Flea & Worm Prevention for your Cat or Kitten

Activyl Spot On
Advantage Spot On
Advocate / Prinovox
Banminth
Baycox & Procox (see Advice Sheet: Coccidea in Kittens)
Bravecto
Broadline
Drontal
Frontline Spray and Spot On
Ivermectin Subcutaneous Injections
Milbactor
Milbemax tablets
Panacur Paste
Profender
Stronghold

External parasites are more prominent on Crete especially in the summer month’s therefore flea treatments need to be given monthly. Some preparations available in the UK are not yet licensed on Crete.

Fipronil such as Frontline Spot On are no longer advised as effective for adults in Europe especially within Greece. Fleas are now becoming resistant to this chemical and we use it only for kittens up to six months of age.



Activyl Spot On

Age & How to use: 8 weeks of age onward not to be used in pregnant or lactating animals

Dose: The recommended dose is 25 mg/kg body weight larger pipette sizes can be bought & multiple cat treated.

Treats: Prevention of ticks and flea infestation can be used as part of a treatment strategy for flea allergy dermatitis. Developing stages of fleas in the pet’s immediate surroundings are killed following contact with Activyl treated pets. Following a single administration, the veterinary medicinal product will prevent further flea infestation for at least 4 weeks.

Remains effective following shampoo treatment, water immersion (swimming, bathing) however, animals should not be allowed to swim or treated with shampoo within 48 hours after treatment.



Advantage Spot On

Age & How to use:   4 weeks of age onward

Dose: Less than 4 kg body weight: 40 mg Spot-On Solution for Small Cats 1 x 0.4 ml

4 kg and greater body weight: 80 mg Spot-On Solution for Large Cats 1 x 0.8 ml

Treats: For the prevention and treatment of flea infestations stops feeding within 5 minutes kills adults and larvae within 20 minutes. One treatment prevents further flea infestation four weeks on cats re-infestation from emergence of new fleas in the environment may continue to occur for six weeks or longer after treatment is initiated. The product remains effective if the animal becomes wet & can be used as part of a treatment strategy for Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD).

Treatment of feeding queen’s controls flea infestations on cat and kittens.



Advocate Spot On

Age & How to use: 9 weeks of age onward and over 1kg

Dose: 1-4 kg Advocate 40, 4-8 kg Advocate 80

Treats: Fleas, mites, hookworm, lungworm, roundworm, but not tapeworm.

Prinovox contains the same compounds as Advocate



Banminth

Age & How to use: 3 weeks of age onward, 1 marked syringe graduation per kg

3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th week of age for kittens (every 3 weeks initially)

For adult cats administer every 3 months

Treats:  infestations of roundworms (does not treat Giardia or tapeworms for instance)

Note that Panacur Paste is the preferred treatment for kittens as Banminth only treats roundworms


Baycox please see Cociddia in Kittens



Bravecto (Fluralaner)

Age & How to use: Bravecto has NOT been shown to be effective for 12-weeks’ duration in kittens less than 6 months of age.

Dose: 40mg/kg

Treats: Fleas & ticks, and is particularly effective in treating ear mites for 12 weeks.


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Broadline

Age & How to use: 8 weeks of age onwards 

Dose:

0.8-2.4 kg 0.3ml

2.5-7.4 kg 0.9ml 

7.5-9.9kg 1.2ml

10-14.9kg 1.8ml

Treats: Fleas, ticks, biting lice, roundworms, hookworms and tape worms



Drontal

Age & How to use: 4 weeks of age onward but must weigh more than 0.6 kg

Dose: up to 2 kg : 0.5 Drontal Cat Tablets

> 2 kg up to 4 kg: 1 Drontal Cat Tablets

> 4 kg up to 6 kg: 1 Drontal Cat XL Tablets

> 6 kg up to 8 kg: 2 Drontal Cat Tablets

> 8 kg up to 10 kg: 1 Drontal Cat Tablets PLUS 1 Drontal Cat XL Tablets

Adult cats buy the large cat 8 kg tablets & half or quarter them depending upon the weight of your cats also available in spot on again buy the biggest & syringe out the dose according to weight.

Treats: Tapeworms, hookworms, roundworms, and whip-worms

Cut up tablets make them foam at the mouth so never crush these tablets, cover in butter this helps. Spot on is easier but not yet available in Greece.

Cautions: Do not use in pregnant cats



Frontline Spray and Spot On

Buy the largest dose of cat or dog fipronil (generic name) for healthy kittens & cats six weeks & over we have calculated a safe dose below.

Age & How to use: Effective on kittens only spray can be used at any age but has limited use as kittens gain weight, from 4 weeks of age too 6 months use Spot On monthly.

Dose: Less than 1 kg body weight: 0.2 ml

1 kg and greater body weight: 0.4 ml

Treats: Prevention of flea infestation kills fleas within 24 hours and ticks within 48 hours, a single administration may prevent further flea infestation for at least 4 weeks. Water resistant kittens can be bathed from 48 hours after application

There are various parasite preparations but only four cover tapeworm (Panacure/Profender/Milbemax/Drontal). Extra vigilance is required with kittens from feral mothers as many diseases are passed on by fleas; internal parasites begin to multiply unseen around 3-4 weeks of age.

Frequency of worming depends upon the drug being used but it is widely accepted that the basic required is every 2 weeks (from 6 weeks of age until 12 weeks old): that is at 6, 8, 10, & 12 weeks.

Thereafter every 4 weeks until 6 months of age

Adult worming can be followed 3 monthly or every 5 weeks in summer months if they hunt.

To save money you can in some cases buy the dog or large cat strength & get many doses from one vial (if in doubt check with us re how much to give or your vet).

Please note that K9 Advantix must not be used on cats as it contains Permethrin which is toxic in cats.



Ivermectin Subcutaneous Injections

Age & How to use: 12 weeks of age onward (under veterinary supervision it may be given earlier)

Dose: 0.04 ml/per kg of cat by injection under the skin back of neck/shoulder/thigh.

1 kg: 0.04 ml4 kg: 0.16 ml
2 kg: 0.08 ml5 kg: 0.20 ml
3 kg: 0.12 ml6 kg: 0.24 ml

Ivermectin should be repeated in 2 weeks to catch life stages that were not killed by the first treatment. Prevention of reinfection can be accomplished by cleaning the environment thoroughly treating all cats in the cattery/colony at the same time.

Mites do not live for significant amounts of time in the environment, so treatment of the carpet, scratching posts, etc. with an insecticide is not necessary.

Treats: Gastrointestinal roundworms, lung-worms, grubs, sucking lice, mange mites (ear mites).

It is not effective against fleas, ticks, or flukes.

Ivermectin use is NOT without risks, side effects are primarily neurological in nature & transient but can be serious if the drug is accidentally overdosed. In a cattery or multiple cat situation such as feral colony’s the convenience, spectrum of efficacy particularly with mange and low cost outweigh the risks.

Please liaise with your veterinarian re dose & administration, exercise caution with dogs as they have greater restrictions on use.

Not to be used in pregnant or lactating Queens.

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Milbactor

Age and How to use: 6 weeks of age onward no less than 0.5kg

Dose: 4mg/10mg for kittens and cats up to 2kg

16mg/40mg cats >2kg

2-4kg half tablet

4-8kg 1 tablet

8-12kg one and half tablets

Treats: Tapeworms, roundworms, whipworms and heartworm

Cautions: Not to be used in pregnant or lactating Queens. 



Milbemax tablets

Age & How to use: 6 weeks of age onward & over 0.5 kg

Again buy the biggest dose & cut according to your cat/kittens weight

Treats: Infections With roundworms, hookworms, whip-worms and tapeworms

Can be used in pregnant cats & feeding queens



Panacur Paste (18.75 mg) the only formulation available in Greece

Age & How to use: 2 weeks of age onward: 1 marked syringe graduation per kg for three days

Kittens with Giardia require 5 day courses

12 Days later another 2 day course

Dosage for adult cats: 2 syringe graduations per kg

Used for kittens here comes in one 5 g syringe of paste unless you can buy the liquid on the internet which is cheaper & can be used on adult cats.

Panacur Liquid 10%

Age & How to use: Same regime as above but at 0.5 ml per kg foul tasting to cats.

Treats: Panacur is used to treat infestations with many parasites including roundworms, hookworms, whip-worms, and tapeworms. It may also be used in the treatment of flukes and Giardia. The only licensed treatment of Giardia use with appropriate dosage levels (5 day course instead of three



Profender

Age & How to use: 6 weeks of age onward: spot on back of the neck where they are unable to lick it off. Buy the largest dose & syringe out according to cat weight

Treats: Tapeworms, hookworms, roundworms, and whip-worms

To stop evaporation keep the stronghold in the syringe with the needle capped & place in the fridge it will keep for months. Label with date & name, rinse syringe & needle when empty with warm soapy water & air dry & reuse.



Stronghold (240 mg)

Buy the Blue/green top: dog dose (40 kg) for healthy kittens & cats six weeks & over we have calculated a safe dose below.

Age & How to use: 6 weeks of age onward: Use a diabetic/1 ml syringe & needle from the chemists & draw up 0.1 ml for each kitten of normal weight apply to back of the neck.

When they reach 1 kg or more they will need 15 mg so increase dose to 0.2 ml

Adult Cats greater than 2.5 kg give 0.4 ml

Treats: Flea infestations, ear mites (Otodectes cynotis), heartworm disease Dirofilaria immitis, adult roundworms (Toxocara cati), adult intestinal hookworms (Ancylostoma tubaeforme), biting lice infestations (caused by Felicola subrostratus). Does not treat tapeworm

Feeding queens given this preparation will pass on the flea prevention up to kittens up to 7 weeks of age via their milk but not the worm prevention.

To stop evaporation keep the stronghold in the syringe with the needle capped & place in the fridge it will keep for months. Label with date & name. Rinse syringe & needle when empty with warm soapy water & air dry & reuse.