Will my senior cat's body toxins kill fleas, or do I need treatment?

lHello, thank you for using PetCoach. There are are oral flea pills available, however, you also cannot take back an oral pill once you give it...... A 19 year old cat may have an underlying kidney or liver problem (actually this is very likely) that is making her more sensitive to these medications. If she has not been to the vet recently she should be examined and have some blood testing run. If you continue to try things and her organs are not functioning properly you may really put her over the edge. Luckily she recovered after the Seresto Collar incident. I suggest you: 1. Treat the environment (ie: the house) as the fleas will be constantly hatching and continuing the problem. I strongly recommend Knockout Spray ES. This works better than any foggers or other home treatments and can be used on all carpeted and upholstered surfaces. ( https://www.chewy.com/virbac-knockout-es-area-treatment/dp/53855 ) 2. ALL animals in the house much be on some type of flea prevention as well or the fleas will continue to thrive. 3. If you have a yard, you need to treat that too as part of the environment even if she does not go outside. ( https://www.chewy.com/vets-best-outdoor-flea-tick-spray/dp/45163 ) 4. To treat her specifically, without using the traditional flea medications, you can use this waterless mousse - it is only a temporary fix though. No real lasting effects like the topical/oral treatments so depending on the severity of the infestation, you may have to use it every day or every couple days. Also depends on how she reacts to the product. Please read the directions fully before using as they recommend a spot trial first. ( https://www.amazon.com/Vets-Best-Waterless-Treatment-Plant-Based/dp/B084PZSR8J/ ) 5. Whatever you do, DO NOT use any Hartz or Adams products on her. They have a high rate of causing serious reactions and even death in dogs and cats (even young and healthy ones). Again, at her age, I strongly recommend she see a vet before you try anything else on her body. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Frontline is very safe and well tolerated in cats. So is Advantage Multi- not Advantix- but Advantage Multi- (which also protects your cat against heart-worm disease and intestinal parasites as well)- these products are very safe for cats and they do very well for fleas and a little for ticks. Frontline does not not work for mosquitoes or no see ums. For that you need a product like a Seresto collar- whenever you get into these products the safety is a little less but Seresto is very safe and pretty well tolerated by most casts. It is not like the old flea collar that had Amitraz (those are NOT safe!). I would suggest a Seresto collar and an oral Feline Heartgard chew or topical Advanatge Multi for your cat (combo of both). But you should check with your vet for more info for your particular cat.

Bravecto is a good topical that last for 3 months but is a prescription. The change in duration helps control the environment and get ahead of the life cycle. The majority of a flea problem comes from the environment so it is essential to treat that area also. You may also look in to a Seresto collar that is not a prescription and it can last up to 8 months.

SIGNS OF TOXICITY All flea control products are potentially toxic or may produce unexpected side effects. Toxicity may result from accidental overdose or unexpected sensitivity. Known side effects, although rare, are vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, sluggishness, weakness, or abnormal behavior. If you suspect that your animal is reacting adversely to a flea control product, stop using the product and consult your veterinarian immediately. If the reaction occurs immediately after application, the product should be rinsed off thoroughly and the animal brought to the veterinarian for evaluation. Adverse reactions may occur from minutes to days following application. Insecticides can be toxic to people; all products should be handled carefully, avoiding direct contact as much as possible. Keep all products out of the reach of children. Cats are particularly sensitive to many pesticides. ONLY USE PRODUCTS LABELED TO BE SAFELY USED ON CATS. If you have any questions about a product’s safety, please consult your veterinarian. FLEA CONTROL IN YOUR ENVIRONMENT Immature life stages of the flea accumulate in the environment when animals with fleas serve to disperse flea eggs into the environment where they then hatch into juvenile life stages. House and yard treatments need to be concentrated on "source points", which are areas where your pets spend most of their time. This typically would include the bedding and resting areas, the feeding location, etc. You can lessen the flea burden in your home by thorough vacuuming of all source points followed by disposal of the vacuum bag and by washing all animal bedding weekly in hot water and drying at high heat for twenty minutes. Steam cleaning of rugs and carpeting +/- upholstery is also helpful. In the yard, focus on areas where your pet(s) or other animals spend most of their time. Typically, fleas survive and reproduce in shaded, moist areas with plant or organic debris (under decks, bushes, storage sheds, etc). Fleas do not survive or reproduce well in sunny, open areas of lawn or patio. Elimination of yard debris will be helpful in reducing flea numbers. You may choose to utilize a professional exterminator service for the treatment of fleas in your home and garden. REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS It is important to realize that the various anti-flea medications do not eliminate the immature forms of fleas in the environment. Thus, for the first month or so you may continue to see fleas on your pet as the juvenile forms mature and search for a new host. This does not mean that the fleas have built up resistance to the medication – in reality, flea resistance to these products is quite rare. The most common reasons for failure to control a flea problem are: 1. Frequent washing of a pet treated with a spot-on product (this includes swimming in pools, lakes or the ocean). 2. Inconsistency in the application of the product. 3. Failure to treat all pets. 4. Wildlife reservoirs of fleas (feral cats, raccoons, opossums, coyotes, etc.). Thus areas below outside decks, old sheds, etc. should be barricaded or locked to discourage such ‘visitors’.

Poor Jack. If cats have a heavy burden of fleas, yes they can get a flea allergy. I'm concerned that he reacted badly to the flea medication, but I don't know what reaction he had. I think it's best to take him into his vet today.

No, that is very unlikely. A severe infestation of fleas can cause anemia, and if Corbin had a number of fleas prior to using the flea and tick treatments that could lead to the anemia. Anemia can also be caused by kidney failure and cancer, both of which are unfortunately common in senior cats. I would have Corbin seen by a vet for a physical exam, geriatric blood panel, complete blood count, and urinalysis. The cause of the anemia needs to be diagnosed so he can be treated.

In my opinion flea collars are not a good idea any more (except the seresto collar) as they usually contain carbamates which are liver toxic. It would be better to use a spot on, for example. Here are some products: Spot-ons and/or chews Advantage, Advantix Advantage Multi (Advocate in the UK) Frontline (ticks as well) Bravecto spot on (ticks as well) - for cats, in tablet form for dogs Simparica, Nexgard Revolution (stronghold in the UK) Tablets: comfortis (will only kill fleas once) Collar: Seresto (ticks as well)