My cat is lethargic and not eating 3 weeks after Bravecto. Why?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be due to the area feeling different after application of the Bravecto. There are possible reactions associated with any medication or preventative product given to an animal though this would be an unusual reaction to a topical flea preventative like Bravecto. If the skin around at the site it was administered looks normal (not irritated or inflamed) and she is otherwise doing well, I would continue to watch her for now and have her evaluated by your veterinarian tomorrow if no improvement. If she appears to be too different to what she normally is, have her evaluated tonight to ensure she is not having an unusual reaction to the Bravecto. I think she is likely reacting to the application of the product because she can feel something in her skin that she is not used to rather than having a complication. I understand your concern and I hope that she starts acting more like herself quick. Good luck!

Hello. It sounds like Charlie was given Capstar & Bravecto. However, if they were administered on the 28th, the Capstar was out of his system after 24 hours. Vomiting & loss of appetite are the 2 most common signs of the Bravecto, but it is still an extremely safe medication. So I am not sure we can blame it on the flea medications after this much time. If the vomiting has just started, withhold all food for at least 8-12 hours, & only allow small amounts of water, preferably as ice cubes. Restart food using 25% cooked chicken & 75% white rice when the vomiting has stopped. Give very small meals frequently rather than 1 or 2 big meals. If Charley seems comfortable, transition back to his regular diet after about 1 day or so. If the vomiting continues, or he shows any signs of fever, belly pain or diarrhea please see your veterinarian. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It's not likely to be a symptom of the fleas but it could be a symptom of the flea treatment you use, some of them can cause a side effect of lethargy and lack of appetite which usually does not last more than 24 hours. if by tomorrow Jax is not better, i would recommend taking him to your vet to get checked and treated.

That is very unusual that he is not better and I think he should have a work up to try to figure out the cause. Your vet can run some bloodwork to rule out potential medical problems. Most cats are usually better within a few days after having a reaction to a vaccine and three weeks seems like a very long time. If your vet can't do a work-up then you should go to a different vet for a second opinion and work-up. So sorry that he is having this problem.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would agree with the veterinarian that the blood work does not look concerning at this time. If his appetite has decreased with antibiotics, I would recommend discontinuing the antibiotics and seeing how his appetite improves. If he continues to be inappetant or is lethargic, I would have the veterinarian recheck him to ensure everything is ok. If he continues to be itchy, I would recommend using a topical shampoo such as Douxo PS shampoo which can be found online quite easily and bathe twice weekly until resolved. I would also recommend using Essential 6 spot on by Dermoscent, which can also be found online. If he continues to be itchy, it may be time to consider switching to a different food or even consider seeing a veterinary dermatologist. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further!

Thanks for the question. It sounds like Gregory has finished 2 days of the medication that was prescribed by your veterinarian. I would recommend finishing the prescribed medication, and then going back in for a recheck if he isn't improving. At any time if Gregory is getting worse, then don't wait to finish the medication. Often, without more testing (lab tests and x-rays) we don't know exactly what we are treating for. If Gregory is not improving, your veterinarian may recommend more testing to try and find a cause for his symptoms. I'm glad he is doing a little better so far, and I hope his appetite improves.

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.