get rid of fleas, 2 droppers (2 ml) of drops may be needed.
If the cat lives or goes for a walk outside, it is recommended to wear a “Leopard” collar 7 days after treatment. It consolidates and prolongs the effect of drops against fleas, lice and lice for 5 months, against ticks - for 4 months. The pet must wear it continuously.
Reviews from owners and veterinarians
In order not to be afraid to use Bars drops, you can read reviews about this product from veterinarians and pet owners. If we talk about experts, they believe that Bars is one of the best remedies in the fight against blood-sucking parasites.
Doctors advise owners to follow dosages carefully and not increase them without further advice. Veterinarians also recommend wearing special masks over the mouths of kittens so that they cannot lick the drug and get poisoned.
Owner reviews can be found on various forums and Internet sites. In 90-95% of cases they are positive. The owners agree that it is enough to apply the drops once for the cat to live peacefully for more than 3 months without unnecessary worry from fleas.
Negative reviews about Barca are rare. Symptoms of poisoning occurred only in 3–5% of cases, and this was due to improper use of the drug. Many people believe that if they treat their cat with a large amount of the product, they will get rid of fleas faster. But this is a mistaken opinion.
In conclusion, we can say that Bars (leopard) drops and spray for cats are considered one of the best means for protection against fleas and other parasites. For a low price, a person receives a high-quality drug with which you can quickly deal with ticks, insects, and fleas.
Flea Drops Application Guide
The medicine is distributed throughout the fat layer, which is located on top of the skin.
Therefore, the animal cannot be bathed 3 days before and 3 days after treatment. Otherwise, the fat layer may be washed away, the drops will have nothing to distribute or they will be washed away.
For cats, flea treatment is applied in the following order:
- The pipette is opened. To do this, its tip is broken or cut off with scissors.
- The fur on the withers is parted with your fingers to provide access to the skin. In this case, the animal’s head should be fixed.
- The required amount of the drug is applied to the withers. For cats of large breeds, medicine is also dripped between the shoulder blades.
- The area to which the drug was applied is well massaged. This helps the drops absorb faster and distribute evenly.
Before applying the medicine, you need to make sure that the fur is dry and clean, and that there are no wounds, scratches, etc. on the skin. Otherwise, the pet will be in pain and allergic reactions are possible.
If it snows or rains, then the animal should not be allowed outside for 5 hours from the moment of treatment. The drops will not yet have time to be completely absorbed, so they may wash off.
For 3 weeks after treatment, it is not recommended to bathe the cat using shampoo, soap, etc. Washing may weaken the protective effect of the insectoacaricidal agent.
Precautionary measures
Despite the lack of facts about characteristic side effects or complications after treatment with Bars, its active components nevertheless belong to hazard class 3 poisons and require a number of measures to minimize the risk of poisoning.
Important! The product is poisonous to fish, turtles and rabbits!
For animals, such measures are dictated by the nature of their natural nature and the factor of living together in a family.
- If the dosage is chosen incorrectly and it is exceeded, then signs of intoxication of the dog or cat's body are possible: vomiting, excessive salivation, muscle weakness, trembling. Then you need to wash off the product with shampoo, give activated charcoal and take your pet to the veterinarian.
- Similar symptoms can occur when drops enter the animal's mouth through licking. You need to do the same as with an overdose.
Important! During the first 24 hours, do not allow anyone, especially children, to pet a recently treated pet, and do not do this yourself until the wet marks from drops on the fur disappear!
Individual protection measures against poisoning are also necessary for the owner who carries out the treatment.
- During treatment, you should not smoke, eat or drink if there are traces of the drug on your hands.
- After applying the drops, the first thing you need to do is wash your hands thoroughly with soap.
- If you are allergic to the components of the drops, then you need to take any antihistamine.
Important! If the drug is ingested and signs of illness appear, it is better to call an ambulance or urgently seek medical help at any medical institution with instructions for the drops on hand, so that the doctor can quickly find an antidote.
How to use drops against ixodid ticks
Unlike other parasites, ixodid ticks are more likely to attach to dogs. However, cats are also at risk. The parasite gets onto the animal's fur and skin from grass or ground, sometimes from a tree or low bush.
Ixodid ticks are active from March to October. At this time, the ground is not covered with snow and has an acceptable temperature for the parasite. If the winter is warm, then this type of arachnid is active all year round.
To protect cats from ixodid ticks, insectoacaricidal treatment must be carried out every month. This applies to animals that go outside for walks. At home, infection with ixodid ticks is unlikely.
If prevention was not carried out on time, ticks can be found on the pet’s body. In this case, the use of Bars drops has its own peculiarities. It is necessary to carefully move the fur apart. A few drops of the medicine should be applied directly to the tick.
After half an hour, the parasite should die and fall off on its own. If this does not happen, you need to take special tweezers and unscrew the tick counterclockwise. It is important that the parasite comes out with the head. Otherwise, inflammation may occur.
After the tick has fallen off or been twisted out with tweezers, you need to contact a veterinarian. The cat could become infected with diseases carried by this parasitic arachnid species.
Method of using drops
For long-term preventive protection against parasites, the product is applied to both dogs and cats by drop method once onto dry, healthy skin in the following areas of the withers that prevent self-licking:
- several points along the ridge from the neck to the shoulder blades;
- several points in the skull area on the back of the head at the base of the neck.
For better absorption, the wool should be carefully spread apart and try to drip onto the skin. Look carefully to see if there is any damage! You can’t drip “Bars” on wounds!
3 days before treatment, refrain from bathing your pet, and similarly, 3 days after, do not bathe it either.
Important! The period of Barca's protective work is limited and is 1 month against ticks and 2 months against fleas. Repeated application of drops earlier than a month later is not recommended!
Removing an attached tick using Bars
It happens that even treated cats or dogs get attached to ixodid ticks. This is especially observed when the effect of the drops weakens, and the tick is able to freely insert its proboscis into the skin without dying.
If a bloodsucker is seen sticking out of the pet’s body, especially bloated from drinking blood, then the following measures need to be taken.
- On the bloodsucker that has penetrated the pet, as close as possible to the site of suction, drop 1 drop of the product and wait half an hour. During this time, the parasite should fall off on its own.
- If this does not happen and the tick continues to be under the skin, it should be carefully and correctly removed by slightly turning it in any direction and at the same time pulling it towards you.
- If possible, it is better to take the removed tick, if it is still alive, for analysis to find out whether it is a carrier of infections and the risk of infecting your pet with them.
- When this option is not available, the tick must be burned, scalded, or crushed between layers of paper, but not in your hands!
- Next, you need to carefully monitor the condition of the bitten animal, and at the first signs of deterioration, rush to a veterinary hospital.
- An attached tick is a signal that the drops have stopped working. This means that there is a need for repeated urgent treatment of the pet.
For your information! If the animal was treated with Bars quite recently, and, despite this, a tick bite occurred, then you need to change the protective agent and, without delay, treat your four-legged friend with it.
Treatment with Bars for ear scabies
If your dog or cat regularly scratches its ears with its paw or on objects, shakes its head, tilting it to the side, and the auricle is covered with a dark coating, then this is a sure sign of ear scabies - otodectosis. The cause of this scourge is scabies ear mites Otodectos cynotis.
In addition to suffering for the animal and unbearable itching, this disease is fraught with painful inflammation of the middle ear, perforation of the eardrum and the onset of deafness.
To destroy the causative agents of otodectosis, you need to drop 3-4 drops of “Bars” into ears that have previously been cleared of plaque and securely fix the pet’s head for a few minutes so that it does not shake out the injected medicine and it has time to get into the ear canal.
If otitis has already developed, then antibiotics are included in the treatment complex, otherwise “Bars” will not cope with inflammation - it is simply not intended for this.
Important! If only one ear is affected by scabies, then both must be treated! This measure will protect against cross-infection.
Treatment with drops for ear scabies
The drug is used to treat otodectosis. However, it should only be used with the permission of a veterinarian.
To rid a cat of ear mites, the product is applied to the skin in the withers area and directly into the ears. Even if one ear is affected, both should be instilled.
Before treatment with drops, the ears are cleaned of wax and waste products of microscopic mites, which look like black dirt. For this, special sprays are used, for example Auricap. Cleaning must be deep, so it is advisable to use cotton swabs or medical clips with cotton wool wrapped around them.
3-4 drops of Barca are instilled into clean ears. Then the ears must be thoroughly massaged. This will help the medicine distribute faster and prevent it from splashing across the surface of the coat.
Otodectosis can be complicated by inflammation. In this case, you will need antibiotics, immunomodulating agents, etc. Therefore, you should not treat the animal yourself. It's better to see a doctor.
Security measures
- Since the product is considered moderately dangerous for humans, the use of Bars drops for cats must be worn with gloves.
- Do not touch or pet the cat for several hours, especially for children.
- If the liquid gets on the skin or mucous membranes of a person, rinse immediately with plenty of water.
- Dispose of pipettes immediately after use.
