# Please please be careful with flea treatments. Read!!



## catladyjanice (Oct 3, 2014)

Please do not use the multi worm, flea combination drops called STRONGHOLD, if your cat is very old or has problems with their kidneys. I bought this from the vet to prevent fleas and worms on my cat, Gordon. 2 days after applying the product to the back of my cats neck, he started to show symptoms of poisoning. First he went off his food, then vomiting and disorientation. Before he passed away ,he had a fit. when I was given the stronghold, the vet weighed him to gage the correct dose, but when it was time for the next dose a month later, my cat had lost a bit of weight, so this had meant the product had acted like an overdose. I was told as STRONGHOLD goes into the cats system, his kidneys would not have been able to process it. I will never buy this treatment again. For the cats I have now, I use FRONTLINE, and MILBEMAX for worm prevention.


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## TeddyMum (Jul 26, 2014)

So sorry for your loss x


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## Tails and Trails (Jan 9, 2014)

catladyjanice said:


> Please do not use the multi worm, flea combination drops called STRONGHOLD, if your cat is very old or has problems with their kidneys. I bought this from the vet to prevent fleas and worms on my cat, Gordon. 2 days after applying the product to the back of my cats neck, he started to show symptoms of poisoning. First he went off his food, then vomiting and disorientation. Before he passed away ,he had a fit. when I was given the stronghold, the vet weighed him to gage the correct dose, but when it was time for the next dose a month later, my cat had lost a bit of weight, so this had meant the product had acted like an overdose. I was told as STRONGHOLD goes into the cats system, his kidneys would not have been able to process it. I will never buy this treatment again. For the cats I have now, I use FRONTLINE, and MILBEMAX for worm prevention.


thanks for the heads up

how much weight did your cat loose to effect the dosage so much on the second month?

its an interesting point, its probably something most people wouldnt realise to check just a month later

could any product have the same issue, i wonder?

#im sorry about your cat


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## Jiskefet (May 15, 2011)

I am deeply sorry for your loss.

The problem is that stronghold is the only worming agent that kills and expells tapeworm. And in a cat with renal failure, any substance that needs to be processed and expelled by the liver could pose a threat if given in an overdose. All deworming and defleaing agents are poisonous, or they wouldn't kill the parasites.

I am not belittling your point, or your loss, far from it, but I would extend the warning to other agents. Be very, very careful not to overdose _any_ anti-parasite agent, or any medication in general, in a cat with renal problems or liver problems.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Catladyjanice, I am very sorry to hear of your loss.

If you are finding Frontline effective at killing the fleas, then by all means use it. It has not been effective for my cats for nearly two years, and thus I switched first to Advantage, and then to Stronghold, which I have been using for over 6 mths on all my cats without any problems at all, glad to say.

However, my cats are young and healthy, and if I had an elderly cat with pre-existing kidney or liver disease it would be a different matter. I would probably use something like Capstar instead, which is just a flea killer without the preventative aspect of the other types.

Jiskefet, the Stronghold spot-on you buy in the NLs must be a different drug to the one we use in the UK, as our one kills fleas, ear mites, lice, hook worms and round worms, but not tape worms. 

Buy Stronghold 45mg Spot On Cat PK 6


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## Treaclesmum (Sep 26, 2011)

That's awful  I did read though that cats were tested with 10 x the dose of Advocate, which is the product I use, and this was fine for them, however they would most probably have been young healthy cats used in the trial. It shouldn't normally cause overdose symptoms in a cat who is just a bit under the right weight, but if they already have kidney problems I guess it can


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Stronghold doesn't kill tapeworm, just roundworm and hookworm along with mites.

So sorry for your loss of your beloved senior girl catladyjanice. yes, Stronghold (called Revolution in the USA) is absorbed systemically and is not to be used on cats who have any kind of health problem. This is why (in the USA at least) it is still prescription only.

It was kind of you to come here to warn others, through your pain.


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## Charity (Apr 17, 2013)

I'm so sorry for your loss. It's very difficult knowing whats best for elderly animals. I use Advantage as my vet said it doesn't actually go into their system, it just transfers through the skin.


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## MinkyMadam (Apr 12, 2014)

Thank you for sharing your experience. It will certainly make me more cautious about these treatments than I would otherwise have been. 
I'm so sorry for your loss. You could never have known this would happen and were doing what you thought was best for your baby. It must've been very hard for you having to say goodbye in these circumstances. I hope you are comforted by the memories of the happy years you shared together. 
Rest easy at the bridge little Gordon. X


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## havoc (Dec 8, 2008)

> Stronghold (called Revolution in the USA) is absorbed systemically and is not to be used on cats who have any kind of health problem. This is why (in the USA at least) it is still prescription only.


It is POM-V here too. The poor OP's cat must have been very slight in the first place for a weight loss to have caused an overdose. It's the same dose for any cat from 2.6 - 7.5kg. The contra indications are clear enough that it shouldn't be used on a cat with concomitant disease or that's underweight for size and age so if this cat was already being treated for kidney problems it possibly shouldn't have been prescribed.


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## slartibartfast (Dec 28, 2013)

I'm so sorry for your loss.


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## Soozi (Jun 28, 2013)

I am so sorry you lost your cat this way you were doing what you thought was best! XXX
I honestly feel that unless your cat is high risk, an outdoor hunter or mixes with other cats inside the home or outside, goes anywhere where foxes or hedgehogs are there is just no need to pump these chemicals into our cats every month. I have never had a cat get fleas or worms, since the spot on products came about I only apply them about once every 7 weeks my cats are and have been low risk. I use Advocate combo or Advantage plus Milbemax or Drontal. I have not used Stronghold so can't comment on that one.


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## Guest (Oct 4, 2014)

So sorry for you loss and thanks for posting this.

I have an 18 week old kitten who has been given Stronghold and it was also administered to our elderly Burmese just in case he had picked up an infection too. The vet did listen to our elderly cat's heart but that was about it!

She has given me another couple of doses which I will be using on the kitten (he is young, fit and healthy) but after reading your post I will not be giving it to our elderly cat.

There is probably nothing wrong with either of them it was just precautionary and they are both indoor cats.


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## catlover5 (Sep 26, 2014)

Jiskefet said:


> I am deeply sorry for your loss.
> 
> The problem is that stronghold is the only worming agent that kills and expells tapeworm. And in a cat with renal failure, any substance that needs to be processed and expelled by the liver could pose a threat if given in an overdose. All deworming and defleaing agents are poisonous, or they wouldn't kill the parasites.
> 
> I am not belittling your point, or your loss, far from it, but I would extend the warning to other agents. Be very, very careful not to overdose _any_ anti-parasite agent, or any medication in general, in a cat with renal problems or liver problems.


 drontal kills tape worm I give it to my cats every six months( they are indoor cats) and worm and flea with advocate spot on every month.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

catlover5 said:


> drontal kills tape worm I give it to my cats every six months( they are indoor cats) and worm and flea with advocate spot on every month.


If your cats are indoor there is no reason for them to be wormed. Cats who go out need dewormers because they hunt and/or are exposed to parasites. Indoor cats are not.

They probably don't need the spot on flea protection either, depending on where you live, what kind of climate I mean, and if there are a lot of strays about.


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

Charity said:


> ...
> I use Advantage, as my vet said *it doesn't actually go into their system, it just transfers through the skin.*


Oops. :001_huh:

"it ONLY transfers thru the *skin*" means, "it's *systemic*."

It goes thru the *skin* & is then transported by the *bloodstream* - which carries the substance
thru-out the body's tissues.

Anything that's absorbed thru skin is then a systemic presence - weedkillers on lawn, DMS, mercury,
painkilling patches, petroleum products, solvents, etc.

Cats are very-susceptible to POISONING b/c their livers don't detox as efficiently as humans' or dogs'.
Cats' only advantage is that they CHEW - thus, they TASTE their food. Dogs tend to bolt their food, miss
the clues that might warn of toxic stuff [bitter, usually], & thus eat the Bad Thing. Cats take a taste,
notice the bitter flavor, & don't eat any more of it.

*Advantage* is a skin-applied chemical, so there's no chance for the cat to taste it,
& there's also no control for dosage, once it's applied - U can't take off a patch, stop the pills,
etc; it's a done deal, there's no going back. :nonod:

i'm so sorry Ur poor cat had such a sad death - i know U never intended this, nor did the vet. 
.
.


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## catladyjanice (Oct 3, 2014)

Tails and Trails said:


> thanks for the heads up
> 
> how much weight did your cat loose to effect the dosage so much on the second month?
> 
> ...


Hi I am assuming he had lost a bit of weight before the next months dose, as I had found out Stronghold is given with weight as a guide. If the vet had said don't give him the next months dose if he loses weight I wouldn't have. The thing is when cats get quite old they actually look thin anyway. I now have 5 cats, I get Milbemax tablet for worms from my local vet and use Frontline only if I think they might be getting the fleas, I have had no further problems.


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## Tails and Trails (Jan 9, 2014)

catlover5 said:


> drontal kills tape worm I give it to my cats every six months( they are indoor cats) and worm and flea with advocate spot on every month.


that seems like a heck of a lot worm and flea treatment, especially for an indoor cat?

i wormed my cat about once a year and all the years she lived indoors only flea treated her once if i recall


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## catlover5 (Sep 26, 2014)

Tails and Trails said:


> that seems like a heck of a lot worm and flea treatment, especially for an indoor cat?
> 
> i wormed my cat about once a year and all the years she lived indoors only flea treated her once if i recall


 It's not really I give them the drontal every six months because advocate doesn't kill tape worm and treat them with advocate every month as advised by my vet. There are lots of hedgehogs which carry fleas hanging around my garden and I like to flea once a month because of this even though they go out on a harness and aren't free roaming. One time my cat escaped out the window for half an hour and a few weeks latter he had sore scabs underneath his chin the back of his head his back and tail I took him to the vets who told me he had fleas. And that could have only been from his half an hour wande ras I don't have any other pets and didn't have my other cat at that point.


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## catlover5 (Sep 26, 2014)

lorilu said:


> If your cats are indoor there is no reason for them to be wormed. Cats who go out need dewormers because they hunt and/or are exposed to parasites. Indoor cats are not.
> 
> They probably don't need the spot on flea protection either, depending on where you live, what kind of climate I mean, and if there are a lot of strays about.


 They go out on a harness so there is a reason for them to be wormed and they need to be fleaed for this reason also.


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## Tails and Trails (Jan 9, 2014)

catlover5 said:


> It's not really I give them the drontal every six months because advocate doesn't kill tape worm and treat them with advocate every month as advised by my vet as there are lots of hedgehogs which carry fleas hanging around my garden. One time my cat escaped out the window for half an hour and a few weeks latter he had sore scabs underneath his chin the back of his head his back and tail I took him to the vets who told me he had fleas. And that could have only been from his half an hour wande ras I don't have any other pets and didn't have my other cat at that point.


i can understand that one time your cat escaped outside and managed to get fleas in half an hour, which is very bad luck. and then of course you would treat you cat in that situation.

but if you have cats and then they never go outside (barring accidents), where would they get fleas?
my cat lived indoors for years and i never even treated her and she never got fleas.

i dont even treat my more dogs more than once or twice a year for fleas or worms and they go outside and they have never had fleas and i think one dog got worms once only

i think the vets advise you according to the manufacturers recommendations, so they would recommend more often as they earn more money if you buy more of their products.

i kind of take the view that I balance need, risk, and likelihood of problems v how many chemicals i want to put inside my animals. i know some animals can react badly to be treated every month.

thats just the way i see it.


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## catladyjanice (Oct 3, 2014)

Thank you, I am trying to look into natural alternatives. I have looked online and have come across a product called colloidal silver and it can be giving to animals as well as humans. It is a antifungal treatment and anti inflammatory so is like a antibiotic, it is supposed to kill fleas when put on their coat.
Also garlic tablets treat fleas but an overdose of this also can be poisonous.
I am glad now that I have found this site and posted about stronghold, if I can save just one cat from being poisoned like my Gordon I will be happy as I will never be able to forgive myself.


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## catlover5 (Sep 26, 2014)

Tails and Trails said:


> i kind of take the view that I balance need, risk, and likelihood of problems v how many chemicals i want to put inside my animals. i know some animals can react badly to be treated every month.


 It's perfectly safe for my pets to be treated with advocate once a month the chemicals in advocate are fine otherwise it wouldn't be licenced for use now would it. It's my decision to do so and I believe it's the best thing for my pets as heaven forbid they get tapeworm etc.


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## Tails and Trails (Jan 9, 2014)

catlover5 said:


> They go out on a harness so there is a reason for them to be wormed and they need to be fleaed for this reason also.


ah, i didnt know that  makes sense

personally, id still do it maybe only twice a year though.


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## Soozi (Jun 28, 2013)

catlover5 said:


> It's perfectly safe for my pets to be treated with advocate once a month the chemicals in advocate are fine otherwise it wouldn't be licenced for use now would it. It's my decision to do so and I believe it's the best thing for my pets as heaven forbid they get tapeworm etc.


Hi Catlover Advocate does not treat tapeworm you will need Droncit or similar X


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## catlover5 (Sep 26, 2014)

Soozi said:


> Hi Catlover Advocate does not treat tapeworm you will need Droncit or similar X


 I give them drontal which I assume is the uk name for drontic once every six months as advised by my vet as they are indoor cats who go out on a harness.


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## Tails and Trails (Jan 9, 2014)

catlover5 said:


> It's perfectly safe for my pets to be treated with advocate once a month the chemicals in advocate are fine otherwise it wouldn't be licenced for use now would it. It's my decision to do so and I believe it's the best thing for my pets as heaven forbid they get tapeworm etc.


they are not harmful according to industry law, like thousands of chemicals.
this doesnt mean chemicals _cant_ do harm though.

my friends dog was on the monthly plan too and started getting all sorts of reactions which got better once she reduced his dosage down from once a month to about every 3 months

i think the same about all the worm and flea products, not just advocate, and any chemicals and medicines really. so i err on the side of just is what is the least necessary, unless someone has actually got an illness, of course..

i dont reckon your indoor cats that go out for the occasional walk on a harness are any more likely to get tapeworm or fleas etc if you knocked your dosage down, but thats just my view and it works for all my animals, but i respect its your cats and your decision


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## Soozi (Jun 28, 2013)

catlover5 said:


> I give them drontal which I assume is the uk name for drontic once every six months as advised by my vet as they are indoor cats who go out on a harness.


I have been confused over this before! Advocate combo does fleas and mostly everything except tape worm Droncit is for tapeworm only. Drontal does all worms. I think Advocate and Advantage both do a spot on flea treatment only ( it's quite a bit cheaper) in which case you would need Drontal or Milbemax for the worms. If you use the Combi Advocate you only need Droncit for tapeworm.


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## Britt (May 18, 2014)

So sorry for your loss, what you went through is awful. Thank you for the heads up.
I use Advantage for fleas (spot on).


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## havoc (Dec 8, 2008)

I go by the _general_ rule that roundworms come from prey and tapeworm from fleas. I know it isn't failsafe but it isn't such a bad start to work out your protocol. If you haven't had a flea near your cats for years then it's _unlikely _they need tapeworm treatment. If they hunt regularly then they need to be treated for roundworm more often than an indoor cat.


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## Soozi (Jun 28, 2013)

havoc said:


> I go by the _general_ rule that roundworms come from prey and tapeworm from fleas. I know it isn't failsafe but it isn't such a bad start to work out your protocol. If you haven't had a flea near your cats for years then it's _unlikely _they need tapeworm treatment. If they hunt regularly then they need to be treated for roundworm more often than an indoor cat.


More confusion for me now! Lol! I'm sure Shosh said tapeworm treatment was necessary if a cat hunts mice, birds etc. :crazy: she said that if Liddy wasn't a hunter I need not treat her for tapeworm and it was my choice. X


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Soozi, the most common form of tapeworm infestation in UK cats is _Dipylidium Caninum_ tapeworms. This type uses the flea as an intermediate host.

Another common type of tapeworm that can infest cats is called _Taenia_. This one uses mice, voles, rats and birds as the host. This would be why Shoshannah recommended treating a hunting cat for tapeworm.

A less common type of tapeworm is _Echinococcus_. Foxes, coyotes and the wild rodents on which they prey are the hosts for this tapeworm. If cats or dogs eat one of the infected rodents they can become infected too. This type of tapeworm can cause serious illness to humans. Trappers and hunters in parts of the USA and Canada can be at increased risk if they are not scrupulous about hygiene.

Learn the Symptoms & Solutions for Tapeworms in Cats | VCA Animal Hospitals


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## catlover5 (Sep 26, 2014)

chillminx said:


> Soozi, the most common form of tapeworm infestation in UK cats is _Dipylidium Caninum_ tapeworms. This type uses the flea as an intermediate host.
> 
> Another common type of tapeworm that can infest cats is called _Taenia_. This one uses mice, voles, rats and birds as the host. This would be why Shoshannah recommended treating a hunting cat for tapeworm.
> 
> ...


 Interesting thanks for the link.


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## catlover5 (Sep 26, 2014)

havoc said:


> If you haven't had a flea near your cats for years then it's _unlikely _they need tapeworm treatment. If they hunt regularly then they need to be treated for roundworm more often than an indoor cat.


 How often would you give advocate to a indoor cat who went out on a harness? I was told by my vet that I needed to give drontal every six months as apposed to every three months as they are indoors and advocate combi treatment every month regardless of them being indoor cats.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

catlover5 said:


> I give them drontal which I assume is the uk name for drontic once every six months as advised by my vet as they are indoor cats who go out on a harness.


You are overdosing your cats. If the spot on flea killer you are using protects against hook and round worm you do not need drontal, you need droncit only, for tape worm. Drontal kills them all, you are giving your cats way too many chemicals.


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## lostbear (May 29, 2013)

chillminx said:


> Catladyjanice, I am very sorry to hear of your loss.
> 
> If you are finding Frontline effective at killing the fleas, then by all means use it. It has not been effective for my cats for nearly two years, and thus I switched first to Advantage, and then to Stronghold, which I have been using for over 6 mths on all my cats without any problems at all, glad to say.
> 
> ...


I have also just (this week) switched to Stronghold, as frontline had become ineffective for may cats and dogs).

Thank you for the warning OP. One if the dogs is getting on a bit, and I will be particularly vigilant for any signs of illness.

I am so sorry that you lost your cat - it must be heartbreaking for you.


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## catlover5 (Sep 26, 2014)

lorilu said:


> You are overdosing your cats. If the spot on flea killer you are using protects against hook and round room you do not need drontal, you need droncit only, for tape worm. Drontal kills them all, you are giving your cats way too many chemicals.


 I was advised to that I'm not quite sure what the reason behind it was though I will ask on Tuesday when I go for my boys check up.


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## Soozi (Jun 28, 2013)

lorilu said:


> You are overdosing your cats. If the spot on flea killer you are using protects against hook and round room you do not need drontal, you need droncit only, for tape worm. Drontal kills them all, you are giving your cats way too many chemicals.


I agree lorilu the drontal should not be used with advocate or advantage combo. X


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## Soozi (Jun 28, 2013)

catlover5 said:


> I was advised to that I'm not quite sure what the reason behind it was though I will ask on Tuesday when I go for my boys check up.


Advocate do two types of spot on (the boxes are different colours) the advocate gold box is the combo. one is fleas only and one is the combo which is fleas and worms but it does not cover tape worm. Your vet probably meant the advocate for fleas and the drontal for worms. X


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## catlover5 (Sep 26, 2014)

Soozi said:


> Advocate do two types of spot on (the boxes are different colours) the advocate gold box is the combo. one is fleas only and one is the combo which is fleas and worms but it does not cover tape worm. Your vet probably meant the advocate for fleas and the drontal for worms. X


They prescribed me the combo and told me to continue with the drontal which I get from the vets even though it costs more as it means the vet nurse worms em for me.


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

catladyjanice said:


> ...I'm *assuming he'd lost a bit of weight* before the next month's dose, as I'd found [that] Stronghold
> is given with weight as a guide [to dosage].
> 
> If the vet had said, "don't give him the next month's dose if he loses weight", I wouldn't have.
> ...


So - U don't *know* what he weighed, nor WHY he died, U are simply assuming that he lost
enuf weight to have caused an overdose, & U actually don't KNOW what killed him? - Right?

For all U know, he ate or drank something toxic whilst out roaming around the neighborhood. 
.
.


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## Ceiling Kitty (Mar 7, 2010)

catlover5 said:


> I give them drontal which I assume is the uk name for drontic once every six months as advised by my vet as they are indoor cats who go out on a harness.





catlover5 said:


> How often would you give advocate to a indoor cat who went out on a harness? I was told by my vet that I needed to give drontal every six months as apposed to every three months as they are indoors and advocate combi treatment every month regardless of them being indoor cats.


Definitely worth speaking to the vet about this, as you have said.

If your cats only go out on a harness and are regularly treated for fleas then their tapeworm risk is going to be as close to zero as you can get - assuming they're not hunting on the harness and that you don't have mice inside your house! :eek6:

If you are using Advocate for fleas then I would give it monthly. If you give it every few months it will leave long periods without protection, in which case there is no point in giving it at all. I always say 'all or nothing' for flea treatments.

Generally I don't recommend flea treatments for indoor cats, but your boy was very unlucky to catch fleas in a brief sojourn outdoors!

I'd be interested to know what the vet suggests.  xx


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## catlover5 (Sep 26, 2014)

Shoshannah said:


> Definitely worth speaking to the vet about this, as you have said.
> 
> If your cats only go out on a harness and are regularly treated for fleas then their tapeworm risk is going to be as close to zero as you can get - assuming they're not hunting on the harness and that you don't have mice inside your house! :eek6:
> 
> ...


 The vet first suggested drontal years ago and then after the flea incident prescribed advocate flea and worm and told me to continue using it monthly even after the three months were up and even though he is a indoor cat. After this pack is up and my kittens pack is up I get paranoid about him to  I think I will give up using advocate as it is quite costly £56 every six months for two cats with online discounts compared with drontal which would be £3 every 6 months for two cats.if buying from animed direct . I will either just go back to using drontal every six months or when I speak to my vets I will ask if they can recommend a wormer that doesn't treat for tapeworm. I I will *maybe* think about leaving the flea treatment but haven't quite decided yet as I was horrified with the fact that he had sore scabs on the back of his head, underneath his chin, on his back and on his tail from a brief jaunt when my beloved moggie who roamed outdoors day and night *every day for hours* jwas just a bit itchy and was easily treated with a flea collar :yikes: I had my moggie at a different address though so it really does make me think that its something to do with my area. I will also ask my vet if there is a possibility my cat has a flea allergy after hearing that jannors cat has a flea allergy that causes scabs.


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## Ceiling Kitty (Mar 7, 2010)

catlover5 said:


> The vet first suggested drontal years ago and then after the flea incident prescribed advocate flea and worm and told me to continue using it monthly even after the three months were up and even though he is a indoor cat. After this pack is up and my kittens pack is up I get paranoid about him to  I think I will give up using advocate as it is quite costly £56 every six months for two cats with online discounts compared with drontal which would be £3 every 6 months for two cats.if buying from animed direct . I will either just go back to using drontal every six months or when I speak to my vets I will ask if they can recommend a wormer that doesn't treat for tapeworm. I I will *maybe* think about leaving the flea treatment but haven't quite decided yet as I was horrified with the fact that he had sore scabs on the back of his head, underneath his chin, on his back and on his tail from a brief jaunt when my beloved moggie who roamed outdoors day and night *every day for hours* jwas just a bit itchy and was easily treated with a flea collar :yikes: I had my moggie at a different address though so it really does make me think that its something to do with my area. I will also ask my vet if there is a possibility my cat has a flea allergy after hearing that jannors cat has a flea allergy that causes scabs.


Yes, scabs and soreness would make me suspicious of a flea allergy - just one flea could set that off - so definitely one to speak to the vet about.

I'm not aware of any wormers that only treat roundworm, personally. Advocate is the only one I can think of in that category.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

catlover5 said:


> The vet first suggested drontal years ago and then after the flea incident prescribed advocate flea and worm and told me to continue using it monthly even after the three months were up and even though he is a indoor cat. After this pack is up and my kittens pack is up I get paranoid about him to  I think I will give up using advocate as it is quite costly £56 every six months for two cats with online discounts compared with drontal which would be £3 every 6 months for two cats.if buying from animed direct . I will either just go back to using drontal every six months or when I speak to my vets I will ask if they can recommend a wormer that doesn't treat for tapeworm. I I will *maybe* think about leaving the flea treatment but haven't quite decided yet as I was horrified with the fact that he had sore scabs on the back of his head, underneath his chin, on his back and on his tail from a brief jaunt when my beloved moggie who roamed outdoors day and night *every day for hours* jwas just a bit itchy and was easily treated with a flea collar :yikes: I had my moggie at a different address though so it really does make me think that its something to do with my area. I will also ask my vet if there is a possibility my cat has a flea allergy after hearing that jannors cat has a flea allergy that causes scabs.


I don't think you understand, exactly, what people are telling you.

Why do you think you need the drontal, at all?

If your cats are indoor cats, they have no need of Drontal. Drontal is a broad spectrum de-worming compound. It kills roundworm, hookworm and tapeworm. If your cats don't hunt and don't have fleas, there is no need for them to have drontal.

If they do have fleas, they _may_ need Droncit, which is for tapeworm only.

As I have said before, if a cat has a flea allergy, one bite from one flea will cause him to have a reaction. It still does not mean your cats need deworming against hookworm and roundworm.


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## catlover5 (Sep 26, 2014)

lorilu said:


> I don't think you understand, exactly, what people are telling you.
> 
> Why do you think you need the drontal, at all?
> 
> ...


 I'd like to give my two a deworming tablet like milibemax or drontal for my piece of mind as they go out on a harness a few times a week. I will probably opt for milibemax .


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

catlover5 said:


> I'd like to give my two a deworming tablet like milibemax or drontal for my piece of mind as they go out on a harness a few times a week. I will probably opt for milibemax .


But they aren't hunting? I don't see how they are at risk for parasites?

(and of course if they are already getting this protection through the topical flea treatment anyway...)


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

catlover5 said:


> I'd like to give my two a deworming tablet *[Milibemax, Drontal]* for my piece of mind,
> as *they go out on a harness, a few times a week*. ...


Sorry, one more detail:

they can't "catch" worms; intestinal parasites are the result of *ingesting* an already-infested animal,
or one that's *carrying* eggs -so if U don't let them chase, catch, & EAT mice, other rodents, or birds
*whilst on leash,* & as Shoshannah said, Ur house isn't home to _Mus domesticus_, the house-mouse,
nor to deer-mice, rats, etc, there's no way for Ur cats to develop a worm-infestation.

If U really worry about it, ask the vet to do a fecal-float every 3- to 6-mos, & look for eggs or worms;
THEN, once U know there's an infestation, treat for that species, rather than blast the poor cat with
a broad-spectrum nasty that only helps worms "harden" & become resistant.

A fecal-float means taking a small sample of feces, shaking it up in a cup of H2O, & putting the floating
bits on a slide under a microscope; then any particular species can be ID'd & a specific medication Rx'ed.
This greatly lessens the exposure of the cats to unnecessary pesticides, & keeps the meds effective for
a longer time-period, since worms get less opportunity to become resistant & immune to the pesticide.

*Tapeworms* can develop after an animal BITES A FLEA & swallows the eggs inside the flea's body,
as well as by consuming an already-infested host [rabbit, etc]. So fleas can be a vector for tapeworm,
but Ur cats live indoors, don't spend time roaming thru the neighborhood, & have minimal risk of fleas.
So the a fecal float would be a simple, non-toxic assessment to assure they're free of gut-worms. :yesnod:

Does that make sense, now? :001_smile: If not, please do ask any Q U have - Shoshannah is a DVM,
i'm sure he'd be happy to fill in any blanks or explain confusing bits; i know it's a lot of info. 
.
.


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## catlover5 (Sep 26, 2014)

leashedForLife said:


> Sorry, one more detail:
> 
> they can't "catch" worms; intestinal parasites are the result of *ingesting* an already-infested animal,
> or one that's *carrying* eggs -so if U don't let them chase, catch, & EAT mice, other rodents, or birds
> ...


 Ooh my god I thought worms were something a cat could catch in a garden or from another cat not from consuming a host :yikes::yikes: I definitely wont bother giving him or my other cat anymore worming treatments!


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

leashedForLife said:


> > Shoshannah is a DVM,
> > i'm sure *he'd* be happy to fill in any blanks
> 
> 
> LforL - a small point, purely for the sake of accuracy - Shoshannah is of the female gender.


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

chillminx said:


> LforL - a small point, purely for the sake of accuracy -
> Shoshannah is of the female gender.


thanks - 
i assumed b/c of the male avatar, :lol: - these trivial details! :laugh:
.
.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

leashedForLife said:


> thanks -
> i assumed b/c of the male avatar, :lol: - these trivial details! :laugh:
> .
> .


I made the same mistake a while back. Apparently the picture is of some actor or otherwise famous person.


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

lorilu said:


> I made the same mistake a while back.
> Apparently [*Shoshannah's avatar is a*] *picture is of some actor, or otherwise famous person.*


Oh, well - that explains it! :lol:

I pay so little attn to popular culture, even with a caption labeling the photo with their supposedly famous
Name, i probly wouldn't be able to place the context! - movies?... Comedy?... un-reality-TV?... politics?...
that dude that ate 27 hamburgers in 10-minutes, & then urped in the Green Room?...
i dunno, give me a clue! :001_rolleyes:


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

leashedForLife said:


> Oh, well - that explains it! :lol:
> 
> I pay so little attn to popular culture, even with a caption labeling the photo with their supposedly famous
> Name, i probly wouldn't be able to place the context! - movies?... Comedy?... un-reality-TV?... politics?...
> ...


I have no idea. I don't know who anybody is.


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## Erenya (Jul 22, 2014)

chillminx said:


> LforL - a small point, purely for the sake of accuracy - Shoshannah is of the female gender.


phew, I thought i'd got it wrong for a moment then (although the profile pic did confuse me for a moment )


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

FYI, just in case you are interested lol the name of Shoshannah's avatar is Charlie Day. He is an American actor, musician, producer and screen writer. 

He's probably best known for playing Charlie Kelly in "It's always sunny in Philadelphia". Has also been in films "Horrible Bosses", "Pacific Rim" and "The Lego Movie".


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## havoc (Dec 8, 2008)

I didn't know who he was either - can't fault her taste in men though :lol:


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

chillminx said:


> FYI, just in case you are interested lol the name of Shoshannah's avatar is *Charlie Day*.
> He is an American actor, musician, producer & screenwriter.


Thank U, thank U, thank U, internet-sensai - 
very kind of U, indeed. [& i don't know the poor man from Adam.]


chillminx said:


> He's probably best known for playing Charlie Kelly in, "It's always sunny in Philadelphia".
> Has also been in films, "Horrible Bosses", "Pacific Rim", & "The Lego Movie".


ROTFLMAO -
Not one of which i've seen, or - truth be told - even heard the *title* of, previously. :lol:
Good thing i'm not "his audience" - obviously, whatever demographic i plug into, it ain't his!
 

Don't tell the poor man how hidden his undoubtedly-brilliant talents are - i wouldn't want to hurt
his feelings, let alone that fragile male-ego. :biggrin5: Actors are very fragile creatures; men are even
more delicate, don'cha know?...


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## sarahecp (Aug 22, 2011)

I'm so sorry for your loss  and thank you for bring this to the attention of others. 

I have 3 cats, 2 roam and one has supervised garden access. All 3 are treated monthly with Advocate, and wormed every 3 months, 2 with Droncit tablets and 1 with Droncit spot on. The 2 that roam I know that one of them does hunt. 

I have invested in a set of baby scales so my boys are weighed regular to keep an eye on their weights and to make sure they are getting the correct dosage of flea and worm treatment.


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## catlover5 (Sep 26, 2014)

sarahecp said:


> Where did you buy these from? My boys weight has been up one week and down the next and I would like to keep a close eye on it.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

catlover5 said:


> Where did you buy these from? My boys weight has been up one week and down the next and I would like to keep a close eye on it.


This is the one I use. I LOVE it!

Amazon.com: Salter 914 Electronic Baby and Toddler Scale: Health & Personal Care


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Any of these baby weighing scales on ebay are OK too:

digital baby scales | eBay


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## rawfedcat (Jul 6, 2014)

Sorry for your loss.

Have you tried using Advocate and drontal or milbemax? Frontline isn't as affective anymore. What my vet told me today was to give drontal or milbemax every 3 months and leave a 4 to 5 week gap afterwards and apply advocate monthly. The reason she told me to keep using drontal or milbemax is because advocate doesn't treat tape worm. Advocate protects cats from fleas, mites, heart worm, round worm, flea larvae, ear mites and hookworm, it is a spot on treatment like Frontline but more affective.


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## Tigermoon (Apr 2, 2013)

We're a Stronghold household here as I gave up using Frontline in all its forms about two years ago now. The cats are indoor cats so I only treat them if flea evidence is spotted, I will then treat the entire household using Stronghold. The house gets sprayed with Indorex or RIP Fleas. 

Fleas come into our house through the following ways:
1. The dog picks them up when out for his walk (off rabbits or other dogs he plays with) 
2. One of the household humans brings them home from relatives houses if their cats/dogs happen to have fleas (this has happened this year  )
3. From a cat show ... rare I would have thought but it's not unheard of.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

rawfedcat said:


> Sorry for your loss.
> 
> Have you tried using Advocate and drontal or milbemax? Frontline isn't as affective anymore. What my vet told me today was to give drontal or milbemax every 3 months and leave a 4 to 5 week gap afterwards and apply advocate monthly. The reason she told me to keep using drontal or milbemax is because advocate doesn't treat tape worm. Advocate protects cats from fleas, mites, heart worm, round worm, flea larvae, ear mites and hookworm, it is a spot on treatment like Frontline but more affective.


But Advocate DOES treat the others, so you don't need drontal. You need droncit. If you are treating with a spot on that controls hook- and roundworms, and using drontal, a broad spectrum dewormer, you are overdosing the cat.

Droncit treats tapeworm only, so that's the one you would need.


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## Shaun1968 (7 mo ago)

There is something unusual about stronghold for cats i have used many spot on treatments with no problems. However on one occasion my vet didn't have the usual brand and substituted it for stronghold for my fit and health but aged cat saying it was the same but a different make. The day after application he was ill and a huge white patch appeared at the place of administration. The following day he was still ill and the white patch had turned into a huge ulcer like burn that took 3 month to heal, Beware of stronghold for cats


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Shaun1968 said:


> There is something unusual about stronghold for cats i have used many spot on treatments with no problems. However on one occasion my vet didn't have the usual brand and substituted it for stronghold for my fit and health but aged cat saying it was the same but a different make. The day after application he was ill and a huge white patch appeared at the place of administration. The following day he was still ill and the white patch had turned into a huge ulcer like burn that took 3 month to heal, Beware of stronghold for cats


You are replying to something from 2014


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## Shaun1968 (7 mo ago)

Yes i know i came across it while browsing


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