Flea Control

Mission Veterinary Hospital recommends:

Sentinel and ProgramÒ act as a "birth control pill" for adult fleas. They sterilize the eggs, so that the adult flea will lay eggs, but the eggs will not hatch. Because of this, you will see the odd adult flea (called  “hitchhiker fleas”) – but not a major infestation. If you are not comfortable with seeing ANY fleas at all, AdvantageÒ would be the best product to use. Sentinel and ProgramÒ need to be in the pet’s system for 6-8 weeks to be fully effective. Because of this, you cannot start Sentinel or ProgramÒ  when you notice fleas and expect immediate results like AdvantageÒ. CapstarÒ is a pill that is meant to be used in conjunction with Sentinel and ProgramÒ and is given once a week for those 6 weeks to kill the adult fleas while Sentinel/ProgramÒ is taking effect. Sentinel and ProgramÒ need to be given all year round to be completely effective. These products are better for dogs that swim a lot since topical AdvantageÒ will not last a full month if the dog spends a lot of time in the water. Both Sentinel and ProgramÒ are available in beef flavored chewable tablets that must be given with a full meal. They are safe to use on pets 6 weeks of age and older. SentinelÒ is a product that includes medication to deworm your pet for roundworm, hookworm, whipworm and heartworm, whereas ProgramÒ just eradicates fleas. If you want to start your pet on Sentinel or ProgramÒ in a situation where fleas are already present, you have 2 options:

1.      Bring your pet in to have 1 month dose of Advantage applied by us and at the same time give the first Sentinel or ProgramÒ flavor-tab. This means for the first month the pet is doubled-up on protection, but the AdvantageÒ will kill the adult fleas that are present now, and the Sentinel or ProgramÒ will start eradicating the eggs and larva, so that the flea cycle will be broken.

2.      Give the first Sentinel or ProgramÒ flavor-tab and 1 CapstarÒ pill per week for 6 weeks.

ProgramÒ is available in an injectable form for cats only. Your cat must have been examined by one of our veterinarians in the last year, to qualify for this. The ProgramÒ injection for cats lasts for 6 months. This is an excellent option for the indoor only cats and cats who refuse to take oral medications.

CapstarÒ works like AdvantageÒ in that it kills adult fleas on contact. It comes in a pill form and can be sold individually. CapstarÒ is not broken down by any of the pet’s organ systems – it passes through the body unchanged, causing no harm to sick pets. The difference is that CapstarÒ only lasts for 2 days in cats and 1 day in dogs and is to be considered a short-term flea control product. We give CapstarÒ to hospitalized animals we find fleas on, to prevent the spreading of them to other pets that are staying at the hospital. It is safe to use on pets 2 weeks of age and older.

AdvantageÒ is a topical liquid adulticide which means it kills adult fleas on contact. It starts to work immediately; your pet will be flea-free within 6-8 hours. When applied, it spreads through the lipid layer in your pet’s skin; providing your pet with a protective “barrier”. It does not enter the pet’s bloodstream or any other body system. For dogs, AdvantageÒ is applied along the spine in several places, being careful to apply it to the skin and not the hair. In cats, it is applied on one or two spots at the back of the neck, which is the one place where cats cannot reach to groom. Because this is an alcohol based product, you must be careful not to let AdvantageÒ “pool” in one spot, but rather move on to another close beside it. If it “pools” it can irritate the skin and rub off on to furniture or carpets. AdvantageÒ provides your pet with flea control for one full month, but bathing and swimming can decrease the duration of complete coverage. We recommend you apply AdvantageÒ to your pet once a month, and be sure to continue it year-round. It comes in a box of 6 doses. It is safe to use on pets 8 weeks of age and older.

Revolutionä is a product that is applied to the skin to kill the egg, larva and adult stages of the flea. It is a prescription medication that is absorbed through the skin and also is indicated to prevent heartworm, treat and control ear and skin mites (sarcoptic mange) and intestinal worms (Roundworm, Whipworm and Hookworm).  It costs more but is a very effective and safe product to use. It is particularly useful for dogs that swim or are bathed a lot. It is applied topically and lasts for one month. It is safe to use on pets 6 weeks of age and older.