Question about Advantage II for Dogs Use on Cats

[lovemymeows]

I've been dosing K-9 Frontline to our 3 cats for several years now, but recently decided  to switch to Advantage II, as the fleas weren't responding to the Frontline anymore.  All 3 of them are bigger cats, 12 lbs and up, so according to the dosing charts I've see they would each get 0.8 ml of Advantage II.  I'm a little hesitant to apply it now, since I see the "Do Not Use on Cats" warning on the front of the Extra Large Dog Advantage II box.  Did they change their formula or is it still safe to dose cats from the dog product?  I appreciate your help!

 

[DreamerRose]

If it says don't use it on cats, then don't use it on cats. Get some that is made for cats. Don't use any product made for dogs on your cats unless a veterinarian tells you to.

 

[red top rescue]

What @DreamerRose just said is a good general rule. My vet was the one who told me about it in the first place when I said I couldn't afford to use Advantage on a whole rescue full of cats.

If you will check the ingredients of each, you will see that Advantage II for Cats and Advantage II for Dogs is EXACTLY THE SAME PRODUCT, the same drugs in the same concentrations.  To date, Bayer has not added anything to the Advantage II formulation to make it unsafe for cats.  That would be too much trouble.  They just changed the packaging to make it scary.

In this case, it's just marketing. Advantage tends to be sold for exactly the same price, or close to it, for a four-pack or six-pack whether it's for Extra Large Dogs or for Cats or even for Kittens.  One Extra Large Dog vial contains 4.0 ml. of Advantage II.  One regular sized Cat vial contains 0.4 ml. of Advantage II (i.e. one extra large dog sized dog vial can treat 10 cats).  From a marketing standpoint Bayer would much rather you buy the cat sized vials than the Extra Large Dog sized vials because you are spending 10 times as much for the same amount of the same product.

Here are the ingredients as listed on Bayer's own web site (it takes a little navigating to get to each but it's there.) 

http://www.bayerdvm.com/show.aspx/productdetail/advantage-ii-for-dogs

Do not click on the Product Label link below the pictures of the four sized  boxes.  Instead, scroll down a little and click on the

second tab, the one that says LABEL SPECS.

Advantage II for Dogs:

https://bayer.naccvp.com/product/se...4HnVeeL2EuzyjnfL5DhrACqQQ&findSection=-FIRST-
 

	Imidacloprid 9.10% Pyriproxyfen 0.46% Other Ingredients   90.44% Total  100.00%

Advantage II for Cats:

https://bayer.naccvp.com/product/se...4HnVeeL2EuzyjnfL5DhrACqQQ&findSection=-FIRST-

Active Ingredients

Imidacloprid 9.10%

Pyriproxyfen 0.46%

Other Ingredients   90.44%

Total  100.00%

 

[Willowy]

If you put the whole big dog dose on a cat, it would be dangerous! I think that's why they put that there. At the proper dosage, it's fine.

 

[lovemymeows]

Thank you all... great advice and information!

 

[crocky]

I've been dosing K-9 Frontline to our 3 cats for several years now, but recently decided  to switch to Advantage II, as the fleas weren't responding to the Frontline anymore.  All 3 of them are bigger cats, 12 lbs and up, so according to the dosing charts I've see they would each get 0.8 ml of Advantage II.  I'm a little hesitant to apply it now, since I see the "Do Not Use on Cats" warning on the front of the Extra Large Dog Advantage II box.  Did they change their formula or is it still safe to dose cats from the dog product?  I appreciate your help!

 

[crocky]

Ive been splitting up the large dog dose for my cats for years and have found it extremely effective and safe (and soooooo much cheaper)

I simply pour it into a baby food jar, pull out .8cc into a insulin syringe (needleless...CVS has tons at the pharmacy, generally free..just ask them) then I put on my cat...

then I lay a thin piece of plastic over baby food jar to make sure its airtight and reseal....never had a problem and its awesome.

As for the new packaging...I believe its a marketing gimick...they want all of your money....its the same medicine cats or dogs. period. only difference is amount to give them.

I also save the very first tube (once emptied), cut a little off the top, then put the advantage back in (with the syringe) to make application easy peasy....and reuse tube.

Hope this helps you...