Why is my cat lethargic, bald, with black specs after flea meds?

Depending on the extent of flea infestation, lethargy is not at all uncommon. Flea bites can drain a significant amount of blood and nutrients from the body, so when a severe attack as occurred, what you are describing is very much expected. If the exposure was not significant, it is possible that Milo may just be having a reaction to the medication itself. If this is the case, he should come out of it relatively soon. If not, I would have him reassessed by your veterinarian that prescribed the drug. Hope this helps.

I would start by treating the fleas. Fleas can be extremely aggravating and cause some pets to have weird changes in behavior. With large infestations of fleas, they can also cause anemia, which can cause profound lethargy. Other causes of lethargy can range from internal medical illness (diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease), infection, pain from arthritis, etc. I would recommend that you have Blu rechecked by her vet to look into these possible causes. The vet may recommend bloodwork to see how things are going inside of her body.

I wouldn't have a concern about Advantage for felines, especially if Cheeto has had it before. Sometimes the feeling of the medication on their skin can feel weird, and we apply it in an area so that they can't easily groom it off, which could cause some anxiety. Keep an eye on Cheeto and if he isn't back to normal in a day or two, have him examined by your vet.

Fleas are never a fun surprise! Indoor cats can acquire fleas if they come inside on your clothing, through open windows, or on other pets in the household. Even though you have removed all of the adult fleas on Daisy, those adults have likely already laid eggs that will be impossible to remove. Flea collars (with the exception of the Seresto collar) tend to be very ineffective. It is possible that the collar may be affecting her negatively. Since Daisy has been relatively lethargic since you put the collar on, consider taking the collar off and using a high quality flea preventative medication, such as Advantage, Bravecto, or Revolution. Be sure to use one of these preventatives regularly for at least the next few months to break the fleas' life cycle, but preferably year-round. Cats can acquire tapeworms by eating fleas infected with tapeworms, so it may be worth taking a stool sample to Daisy's vet. If Daisy remains lethargic, stops eating and drinking, or develops any vomiting or diarrhea, she will certainly need to go to her vet for further evaluation. I hope that all goes well!

here is the list of the best flea products on the market. Spot ons: Revoulution (stronghold in the UK) Advantage Advantage Multi (Advocate in the UK) Frontline (ticks as well) Bravecto spot on (ticks as well) - for cats Tablets: Trifexis/comfortis Bravecto (ticks as well) - for dogs Collar: Seresto ( (ticks as well) House spary: Indoorex Regarding the weight loss - it may not be related to the fleas, i recommend an urgent vet visit.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. There are several diseases that you can see transmitted from fleas to cats. Tapeworm, Tularemia, Feline infectious anemia, Cat scratch disease and anemia to name the most commonly seen.

I am sorry to hear of the flea issues you are experiencing. That is certainly an unusual response to Capstar and it would be worth reporting this to the veterinarian that you purchased it from. You are right not to put the advantage onto the scabby skin, it could worsen the irritation. A safe way of helping to remove some of the fleas is to give your kitty a bath with blue dawn dishwashing detergent. Whilst it has no protective effects it is safe and gentle to use. Capstar is only one effective for about 24 hours so it may actually have worked, it just isn't helping longer term. Environmental treatment for fleas is always very important too. Wash all of your cat's bedding and any blankets etc that she likes to sleep on. Your own bedding too if she is frequently on your bed. Consider steam cleaning all carpets and rugs in the house, and any fabric furniture too (like couches and chairs). You may need to resort to a 'flea bomb' product or call an exterminator if the problem is not easily controlled. You can also look on your cat's body to see if there is an area of skin that is NOT scabby, where you could maybe apply the advantage instead. The back of the neck is preferred since the cat cannot lick it off, but you can certainly apply it elsewhere if needed.