Is Advecta Plus a Safe Flea Product?

spac

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My indoor only cats got fleas, again. I need to buy a spot-on product ASAP. I have some leftover Frontline Plus, and a sample tube of Advantage Multi, all from several years ago. Unfortunately, it won't be enough. I was thinking of trying Advecta Plus unless there's a known issue with it. Has anyone heard anything bad about it?

My thinking here is that if I was using it on just one cat then I probably would just go ahead and use it. But I need to use it on three cats, and if they all have a bad reaction then that would be a huge problem. So I just wanted to see if anyone has heard anything about it or had issues with it.
 

Kieka

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Flea treatments are one of those places that getting an off brand or generic version is not the best idea. The formula is going to be slightly different and when we are talking a strong pesticide that difference can really cause harm. I personally do not recommend using anything but the flea medication your vet recommends for your area. Partially because of safety for your cats and partially because your local fleas can become immune to certain formulas. I know in my area, Frontline does nothing for fleas and I have to use Advantage.

If the Frontline and advantage are only slightly out of date, one or both might still work. But if they are more then a year expired you are better off talking to your vet and getting the treatment they recommend. I know its not cheap, but think of it in terms of one treatment that for sure will work the first time versus wasting money and potentially causing problems that cost money to fix to try different maybe options. For example, I did try a generic version of Frontline many years ago. It ended up costing me $300 in vet bills because my cat got a rash from reacting to the treatment plus I still had to buy the Frontline and I had to wait three weeks to avoid potential cross chemical issues with the cheaper treatment. Wjich meant my flea problem got that much bigger and took that much more effort to fix in the home. After that, I just do it right the first time with what my vet recommends.

Whatever you decide, to NOT try a flea treatment with tea tree oil. Its a common ingredient in flea shampoos or holistic pest control recommendations. However, tea tree oil can be toxic to cats with some having immediate life threatening side effects and others just having lasting neurological issues. That one is 100% not worth the risk.
 
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spac

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:lol: :flail: If I always listened to veterinarians, half of my cats would've died a premature death.

Anyone else have any experience with Advecta?
 

FeebysOwner

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Advecta Plus has the same active ingredients as Advantage II (Imidacloprid, Pyriproxyfen) which comprise less than 10% of the overall 'ingredients'. The rest are considered inactive, and as far as I know, the manufacturers have no requirement to list them. That is where your main difference lies - what is in that other ~90%.

You can do your own searches on both products which will allow you to compare "adverse effects" for both.

Advantage Multi active ingredients are Imidacloprid & Moxidectin, the difference is because Adv Multi also treats roundworms, hookworms, ear mites, & prevents heartworm. Neither Advecta Plus or Advantage II do. Frontline Plus' active ingredients are Fipronil and Methoprene, for fleas and ticks only. All of these active ingredients run about the same - pretty much no more than 10%.

Advantage II has no expiration date - I am not sure about Frontline Plus or Advecta Plus. Your best bet is to do your homework and decide what you would want to try. Any flea treatment products will affect different cats in different ways. Although, all of the above work by entering the sebaceous glands and not the bloodstream.
 

Kieka

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If I always listened to veterinarians, half of my cats would've died a premature death.
I won't deny some vet are better than others. But vets tend to know what flea treatment is effective in their area better then sales persons. But it is your choice to not reach out to a resource.
 
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