|
WHAT’S NEW
The ON-LINE edition of our monthly newsletter
Welcome to Flea Season
- - A recap of the available products, plus special offers
In this section: Advantage Frontline Plus Revolution
Capstar Program Sentinel
Over the Counter Copycat Products
|
www.nofleas.com |
ADVANTAGE
Still our most popular product, Advantage® (BAYER) has been safely eliminating fleas since 1996.
|
|
Pros:
|
Very convenient topical application
One application should last one month
Lowest price of all the products offering
residual activity
Exquisite safety profile |
|
Cons:
|
Some people feel topical application is
messy. The oily spot behind the neck
will be present for hours, until it fully
spreads out over the entire body
Will wash off with bathing or swimming
Because this is a single agent insecticide,
it should be combined with some kind of
flea sterilizer to prevent development of
an Advantage resistant flea population
No activity against other parasites. |
|
BUY EIGHT APPLICATIONS (2 PACKAGES)
AND GET THE NINTH APPLICATION FREE
|
|
|
|
www.frontline.com |
FRONTLINE PLUS
The “Plus” now included in Frontline is “methoprene,” the insect growth regulator that revolutionized flea control in
the 1980’s. Methoprene is a completely non-toxic flea sterilizer and any female flea that survives a Frontline Plus treated pet long enough to lay eggs will not be able to lay fertile eggs. The addition of
Methoprene to Frontline represents an effort to prevent the development of Frontline resistant flea populations (fleas that survive Frontline will not be able to pass on their resistance genes to offspring).
|
|
|
Pros:
|
Very convenient topical application
Has built in mechanism to prevent
resistance
Waterproof
Tick activity |
|
BUY SIX APPLICATIONS
(2 PACKAGES)
AND GET THE SEVENTH APPLICATION FREE |
Cons:
|
The new “Plus” products will not be
labeled for use in dogs under 11 pounds
until later this year (due to inadequate
number of toy dogs in the licensing
studies). Until then, toy breeds must use
regular Frontline or another product
Some people feel topical application is
messy. The oily spot behind the neck
will be present for hours, until it fully
spreads out over the entire body |
|
|
|
www.revolutionpet.com |
REVOLUTION
Revolution represents the broadest spectrum in parasite control.
In dogs, Revolution controls fleas, ticks, heartworms, sarcoptic mange and ear mites.
In cats, Revolution controls fleas, ticks, heartworms, roundworms, hookworms and ear mites.
|
|
BUY SIX DOSES
(2 PACKAGES OF
THE PUPPY/KITTEN
OR LARGEST DOG SIZE,
1 PACKAGE OTHER SIZES)
AND GET THE
SEVENTH DOSE FREE |
Pros:
|
Very convenient topical application
Works internally (is absorbed through
the skin), thus is waterproof
The broadest spectrum product
Because it is absorbed through the skin,
the oily spot on the neck is gone quicker
than with Advantage or Frontline |
|
Cons:
|
Extra parasite coverage translates into a
higher cost (it requires a prescription)
Some people are not comfortable with
internal flea control
Some people feel topical application is
messy, even though oily spot behind
the neck is gone quicker than with
Advantage or Frontline |
|
|
|
www.petwellness.com/
dog_capstar_home.asp
or
www.petwellness.com/
cat_capstar_home.asp |
CAPSTAR
Capstar is the newest weapon against fleas and its use is somewhat different than the other products. Unlike the others, this product
is not meant to provide a long-lasting residual effect. Instead, it is meant to be quickly in and out of the pet’s system, providing the fastest route to a zero flea state.
|
|
Pros:
|
Begins killing fleas within 30 minutes of
oral administration
Excellent safety profile (can be used in
any dog or cat weighing over 2 pounds)
Given as a pill, so there is no messy oily
spot on the back of the neck |
|
Cons:
|
No residual flea control; this product is
meant to clear a unique infestation. It
can be used daily, but such use would
be substantially less convenient and
more expensive than the topical products
Some people are not comfortable with
internal flea control |
|
|
|
www.programpet.com |
PROGRAM
Program (active ingredient Lufenuron) was the first of the next generation flea products. Lufenuron is given orally (one dose which
must be given with food monthly) and after that any flea that bites the dog or cat is rendered sterile (but not dead). The flea dirt produced by these fleas that normally feeds the larval fleas is rendered
toxic. The life cycle of fleas could be broken in two new places, a concept that changed the face of flea control. Program is now available as an injectable product given every 6 months for cats only.
|
|
Pros:
|
Not toxic to mammals at any dose
Excellent prevention and excellent in
combination with topical products to
prevent the development of insecticide
resistant fleas
Oral (or injected) administration means
no messy oils on the coat |
|
Cons:
|
Does not kill fleas (the manufacturer
recommends the use of their companion
product Capstar to kill fleas found on
the pet)
Without another product, immediate
results will not be seen |
|
$4.00 REBATE WHEN YOU BUY 1 YEAR’S SUPPLY OF
TABLETS (2 PACKAGES) (call 1-800-332-2761 for necessary coupon) |
|
|
|
www.sentinelpet.com |
SENTINEL
This product combines Lufenuron, the active ingredient of Program, with the broad spectrum parasite control of Interceptor
(milbemycin oxime). The resulting product, which is given orally once a month with food, not only sterilizes fleas but also controls hookworms, whipworms, roundworms and prevents heartworm infection.
|
|
Pros:
|
Excellent safety profile
Broad spectrum parasite control
Oral administration means no messy oils
on the coat |
|
Cons:
|
Does not kill fleas (the manufacturer
recommends the use of their companion
product Capstar to kill fleas found on
the pet)
Without another product, immediate
results will not be seen |
|
$8.00 REBATE WHEN YOU BUY 1 YEAR’S SUPPLY
(2 PACKAGES) (call 1-800-332-2761 for necessary coupon) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
In this section: Advantage Frontline Plus Revolution
Capstar Program Sentinel
Over the Counter Copycat Products
The Over-the Counter Copycat Products
Before 1995, 80% of flea control products were purchased in retail outlets. With the advent of newer generation products, currently 80% of flea control products are purchased through
veterinarians. The retail outlets have been eager to reclaim their market share in the following ways:
PERMETHRIN BASED SPOT-ONS FOR DOGS
PROTICALL, BIO-SPOT, CONTROL
These products use high concentrations of an older insecticide called “Permethrin.” Before 1995, Permethrin based DEFEND EXspot® was the only product available that offered the
convenience of a topically applied spot-on and was considered the state of the art for that time. Problems with permethrin include:
- rapid development of resistant flea populations
- inability to cover the body of a large dog
- not waterproof
- toxic to felines
This product was largely shelved when Advantage® arrived in 1996, but it didn’t take long for permethrin based products to be repackaged to look similar to the more effective spot-ons.
Do not be fooled into thinking these are equivalent to the newer products.
| |
 |
Also note: The high concentrations of permethrin necessary to create the spot-on effect are highly toxic to cats. It is not uncommon for someone to mistakenly use the canine
version of Bio-Spot or Control; this is a disaster for the cat. If you choose to use these products, be extra careful about what you put on your cat. |
INSECT-GROWTH REGULATORS FOR CATS
BIO-SPOT, CONTROL
These products use either methoprene or fenoxycarb to sterilize fleas. These products are extremely safe, but it is important to realize that they do not kill fleas and are not intended to
kill fleas. They can be used to complement other flea products in the same way Program® is used.
THE BLACK MARKET
Each of the six flea products for sale through veterinarians has pros and cons. If these issues are not understood, products can be misused and/or the user may not have the appropriate
expectations. The three manufacturers of these six products (Novartis, Bayer and Merial) feel very strongly that their products be sold through veterinary offices only, where trained
professional personnel can advise you on usage. This means that the sale of Advantage, Program and Frontline in pet supply stores, catalogs and through web sites is not condoned
and invalidates any special offers or even basic guarantees of effectiveness. They may be well known or legitimate businesses in other repects, but if they are not a Veterinarian or
Veterinary clinic or hospital, they are not allowed by the manufacturers to sell these products. These non-approved companies offer legitimate veterinarians lots of money to order these
products for them to resell (as they cannot get the product legitimately through the manufacturers) or they smuggle them in from other countries. Either way, since they are being
sold in direct contradiction to the manufacturer’s conditions, if you buy these products you do so without the normal support, quality control or guarantees that the manufacturers normally
provide. Please do not support this activity: you may not end up with the product you intended to buy.
In this section: Advantage Frontline Plus Revolution
Capstar Program Sentinel
Over the Counter Copycat Products
[Back to Index at Top of Page]
GARDEN TIPS: SAFE PLANTS
Having visions of a Spring Garden? Your dog or cat is probably having visions of digging through or chewing up the plants. We’ll leave the fencing and reprimanding up to you, but just
to be on the safe side, how about planting only non-toxic plants? We hope to regularly feature safe attractive house plants and shrubs in each newsletter. This month’s examples of plants
that are safe for your pets are presented below:
|
|
|
|
|
Zebra Plant
|
Common Gardenia
|
Hardy Gloxinia
|
|
[Back to Index at Top of Page]
FUN LINKS
This web site (sponsored by Waltham Pet Products) is large enough for hours of exploration. It has areas of interest for owners of cats, dogs, kittens, puppies, birds and aquarium fish.
Stop by and:
- Register to win a trip to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City
- Get diet recommendations for your pet using the “Food Finder”
- Check out blueprints for a first class scratching post
- Create a web page for your pet, including a photo scrap book
www.mypetstop.com
Do you love our web site, but wish it was available in another language? If so, go to:
http://world.altavista.com
Enter www.marvistavet.com in the website box and then select whether you want to see the text in Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean or Chinese. The text within
graphics or animations will not translate, but all the normal text will, still looking exactly like the original page (mostly). Print the translated pages for friends or send this link to them.
- Goce la lectura
- Appreciez la lecture
- Aprecie a leitura
|
- Godere la lettura
- Genie ben sie den messwert
- Enjoy the reading
|
|
[Back to Index at Top of Page]
Thank-You for our New Referrals
Here are the names of our clients who have referred their family or friends to our hospital in April 2001:
|
Lori Boatright
|
Emily Gluck
|
Katy McCaffrey
|
|
Thank you again for your confidence in us.
[Back to Index at Top of Page]
WHAT’S NEW ON OUR WEB SITE (since last month)
CATARACTS
Cataracts are an important cause of blindness in the dog. Through special surgery, it
may be possible to restore vision. Would you recognize a cataract if you saw one in your cat or dog? To find out (or learn more about causes and treatments), visit the newest page in the Pet Web Library.
[Back to Index at Top of Page]
|
