Thanks for the update on Chloe, Kimberly. I hope the meds help
her.
On another list, a member, who is also a vet did a synopsis of flea &
tick treatments, which may be good to review...(you should be okay with the
Advantage, according to her evaluation) but there are some that should be
avoided, so I thought this would be a good time to share with the list.
Because
I keep getting asked about flea and tick problems and I know I have
answered these before:
Revolution is selamectin, an avermectin in the
same class as ivermectin, moxidectin (Proheart injectable, Advantage multi,
Advocate) and milbemycin oxime (Interceptor, Sentinel). It is not
effective against most species of ticks.
It is effective against the
dog/wood tick that carries Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and
tularemia. It is effective against fleas, ear mites and sarcoptic
mange (scabes). It is used to prevent heartworm disease, but has no
effect on adult heartworms or circulating microfilaria already
present. In dogs with MDR-1 mutation its mostly causes heavy
salivation, but seizures and ataxia have been reported. It should not
be used in sick, underweight or debilitated animals or those under 6 weeks
of age, but appears to be safe to use on pregnant and lactating
animals. Other side effects include diarrhea, vomiting, tremors,
loss of appetite, itching skin reaction and slow breathing.
However, it generally appears to be tolerated well by most dogs
including
beardies.
Comfortis (spinosad) is an insecticide
derived from a naturally occurring bacterium via fermentation, and
represents a new class of insecticides acting by a novel mode of action.
It is given as a chewable once per month and starts killing fleas 30
minutes after ingestion. It is therefore rapidly absorbed and taken up
onto the skin. The most common side effect is vomiting, but it can
also cause decreased appetite and diarrhea. There have also been
reported instances of lethargy, coughing, excessive water intake, vocalization,
increased appetite, redness of the skin, hyperactivity and excessive
salivation. Caution should be used when giving Comfortis to animals
receiving ivermectin, and at the doses of ivermectin given to treat demodectic
and sarcoptic mange the combination has proven fatal. It should not
be used to treat pregnant
or nursing bitches and can cause abortion,
poor mothering, failure to thrive in puppies and vomiting in puppies
too. It should not be used on puppies younger than 14 weeks. It
should also not be given to any animal with a seizure
disorder as it
has been reported to increase their frequency. (It should not be used for
cats either.)
The
active ingredient in Triforce is a pyrethroid, cypehnothrin. You can
find toxicity information here
_http://pesticideinfo.org/Detail_Chemical.jsp?Rec_Id=PC33508_
(http://pesticideinfo.org/Detail_Chemical.jsp?Rec_Id=PC33508)
In
humans it is suspected of causing endocrine disruption, and produces
moderate acute toxicity. Synmptoms of pyrethroid toxicity
include
- Irritation of skin and eyes.
- Irritability to sound or
touch, abnormal facial sensation, sensation of
prickling, tingling or
creeping on skin, numbness.
- Headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea, excessive salivation,
fatigue.
- In severe cases: fluid
in the lungs and muscle twitching may develop.
Seizures may occur and
are more common with more toxic cyano-pyrethroids.
It is not known
is the substance is carcinogenic , or if it produces
reproductive or
developmental damage.
K9- Advantix contains imidacloprid
(ingredient in Advantage) which is not teratogenic, carcinogenic and
should not produce adverse effects in dogs, however it also contains
permethrin, a pyrethroid, which can cause lung tumors
and chromosomal
abnormalities in humans.
Frontline contains fipronil, which should not be
used in animals under 12 weeks of age, but apart from local irritation is
generally considered safe. The Plus in Frontline Plus is
methoprene. This is an insect growth regulator
and generally
considered non toxic also.