Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: Mymblesdaughter on August 18, 2012, 18:58:42 PM

Title: Reaction to Advantage flea treatment
Post by: Mymblesdaughter on August 18, 2012, 18:58:42 PM
I put advantage on my cats about two hours ago for the first time. Xander is fine he was jumpy at first but it lasted about 15 minutes and is fine now but Buffy is not happy at all she spent the first hour and a half being jumpy and running around. she's quietened down now but isn't happy. She's a very sensitive cat and does get stressed easily. Just wondering if anyone else has noticed reactions similar in their cats? Is it something I should be worried about?
Title: Reaction to Advantage flea treatment
Post by: Tiggy's Mum on August 18, 2012, 19:06:39 PM
I used Advantage for the first time a few days ago too, I'm a natural worrier when it comes to the boys so I waited til I was off during the day in case either of them had a bad reaction. I found there was quite a lot  of liquid so had to put it on in about 4 squirts which meant Lu was able to lick it slightly - he did go trotting off fast each time he tried to lick it but he seemed otherwise happy and purred when I went up to him and stroked him.

Could Buffy have got a sneaky lick of it do you think? Lu was absolutely fine apart from when he was trying to lick it for the first hour or so.
Title: Re: Reaction to Advantage flea treatment
Post by: Mymblesdaughter on August 18, 2012, 19:58:06 PM
Yes it is possible she's quite small and much more agile than her brother so can probably reach around and lick her neck.

I'm exactly the same as you, I did them this afternoon as I was back from work early and I'll be off tomorrow especially so I can keep and eye on them. I've been following them around like a crazy cat lady since then trying to make sure they don't lick each other and that they are ok. I also wondered if it could be fleas biting as they die.

When did Lu go back to normal?   
Title: Re: Reaction to Advantage flea treatment
Post by: CatGirl on August 18, 2012, 21:20:55 PM
Hello,i don't use Advantage but,one of my girls scratches her neck then cleans her claws with her teeth! she's done this foe a long time but always seems ok.I suppose that all cats could do what mine  does,i just wish she didn't.
Title: Re: Reaction to Advantage flea treatment
Post by: Tiggy's Mum on August 18, 2012, 21:32:02 PM
Lu was only doing the darting away thing for a couple of hours, I wasn't overly concerned about him as he didn't seem lethargic or depressed which is one of the symptoms I've read about when other people report flea product (not necessarily Advantage) reactions. He was just a bit jumpy every time he tried to lick his neck and obviously had a nasty taste in his mouth by the way he was moving his tongue in and out :doh: Hope Buffy is getting back to normal by now, I found the 'wet patch' was gone in less than 24 hours (quicker than Frontline) so overall I think I'll stick with Advantage.

I'm glad I'm not alone in the planning of the timing, makes me feel slightly less crazy cat-lady-esque, or maybe we are both as bad as each other  :naughty:

Hello,i don't use Advantage but,one of my girls scratches her neck then cleans her claws with her teeth! she's done this foe a long time but always seems ok.I suppose that all cats could do what mine  does,i just wish she didn't.

Funny you should say that, I noticed today that Lu's back claws looked really chewed (I did the Advantage on Thursday) so I guess he had been scratching the 'patch' and chewing his claws too - it didn't even cross my mind it was linked.
Title: Re: Reaction to Advantage flea treatment
Post by: Mymblesdaughter on August 18, 2012, 22:15:11 PM
She's still acting strange and won't settle. She's eaten and doesn't look depressed. I don't think she has licked her neck because she wasn't licking her lips or showing any signs that she'd licked something horrible. She keeps looking around as if someone has done something to her, me and Xander are the main culprits as far as she can see. She then runs off,
that's why I wonder if it could be flea bites.

It's funny though because Xander was itching far more than Buffy before I put the Advantage on.

I can't seem to find any details of reactions to advantage but there has to be some. I'm wondering if it can effect skin and cause it to be sore. She doesn't want me to touch her.
Title: Re: Reaction to Advantage flea treatment
Post by: Tiggy's Mum on August 18, 2012, 22:52:31 PM
I wonder if perhaps she has particularly sensitive skin and the Advantage is irritating her more than Frontline normally does? Did you try Advantage because Frontline wasn't working as well as before?
Title: Re: Reaction to Advantage flea treatment
Post by: Rosella moggy on August 18, 2012, 23:10:54 PM
Here is link to contra indications on NOAH for Advantage.  Seems extremely safe but there is mention of "agitation" having been reported on rare occasions.

http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/Bayer_plc/Advantage/-40837.html

Hope Buffy is back to her normal self by now  :hug:
Title: Re: Reaction to Advantage flea treatment
Post by: Mymblesdaughter on August 18, 2012, 23:44:38 PM
I haven't used anything on them before, they have been indoor so haven't had fleas. They've just got them I'm not sure how. i thought frontline didn't work anymore so decided to use advantage

Buffy is still running around the house settling for a while then dashing away again it's been 5 or 6 hour now since I've put it on her. I just don't know what to do. I've just looked in the kitchen and she's eating so don't know if she's just totally over reacting or whether I should be thinking of phoning the vet.   

She is a very nervous cat and gets scared very easily.

She is letting me touch her now which is good.   
Title: Re: Reaction to Advantage flea treatment
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on August 19, 2012, 00:33:06 AM
I hope she is OK but if you are the slightest bit worried give the emergency vet a ring.  :hug: :hug:

I use stronghold but only if I need to and there is not much liquid and the patch goes quickly, seems advantage have been doing a massive publicity drive cos most vets are using it and I have to get stronghold ordered in if I want them to use it.

Mostly I get a prescription for a couple of boxes and by online
Title: Re: Reaction to Advantage flea treatment
Post by: Mymblesdaughter on August 19, 2012, 10:38:02 AM
Thanks everyone for your help. I'm on my own at the moment so it really helps to have someone to talk things over with. :thanks:

I got up twice in the night to check on Buffy and she seemed much calmer. She's not 100% now but is much better. I'm going to keep a close eye on her today.

I don't think I'll be using Advantage on them again! I'll either try frontline, I used that on my old cats and none of them reacted badly or stronghold. I'll have a chat with my vet about it.

Too be honest everything that happens to Buffy is a major drama. Don't know why she's such a nervous cat.
Title: Re: Reaction to Advantage flea treatment
Post by: Gillian Harvey on August 19, 2012, 13:05:39 PM
I've not had any problems with Advantage, only slightly more scratching after application due to the reaction of the fleas to it. Its certainly got rid of the fleas though, unlike when I used to use frontline.  :)
Title: Re: Reaction to Advantage flea treatment
Post by: Mymblesdaughter on August 19, 2012, 13:22:03 PM
Thanks Gillian(Ambercat) how long did you cats itch for after application?

She is actually much better now and has squeaked for her cuddle this morning and is now rolling on the floor.

So I feel like I can relax a bit and enjoy the rest of my Sunday  :) What a stress  :tired: Sometimes I wish I didn't love them so much life would be a lot easier.
Title: Re: Reaction to Advantage flea treatment
Post by: Tiggy's Mum on August 19, 2012, 15:27:24 PM
Glad it was nothing long lasting  :)
Title: Re: Reaction to Advantage flea treatment
Post by: Lotzy on August 20, 2012, 10:09:54 AM
Hopefully things continue to be a little more settled for you.  I think I may have been bitten by fleas last Friday and it's only today it's stopped itching, so I'd assume the itchiness would be the same for cats, ie 3 days.
Title: Re: Reaction to Advantage flea treatment
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on August 20, 2012, 12:25:09 PM
Not good if the fleas bite when the stuff is used especially if they have a flea allergy and this is why I ended up using stronghold cos this doesnt happen.
Title: Re: Reaction to Advantage flea treatment
Post by: Mymblesdaughter on August 20, 2012, 14:38:43 PM
Yes Gill I think as Tiggy's Mum said it could be that she has sensitive skin and finds the flea bites particularly painful. It did seem as if it was the fleas biting as she keep jumping and running away rather than itching all over. I think I'll use the rest of the advantage on Xander and get some stronghold for Buffy then go over to the stronghold for both of them. We certainly can't go through that every time they have fleas.  :Crazy:

Title: Re: Reaction to Advantage flea treatment
Post by: cazzer on August 20, 2012, 16:58:46 PM
Glad to hear she is okay.      have to say whenever I've used advantage on mine in the past quite a few of them seem to be transformed into prancing ponies!