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Here are some answers to your most commonly asked questions about Advantage® (imidacloprid) Topical Solution. Remember to contact your veterinarian if you have more specific questions or if you are concerned with any other pet health issues. He or she can provide the best counsel to you.
Is Advantage easy to use?
Is Advantage sold only through veterinarians?
How fast does Advantage work?
Will Advantage still work if my pet goes swimming or takes a bath?
Is Advantage gentle enough to use on puppies and kittens?
Does Advantage kill flea larvae?
Can Advantage be used to prevent flea infestations on my pet?
How can a few drops of Advantage protect my pet from fleas?
How gentle is Advantage on my pet?
Should my pet be clean before I apply Advantage?
How often should I use Advantage?
Can I use Advantage year-round?
Will Advantage take care of all my pet's (dog/cat's) flea problems?
My pet is pregnant ? can I use Advantage on her?
What other problems are associated with fleas?
Why do fleas seem to be a non-stop nuisance?
What if I still see fleas after using Advantage?
Where can I get Advantage?
Can Advantage be used on older cats and dogs?
Have you tested and can you use Advantage on ferrets, rabbits and other exotic pets?
How is Advantage packaged, and what sizes does it come in?
Is flea control covered by pet insurance?
Is Advantage easy to use?
Yes! Once a month, you simply apply a pre-measured dose from an easy-to-use applicator tube (your veterinarian will prescribe the dosage that's right for your pet). Just part the hair between the shoulder blades of your dog or on the back of the neck of your cat. Then apply the solution on your pet?s skin. That?s all there is to it.
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Is Advantage sold only through veterinarians?
Yes. Bayer has always had the policy of selling Advantage only through licensed, practicing veterinarians with a doctor-client-patient relationship. It's even on our packaging. This is done to ensure you and your pet are getting the best counsel from the person who knows pets and their healthcare best -- your veterinarian.
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How fast does Advantage work?
Advantage is proven to stop fleas from biting in 3 - 5 minutes1, providing the fastest relief. Fleas are killed within 12 hours of application. Re-infesting fleas start dying within one hour and all are killed within two hours.
1Mehlhorn, Heinz, The Mode of Action of Imidacloprid and a Comparison with other Insecticides (i.e., Fipronil and Selamectin) During In vivo and In vitro Experiments, Suppl. Compend. Contin. Educ. Pract. Vet., Vol. 22, No. 4A, 2000.
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Will Advantage still work if my pet goes swimming or takes a bath?
Advantage is water-resistant. It continues to work even when your pet gets wet. Advantage works against fleas even after a shampooing, swimming or exposure to rain or sunlight.
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Is Advantage gentle enough to use on puppies and kittens?
Yes, Advantage is so gentle it can be used on puppies as young as seven weeks and kittens as young as eight weeks.
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Does Advantage kill flea larvae?
Yes, one of the most notable benefits of Advantage is that it is larvicidal. Flea larvae that lurk where your pet plays and sleeps are killed within 20 minutes after coming in contact with Advantage2. This larvicidal effect and the speed of kill of Advantage reduces the need for other environmental flea control products or growth inhibitors. It also inhibits larval development in the pet?s surroundings by greater than 99 percent3.
2Mehlhorn, H., Menke, H., Hansen, O., Effect of Imidacloprid on Adult and Larval Stages of the Flea Ctenocephalides felis after In vivo and In vitro Application, a Light- and Electron-microscopy Study, Parasitology Research, 85:625-637, 1999.
3Hopkins, T.J., Woodley, I., and Gyr, P. (1997) Imidacloprid Topical Formulation: Larvicidal Effect against Ctenocephalides felis in the Surroundings of Treated Dogs, Australian Veterinarian Practitioner, 1996, Vol. 26, p. 210.
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Can Advantage be used to prevent flea infestations on my pet?
Early prevention is key to keeping pets from infestation. Starting a regular flea control regimen like Advantage before the beginning of flea season allows cats and dogs to be healthy and happy all year. Advantage alone can kill fleas and keep further populations from developing, because it effectively breaks the flea life cycle, attacking it in multiple stages. Fleas that jump onto an Advantage-treated pet start dying within one hour and all are killed within two hours.
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How can a few drops of Advantage protect my pet from fleas?
Once Advantage is applied to your pet, it spreads on the surface of the skin, aided by body movement, to provide whole body coverage. The revolutionary chemistry causes the flea's nervous system to become impaired, and the flea dies.
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How gentle is Advantage on my pet?
Advantage is backed by extensive and thorough domestic animal safety studies that show even when administered at five times the target therapeutic dosage for three consecutive days, cats and dogs experienced no adverse effects4. If you apply as recommended, you can be confident of the gentleness of Advantage on your pet.
4Bayer Domestic Animal Safety Studies
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Should my pet be clean before I apply Advantage?
It is not necessary, but to obtain best results, it is recommended your pet be clean of excess dirt and debris, and be dry before applying Advantage.
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How often should I use Advantage?
A single Advantage treatment will provide flea control for up to one month on cats and at least a month on dogs. The pet may be treated as often as once weekly, if necessary.
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Can I use Advantage year-round?
Yes, Advantage can be used year-round as a preventative measure against flea infestation. It is especially beneficial in areas of the country where fleas are a more serious problem throughout the year. Just ask your veterinarian for more information or consult our Flea Index.
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Will Advantage take care of all of my pet's (dog/cat's) flea problems?
With Advantage, adult fleas are killed before they can lay eggs. In addition to killing adult fleas, Advantage also kills flea larvae. So when applied monthly, the flea life cycle is attacked at multiple critical stages, breaking the flea life cycle. Research shows when using Advantage, other environmental control products or insect growth inhibitors are not needed to control fleas. Advantage is all you need to keep your pet flea-free.
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My pet is pregnant -- can I use Advantage on her?
As with any product, you should consult your veterinarian before using Advantage if your pet is pregnant or nursing.
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What other problems are associated with fleas?
The successive feeding (biting) of fleas on pets may elicit a hypersensitivity skin disorder known as flea allergy dermatitis (FAD). Secondary skin infections, tapeworms and even anemia are all medical problems associated with fleas. Most can become serious.
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Why do fleas seem to be a non-stop nuisance?
Fleas will jump on your cat or dog, attracted by various stimuli such as body heat, movement and exhaled carbon dioxide. They bite to feed on the blood; then they produce eggs. Eggs drop from your pet to the ground or the carpet. The eggs develop into larvae and over time into adult fleas; then the life cycle starts all over again. A single flea can lay 20-25 eggs per day, so a "few" fleas can become "a lot" of fleas in a short time.
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What if I still see fleas after using Advantage?
Reinfesting fleas, which likely come from the pet's environment or outdoors, will be killed within two hours, with protection against further flea infestation lasting up to a month.
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Where can I get Advantage?
It is the policy of Bayer Animal Health to sell Advantage only through licensed, practicing veterinarians. The reason for this is that we believe your veterinarian is most qualified to advise you on all aspects of your pet?s health, including flea control. For a FREE tube of Advantage from your veterinarian, click here.
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Can Advantage be used on older cats and dogs?
Yes. Simply "being wise with age" would not preclude the use of Advantage on a dog or cat. As with any product, pet owners with specific concerns should consult their veterinarian prior to use.
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Have you tested and can you use Advantage on ferrets, rabbits and other exotic pets?
Advantage was extensively tested on dogs and cats and found to be well tolerated even at exaggerated doses. Owners of exotic species should consult their veterinarian for appropriate methods of flea control.
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How is Advantage packaged, and what sizes does it come in?
Advantage is available in packages of four and six applications. Both the four- and six-tube packages of Advantage are available in pre-measured, easy-to-use applicator tubes in two sizes for cats and kittens, and four sizes for dogs and puppies based on weight:
- Cats/Kittens up to 9 lbs.
- Cats over 9 lbs.
- Dogs/Puppies up to 10 lbs.
- Dogs/Puppies 11 - 20 lbs.
- Dogs/Puppies 21 - 55 lbs.
- Dogs over 55 lbs.
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Is flea control covered by pet insurance?
Yes. Veterinary Pet Insurance covers costs for Advantage under the Vaccination & Routine Care Coverage insurance option. Click here for more information on Veterinary Pet Insurance.
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