Can I safely switch cat flea meds from Hartz to Advantage 2 or Capstar?

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about the flea problem. Yes, you can use Capstar with any topical flea/tick medicine as far as I know. I don't know of any that Capstar is contraindicated. Great question and good luck.

Congratulations on adopting Butterscotch! She's adorable! Good for you for having Advantage II on hand - this is a much more effective and safe medication than Hartz flea treatments. However, I generally advise waiting at least 2 weeks between applications of topical flea medications. Fortunately, there are a few other options for treatment at this point. The ideal option would be giving Butterscotch prescription-based Comfortis, which is an oral flea medication that works quickly and effectively, and can be given at the same time as topical medications due to different mechanisms of action. However, this may require a trip to the vet since Comfortis is prescription based. The other option would be to give Butterscotch a dose of oral Capstar (available through most pet stores) which will quickly kill adult fleas, but will not provide lasting prevention. After a dose of Capstar, you can also give her a bath in original Dawn dish soap to kill any lingering adult fleas and remove any flea dirt with the hopes of keeping the fleas at bay for the next week until you can apply Advantage II. Be sure to keep both of your cats (and any other pets) on good quality flea prevention regularly for at least the next few months. Also be aware that cats can acquire tapeworms from eating fleas infected with this parasite, so it may be worth discussing a deworming treatment with a praziquantel-based medication with Butterscotch's vet. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

Hi there. I think your plan of using Comfortis instead is a good one. If you opt to do this, there's really no need to give the Capstar first, as the Comfortis will start working quickly on its own :) You can go ahead and do this now - the Comfortis should not have any harmful interactions with the Advantage, even if it was only applied a week or so ago.

Fleas collars do not typically work well. Hartz is not as strong as most other flea medicines and tend to have the most reactions. Advantage is great one that is monthly, Bravecto is another great one and it will last for 3 months but requiers a prescription. I would wait at least 2 weeks in between the topicals for her safety and the flea collar does not matter for timing of products.

Hello, yes you can use them together. Most importantly, is that you also treat your environment to rid of the fleas. You can use pet safe environmental insecticides, wash all bedding and clothing with hot water, and replace the vacuum bag after every use. Hope this helps and best of luck.

I'm so sorry ! Fleas are no fun! You are doing the right thing in treating your house- that is where most of the flea life cycle lives. Zodiac is not one of my favorite meds.... have safety & efficacy concerns. I would use the capstar and get a better topical from your local veterinarian. I would check with them, but you might be able to start the new topical prior to waiting a month. Don't forget that fleas will always have a "hatch out" 3-4 weeks after you treat your house, so don't forget to re-treat. I hope you can Penny comfortable soon! Thanks for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

You can use both products on the same day so it is fine to start the Advantix at any time. There are better products that Advantix. Top products for dogs are oral products such as Simparica and Nexgard. Top products for cats are topicals such as Revolution and Cheristan. There is also an oral product called Comfortis that both dogs and cats can take. You will need to switch all the pets over to a good flea product. Make sure to discuss these products with your veterinarian first. These products are generally safe for all pets but there are some conditions which are contraindicated for the oral products. Cleaning up and treating the house and yard will also help but it will not clear all the fleas. The main control is making sure the pets are on good products. This is what will ultimately stop the infestation. Also remember every female fleas lays about 50 eggs a day and it could take up to 6 months before the eggs hatch. Therefore, you will need to treat for at least 6 months. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.