Revolution
Advantage Multi
Vectra 3D
Promeris
Comfortis & Trifexis
Page 2 of 2 about Flea Products
Dealing with the parasites that make our pets miserable and transmit disease; a review of Revolution. Advantage Multi, Vectra3D, Promeris, and Comfortis
Revolution for Cats
Revolution is my very favorite recommendation for broad spectrum parasite control safe enough for cats. It does a very good job of killing or controlling
Adult fleas, flea larvae, and flea pupae if used monthly
Heartworms (even indoor cats are exposed to heartworms)
Intestinal worms
Ear mites and sarcoptic mange
The only negative comment is that while in the long run Revolution works great on fleas, it may take about 6 weeks before you stop seeing fleas IF your home or yard is pre loaded with lots of fleas. See my comments at the bottom of the page about combining products for this situation. Another negative comment is that like all the products that go on the back of the neck, sometimes there's minor skin irritation or hair loss where you apply the chemical.
But as long as don't expect instant results, Revolution works great; with rare exceptions your cat will be protected from all the common parasites except for ticks and mosquitos. (there are no pesticides for mosquitos or ticks safe enough for cats)
Revolution for Dogs:
I love Revolution for dogs too. It doesn't kill adult fleas quite as rapidly as FrontlinePlus or Advantage. But it does a superior job of killing the flea eggs, larvae, and pupae. Like all the other products mentioned so far, Revolution works well for about a month at a time and then starts to fade. If you use Revolution regularly, you'll get excellent flea control.
But it does more than just flea control:
It kills and prevents heartworm disease...eliminating the need for other heartworm prevention.
It does a fair job of killing Ticks.
It kills ear mites and sarcoptic mange mites fairly well.
The advantages of Revolution over Frontline Plus, Advantage, Vectra 3D, or Promeris is that Revolution
1. Also prevents heartworm disease
2. Won't scrub off with shampooing
3. Works better at breaking the flea life cycle for long term control
The disadvantage of Revolution compared to the other products is that it doesn't kill and repel the adult flea quite as well, it does a poor job of killing ticks, and unlike Vectra 3D it doesn't kill mosquitos.
Vectra 3D Once a Month Spot Treatment for Dogs Only: Brand new in 2008 so none of the fleas are resistant yet. Very potent and not safe for cats. Very good at killing and repelling adult fleas, ticks, and mosquitos. Also fairly good for repelling flies and killing pre-adult fleas.
Possible problems include no bathing for 2 days before or after application and may not stand up to frequent shampooing.
Comfortis Once a Month Chewable Treats for Dogs:
Also brand new in 2008. Our most expensive but the most successful flea treatment available: 99.99% flea kill within minutes for at least a month.
Very safe and super effective. This is what I recommend if your dog is so allergic to fleas that even 1 bite causes severe skin reactions. If you have a flea infestation, I recommend getting just 1 tablet and using it in addition to a more all purpose product like Revolution.
The only limitations are that Comfortis hasn't been approved in cats yet and it only kills adult fleas.
Up Date: Now approved for cats.
Not for ticks, not pre-adult fleas, not heartworms, not intestinal worms, not mosquitos etc. But it kills fleas so well, it's the best choice in certain situations
Up Date: 2011 The company (Lilly) that makes Comfortis now has a new product called TRIFEXIS
Trifexis is Comfortis with an added ingredient that prevents and controls heartworms and intestinal worms.
Promeris with Amitraz Once a Month Spot On for Dogs only: Also new (late 2007) and very effective at killing adult fleas and ticks. So far, every time a client has complained that Frontline or Advantage isn't working as well as it used to on their dog, Promeris has solved the problem.
Great for curing both types of mange.
Seems to be more effective against adult fleas than any of the other products I've used except for Comfortis
Probably the very best tick killer and repellent available.
Negatives are that Promeris smells like Vicks vapor rub for a day or two after application and leaves a large oily spot for a couple of days.
It doesn't kill pre-adult fleas.
Amitraz is a very potent pesticide and not safe for cats and sensitive dogs. Some dogs feel pretty lousy for a few days after being treated.
And like other topicals other than Revolution, bathing may reduce the effectiveness.
Advantage Multi
A lot of vets like Advantage Multi better than Revolution
They both prevent heartworms
They both control adult fleas fairly well
They both control pre adult fleas
They both control intestinal worms in cats
They both control ear mites in cats
Both remain effective after scrubbing
Neither product controls ticks well
Only Advantage Multi does a good job of controlling intestinal worms in dogs
Some vets think Advantage kills adult fleas a little better
The only reason I prefer Revolution is that I think it does a better job of breaking the flea life cycle and therefore gives better long term flea control than Advantage Multi.
Other vets disagree. It's a close call; both are great, convenient, broad spectrum parasite control agents available for both cats and dogs.
On This Page:
This page will be about some of the top products available for flea and other parasite control on pets.
On Other Pages:
malaria, yellow fever, encephalitis, plague, heartworms, Rift Valley Fever, Lymes Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Tick Paralysis, Monkey Pox, etc
Coccidia; a protozoan parasite causing diarrhea and other problems in puppies and kittens
Giardia; an amoebic parasite causing diarrhea, nausea, and other problems in pets
Cryptosporidium; another parasite that causes diarrhea in pets and humans
Heartworms; a parasite spread by mosquitos that causes severe heart, vascular, and respiratory disease in dogs, cats, and maybe humans.
Ringworm; a fungal disease of the skin that is contagious between dogs, cats, and humans ... but not caused by a worm.
| ||||||
