Four Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Use Cat Flea and Tick Products on Dogs
Cats weigh less than most dogs, and size really does matter when it comes to appropriate flea and tick products. The amount of medication used to protect cats may not be enough to protect a typical dog. Most products are also dosed according to weight, not just species, so be sure to read labels carefully to select the product that it based on your pet’s current weight.
You should have your cat weighed annually to ensure you are using the right dosage of flea and tick medication each month.
The strength, or dose of medication used in cat flea and tick products is very different from what is used for dogs. Some brands of flea and tick products have options for both cats and dogs, however, the different versions are not interchangeable. For example, Frontline Gold for cats should not be used on dogs, and vice versa.
The ingredients in cat flea and tick products can vary significantly from those used in products designed for dogs. While these ingredients are very safe and effective for cats, they are unlikely to provide adequate protection against fleas and ticks if used on dogs. Some ingredients that are safe and effective for dogs are toxic to cats, including pyrethrins and permethrins.
Most dogs spend significantly more time outdoors than cats and may travel to areas that are more heavily infested with fleas and ticks than a cat’s home environment. Some dogs may swim or play in water and would need a waterproof topical flea and tick product.
Flea and tick products may not be formulated to have a higher level of medicine in a waterproof product for dogs. Flea and tick products for cats have typically less volume, different strengths, and contain different types of medication making them unsuitable for protecting dogs against fleas and ticks.
This potential higher level of exposure is just one more reason why the smaller volume, different strength, and different types of medication in cat products make them inappropriate for protecting dogs against fleas and ticks.
Hi there! There are a couple of reasons not to do this. 1. Any off-label use of products regulated by the EPA is against federal law. 2. With most topical spot on treatments, the way the active ingredients are mixed in the liquid carrier are not homogenous. If you draw up 1 mL in a syringe, and 1mL in another syringe, there is no way to know how many mg’s of active ingredient are in either syringe. It could be an underdose, or an overdose. In order to get the labeled dose, the entire tube must be applied, and to the appropriately sized pet. Does that make sense?
Additionally, while Advantage II doesn’t contain permethrin, many other flea products do (such as Advantix II). Permethrin is highly toxic to cats. This is probably another reason why Bayer doesn’t want pet-owners getting in the habit of swapping treatments.
Before answering your question, I want to state that I don’t recommend off label use of any kind, for any medication.
You’re correct. The ingredients are identical in Advantage II for both cats and dogs. And they’re in the same concentrations. The main difference is the amount of product used. Make sure you’re applying the correct dosage, or toxicity problems will likely occur.
Hi, I’ve been using Advantage for Dogs on cats for many years by purchasing the Dogs derivative and splitting it into smaller doses appropriate for my cat’s weight. This seemed to be a common practice with vets as the Active Ingredients of the Dogs and Cats derivatives were identical. When Advantage II came out, I continued with the practice of using the Dog product on Cats only adjusting the dosage. However, after a while, Bayer added a “Do not use on Cats” warning on the packaging of Advantage II for Dogs. I can understand why Bayer would put such a warning from a marketing point of view. However, as the non-active ingredients are not listed on the packaging of either product, I’m not sure whether there might be another reason. I was wondering if you had any insight on this question of using Advantage II for Dogs on Cats. I look forward to hearing from you, O. 4 Answers
Are dog and cat fleas the same?
Technically, cat and dog fleas are different species but each can infect the other. The only way you can tell the difference between the two is under a microscope. Despite it’s name, the most common flea found on dogs and cats in North America is the cat flea, also known as Ctenocephalides felis.
What to do if my cat or dog ingested topical flea tick prevention
Can I use Advantage® II for cats on dogs? No, do not use Advantage® II for cats on dogs. Please follow label directions for the application of our flea products.