Dangers of Advantage Flea for Cats

Advantage is a flea and tick prevention and treatment, meant for placing a small dab on the neck. Like any medication, dangers do arise, especially in those cats with sensitive skin.

  1. Hypersensitivity

    • If a cat's skin is hypersensitive, the skin will being to welt and eventually produce an open wound due to a reaction to the medication. This is a condition that can be aided by the use of medication given to you by your veterinarian. Unless you know prior to use that your cat has hypersensitive skin, then the only way you will know is by a reaction to the medication.

    Kittens

    • Do not use Advantage on kittens under eight weeks old. This can be possibly fatal due to the large amount of medicine and will definitely cause damage to the kitten's skin.

    Pregnant Cats

    • This product should not be used on pregnant cats due to the possibility of birth defects, though the manufacturer states the product will not cause birth defects. This is purely a precautionary measure.

    Ingestion

    • Do not feed the medicine to the cat or allow it to have access to eat it. Ingesting large amounts can be fatal, but licking the spot where the medication was applied will cause drooling.

    Drug Interactions

    • Using with other pesticides can cause chemical reactions, damaging the skin, and can also cause dangerous illness due to overmedication.

    Overdose

    • You will noticing twitching or muscle spasms as the first sign of an overdose. This can happen if more than one package of Advantage is used, or if Advantage is used on a small cat or a cat under eight weeks. If you are unsure of the proper dosage, speak to your veterinarian.