Advantix for Cats

If you have a dog and a cat, it is tempting to use the same flea product for both your animals. However; many flea and tick products are prescribed only for dogs and can potentially be very dangerous for your cat. Advantix is one such product. It specifically warns against use on a cat because it can be poisonous or even fatal to felines.

  1. Warning

    • Advantix contains permethrin, a synthetic insecticide, which is toxic to cats. Dogs and other mammals metabolize permethrin effectively, resulting in a perfectly safe product for them. However; cats cannot metabolize permethrin and will suffer from toxic effects if exposed to the insecticide. This is known as permethrin toxicity. Exposure to cats can happen in a variety of ways, including direct application or close contact with a dog that has been treated within the last 48 hours.

    Symptoms

    • Symptoms of permethrin toxicosis will manifest themselves within a few hours to three days following the exposure of your cat to Advantix. Symptoms include tremors, hyperexcitability, depression, loss of coordination, vomiting, seizures, twitching, lack of eating and death. According to a Feline Advisory Bureau release, in a review of 286 cases called into the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS), a hotline providing information on the management of poisoned animals to veterinary professionals in the United Kingdom, cats in 96.9 percent of the cases were symptomatic and cats in 87.8 percent of the cases showed increased muscular activity including twitching, tremors and convulsions.

    Timeframe

    • The review by the VPIS also found that convulsions lasted for an average of 38.9 hours and tremors lasted an average of 32 hours after exposure. Recovery typically took two to three days but took as long as five to seven days in some of the cases with death occurring in 10.5 percent of the cases.

    Treatment

    • Treatment consists of tremor and/or seizure control, decontamination of the skin and supportive care. Methocarbamol and diazepam control seizures and tremors. Washing the cat with warm water and dishwashing liquid or shampoo decontaminates the skin. After the cat is washed, he is thoroughly dried and his body temperature regulated to make sure hypothermia does not set in. Supportive care takes the form of intravenous liquids to keep the cat hydrated and a safe environment so that he does not harm himself due to the lack of coordination and possible disorientation.

    Prevention

    • Labels on flea products will state when a product is meant for a dog only and should not be applied to your cat.