What is Advantage Flea Medication Allergy?
Advantage flea treatment is made by the company Bayer, and its active ingredient is imidacloprid. Imidacloprid is an effective and typically safe-to-use insecticide that kills fleas. Although it is considered safe to use, this active ingredient can cause adverse reactions by cats.
This monthly treatment should not be used on cats younger than 8 weeks of age and should only be used by carefully following the instructions. It is to be applied between the shoulder blades of the back and you should only use the specific dosage according to your cat’s weight.
The ingredient, imidacloprid, affects the nervous system of the fleas and paralyzes them. The fleas eventually die within twelve hours. Within just five minutes of applying Advantage, the fleas stop biting and the larvae are killed. This water resistant treatment lasts for about one month, and then needs to be reapplied.
Many cat owners use Advantage flea medication because it is considered safe and effective. Other benefits of this medication are it is inexpensive, easy to use, and readily available in many stores.
Advantage flea medication is commonly used to rid cats of fleas and is considered safe. However, some cats develop an allergy to the medication, and if this occurs, it is important to contact your veterinarian.
Symptoms of Advantage Flea Medication Allergy in Cats
If your cat licks any of the product or has an adverse reaction to the skin, he may exhibit the following symptoms. Symptoms of Advantage flea treatment allergy in cats include:
- Drooling
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Irritation of the skin
- Shaking of the head
- Seizures
- Loss of appetite
- Lethargy
- Difficulty breathing
- Itching
- Biting at the skin
Types
There are many types of safe flea treatments available on the market today; however they can still cause a reaction if not used properly or if your cat is allergic. Other types of active ingredients in flea medications include:
- Selamectin
- Fipronil
- Methoprene
Causes of Advantage Flea Medication Allergy in Cats
Advantage flea treatment is generally considered to be safe for cats; however, some cats may develop a reaction to the active ingredient. Causes of a reaction include:
- The medication is absorbed through the skin
- The medication can enter the cat’s bloodstream
- The active ingredient can cause nerve damage
- The cat may suffer from an accidental overdose
Diagnosis of Advantage Flea Medication Allergy in Cats
If you suspect that your cat is having a reaction to his Advantage flea medication, contact your veterinarian. Take the container and packaging to the appointment with you so your veterinarian can be sure of what is giving your cat problems. Your veterinarian will ask you questions about the type of medication he is on to help fight his fleas. He will then take a closer look at his symptoms and gather information about them, such as when they began and the severity.
The veterinarian may thoroughly wash and rinse your cat to remove any of the treatment and begin giving him fluids to help with hydration and to stabilize his symptoms. He may take blood work, urinalysis, and a biochemistry profile. The blood testing will focus on your feline’s serum levels. Although blood testing and urine testing are not always absolute, your veterinarian will be able to rule out other illnesses by taking a close look at your cat’s symptoms and having the knowledge that he began having a reaction after the application of the product.
Treatment of Advantage Flea Medication Allergy in Cats
Unfortunately, there is no treatment for imidacloprid toxicity, we can only provide supportive care for the complications. Your veterinarian will explain to you what you can do at home, and will treat his symptoms. Treatment methods may include:
Decontamination
Your veterinarian may have already washed and thoroughly rinsed your cat to help rid his skin and fur of the toxic ingredient.
Avoid Exposure
Your veterinarian will suggest to you that you avoid all further applications of the medication. He may also suggest holistic methods to help control and get rid of fleas.
Gastric Lavage
For severe cases of poisoning, such as if your cat has ingested the medication, your veterinarian may perform gastric lavage to help rid his stomach contents of the medication. This treatment method will be followed up with a dosage of activated charcoal and possibly a dosage of laxatives.
Fluids
Your veterinarian may want to keep your cat for a day or two and monitor his progress as he is on IV fluids. The fluids will help your cat remain hydrated and help further flush out any toxins.
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Recovery of Advantage Flea Medication Allergy in Cats
Most cats have an allergic reaction if they were given too much of the product or if they ingested a specific amount of the medication. Your veterinarian will communicate with you about your cat’s prognosis. Once you take your cat home, continue to monitor him for any other side effects or reactions. Be sure to give him plenty of fresh water during the day and night and monitor his drinking and urination habits.
In order to avoid this from occurring again, you may want to consider other preventions to help control fleas. You can talk to your veterinarian about the types that are available to help your cat during peak flea seasons. If you have any questions about the main ingredients of products that can be used to help fight fleas, ask your veterinarian.
Advantage Flea Medication Allergy Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
tabby
Simba
5 Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
None
I put Advantage Multi on my cat 2.5 days ago. I wasn't thinking and a couple minutes later I rubbed him and when I did it got all down his back. I left him alone for a few minutes when he could have licked it. I came back with a wet washcloth and wiped his back with water, leaving it only on the application site. I then monitored him for an hour with no strange symptoms. He seems normal. I am worried as I read adverse reactions could show up much later?
June 27, 2018
0 Recommendations
There are various different symptoms which may present especially if a cat has licked the medication, it will be well absorbed now and you should just continue to monitor for the time being; however generally if the medication had been licked you would see symptoms of drooling and possibly some twitching afterwards. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
June 28, 2018
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Bengal X
Lola
7 Weeks
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Lifeless And Very Quite
Hi used advocate on my kitten and 24 hours later she was very limp and hardly moving rushed her to the vets and they said it wouldn't have been from the treatment. But to have test and xrays we were looking over a thousand pound in costs. She got worse wry quickly and was put to sleep. Her heart rate was low and glucose was very high. What do u think it could have been the treatment of not feeling very guilty x
June 22, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
I'm sorry for the loss of your Lola, that is very sad. That flea product is quite safe if used appropriately, but adverse reactions do occur. It is hard to say whether she had a pre-existing condition that affected her, or if something else was going on, but I'm sure that you and your veterinarian made the right decision. Again, I am sorry for your loss.
June 22, 2018
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Cat
Fuego
9 Weeks
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Itching
Fleas
I have a 9 wk old kitten that I initially applied the advantage II medication as he was infested with fleas. We had to keep him quarantined in the bathroom because of our other cat and he wasn't having any of it so we opted to give him a full bath of warm water and Dawn dish soap to remove majority of the fleas. I believe a good portion of the flea medication washed away as well as I was still finding live, active fleas on him a day after his flea bath. It has been 4 days since his flea bath now and he still has live, active fleas crawling around his head and he's trying to bite them off his body. I went ahead and applied the flea medication again as I had given him a very thorough flea bath and was still seeing live fleas crawling on him. My question is, does advantage II wash off? I did see several articles stating that if you start to see symptoms to wash off the flea treatment with dish soap and warm water. Should I wash off his 2nd flea treatment that I applied to him or monitor him for the time being to watch for any symptoms?
June 6, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
All flea products will wash off if they are scrubbed enough. Dawn tends to strip the skin of any oils, which makes the topical product not be able to work. If he isn't' showing any signs of toxicity from the 2nd application, you should be fine to leave that application on to help with his flea problems. If he starts to act unstable, tremors, or seizures, you should wash the medication off and seek veterinary help.
June 6, 2018
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dog
Dog named Blue Baby
3 Years
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0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Testicular Redness
Can Advantage Flea and Tick spray cause a dog's testicles to become bloody looking? He doesn't seem to really be bothered by it. He isn't acting as if itches,hurts or anything. Not even licking. It just really looks bad. Please help.
June 3, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
If the spray was applied directly to Blue Baby's scrotum, it may cause some local irritation, otherwise it should not have that effect, and the problem may be unrelated. From your description, he should probably be seen by a veterinarian to find out why the skin there is having that problem and see what can be done about it.
June 3, 2018
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dsh
Lyra
9 Years
1 found this helpful
1 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Mild Lethargy. Red Irritated Skin.
I have used Advantage Flea Medication on my DSH cat for the 8 years I have had her. (She is now 9 years old.) I never noticed any reaction before. This time she became a little lethargic. That has passed but she has a red irritated patch where I applied the medication. I have washed off the area with warm water. Should I apply any antibiotic or cortisone cream to the area? Is age a factor? Is she too old for this medication? Thanks.
May 24, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
1 Recommendations
If you washed the medication off, the skin should heal normally, and it would be a good idea to monitor it for less redness. Ant ointment that you put on her skin will end up being licked off, so creams are typically not recommended. If she has the same reaction to the medication the next time you use it, she may need a different flea control, and there are many oral forms available from a veterinarian. I hope that all goes well for her.
May 24, 2018
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moggy
Tommy
8 Years
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0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Seizures
I bought Advantage for my cats. I had both sizes as 2 of my cats are small. I put on the treatment to all 4 of them. Within a say, my 8 year old cat Tommy had a seizure. It was mild to start with. I took him to the vet and he was given medication. He has just had another really bad seizure. He will be on the medication for life. I am so angry.
