Advantage Flea and Tick is a topical pesticide for dogs and cats. It stops fleas from biting within five minutes and kills them within an hour. One application of Advantage protects the dog or cat against fleas and ticks for one month. Imidacloprid is the main ingredient in the Advantage Flea and Tick formula. According to Cornell University, "Imidacloprid is a General Use Pesticide, and is classified by EPA as both a toxicity class II and class III agent, and must be labeled with the signal word 'warning' or 'caution.'"
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Function
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The function of Imidacloprid pesticide is to control any blood-sucking insects, including aphids, insects in the soil, termites, whiteflies, fleas and all types of ticks. Imidacloprid affects the nervous system of the insects by causing a blockage of the neuronal pathway. The neuronal pathway allows communication between the insect's brain and its nervous system; when the chemical leads to the shutdown of the insect's neural pathway, it causes paralysis and death.
Application
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The proper application of Advantage Flea and Tick ensures the most effective protection against insects feeding on dogs and cats. Before applying Advantage, weigh the dog or the cat. An accurate weight is needed for the correct dosage of the flea and tick product.
Advantage comes in an applicator tube. For dogs that weigh less than 20 pounds and cats, hold the applicator upright and remove the cap. Separate the fur between the dog's or cat's shoulder blades, so the skin can be seen. Turn the tube upside down over the spot on the shoulder blades and squeeze the entire contents of the tube onto the animal's skin. Throw the empty tube away where no animal or child can access it. Dogs that weigh more than 20 pounds need the application applied evenly at spots near the neck, the shoulders, the back and the pelvis area.
Benefits
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Advantage Flea and Tick not only protects dogs and cats from flea and tick infestation, but the home as well. Flea eggs drop off pets and land on the floor of the home and can take two weeks to eight months to hatch. Advantage prevents the life cycle of fleas from infesting the home by killing adult fleas--without adult fleas, no eggs can be laid in the house. Advantage also kills flea larvae in about 20 minutes after application, so any eggs that were laid cannot grow to adulthood.
Warnings
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Thoroughly wash hands after applying Advantage to your pet. As with any pesticide, caution should be used when handling the product, especially around children. Children should be kept away from the dog or cat that has been treated with Advantage until all of the pesticide has been absorbed into the skin of the animal--which usually takes 24 hours. If children pet the dog or cat and get pesticide on their hands and then put their fingers in their mouth, poisoning can occur, causing vomiting and diarrhea.
Always wash hands thoroughly after applying Advantage and after handling the pet. Follow the instructions on the Advantage Flea and Tick box exactly. An overdose of Imidacloprid can cause fatigue, cramping and muscle twitches in pets, although Advantage is one of the safer pesticides on the market.
Alternatives
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Frequent brushing helps reduce fleas on a dog. A safe alternative to pesticides is to frequently bathe pets during the warm weather, when fleas and ticks are most active. A flea comb is also effective for controlling fleas on the pet's skin. Frequent vacuuming of carpets, draperies and furniture helps keep the chances of a flea infestation in the home to a minimum.
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