Dog Acting Strange After Advantix

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Our dog Claude is given a spot-on flea treatment every 4 weeks. We much prefer the spot-on liquid to flea pills as he always gags when he takes a tablet. However, in recent months we’ve been thinking about changing to an oral treatment, as our dog has been acting weird after his flea medicine. As soon as we apply the flea treatment, he goes absolutely crazy! It’s funny, but still very weird.

I wanted to try to understand why our dog acts all weird after his flea treatment, so spoke to a vet I know, plus some other dog owners to get some differing opinions.

I’ve also done some online research into it all – I hope you find it useful as there is even the possibility of an allergic reaction or poisoning. You can read more about the toxicity lower down the guide.

If a dog acts weird after receiving its usual anti-flea treatment, there are several possible explanations: The active ingredients and components in the anti-flea product have been slightly altered or completely substituted with new ones. The anti-flea product is of low quality.

Diagnosis of K9 Advantix Allergies in Dogs

If you suspect your dog is having an allergic reaction to K9 Advantix or K9 Advantix II, it is important to make an appointment with your veterinarian. Once you take your dog to the veterinarian, the medical professional will assess your dog’s symptoms. Your dog may show a variety of symptoms, and the severity may vary depending on the allergic reaction of your companion.

The veterinarian will ask you questions pertaining to everything “new” you have introduced into your dog’s life. He may ask you about various foods, allergens within the home, or anything that you have recently applied to your dog. With those questions, you may come to the conclusion that you recently applied the flea and tick treatment.

Why dogs feel weird after flea medicine

Most dogs wont feel weird after being given flea medication. It is generally very safe and recommended by veterinarians with very few exceptions. However, there are times when a mistake may be made or a problem experienced when administering the pipette:

  • Allergies: dogs can have allergies to almost anything. Allergens can be found in food, cleaning solutions and other products found in the home. Even the wrong allergy medication can be bad for dogs. We wont generally know if a dog is susceptible to an allergen until they have come across it. The ingredients in a flea medicine can be an allergen to certain dogs and behaving weird could be due to an allergic reaction.
  • Wounds: if the dog has a wound on their skin near where the pipette has been administered, it is possible the toxicity can cause a reaction. The medication will spread throughout the skin of the dog, but if it comes in contact with an exposed wound it can get into the blood stream.
  • Wrong flea treatment: another reason a dog may feel weird after flea medicine is because they were given the wrong type. Different flea treatments are suitable for different dogs. If you give flea treatment designed for a large dog to a small one, it may cause serious problems. Each treatment should be prescribed by the veterinarian and calculated for their individual health status, size, weight and age. Giving your dog the wrong flea medication may lead to poisoning. Always follow your veterinarians advice carefully.
  • Ingestion: if the flea medicine has been put on the wrong place, it is possible the dog will lick the area and accidentally ingest it. Although the dog wont want to eat it, they may be grooming themselves and think they need to get rid of it. Many dogs will also choose non-organic objects, so if they are able to take off their own flea collar and start to chew it, they may ingest some of the medicine.

    • We should, however, be clear on what is weird behavior for the dog. Our article on weird things dogs do will help you work out what is related to flea medicine and what is simply common strange canine behavior,

    Dog Acting Strange After Advantix

    Our dog acts weird after his flea treatment

    So, firstly, when I say acting weird after his flea medicine, what do I mean by that?

    As a dog owner you will already know how the spot-on flea medicine is administered; With smaller dogs your part their fur at the top of the shoulder blade and squeeze the liquid from the tube. With larger dogs, you spot the treatment on in four places from their shoulders to the base of their tail.

    And this is the point at which our dog Claude will start acting all weird.

    We use Bayer Advantage (you can see the package in the photo below). As soon as the flea treatment medicine touches his skin, he goes crazy weird.

    Dog Acting Strange After Advantix

    The first thing he does is shake. I completely get that one, as he wants to get the spot-on liquid off his fur.

    He will then start slinking on the ground before running at full pelt through the dog flap in our back door. He gets outdoors and run around in circles before rolling on the ground.

    Having spoken to other dog owners, he is a small list of weird things they say their dogs do after being given a flea treatment:

  • Acting unsettled.
  • Tries to shake the treatment off.
  • Runs around.
  • Excessive scratching.
  • Rolls on the floor.
  • Starts to sulk.
  • Tiredness and lethargy.

    • FAQ

    Why does my dog act weird after flea treatment?

    The most common reason is that the fleas are being killed and the dog is no longer being bitten by them. This can cause the dog to feel itchy and uncomfortable, which may lead to restlessness. Additionally, the chemicals in some flea treatments can be irritating to dogs, leading to discomfort and restlessness.

    How long do Advantix side effects last?

    Treatment of Advantix Allergies in Dogs

    Remove as much medication as possible, but avoid scrubbing too hard over the application site or other areas of irritation. Symptoms will generally clear up in a day or two without further treatment.

    Can K9 Advantix make my dog sick?

    Side effects may include signs of skin irritation such as redness, scratching, or other signs of discomfort. Gastrointestinal signs such as vomiting or diarrhea have also been reported. If these or other side effects (such as lethargy or agitation) occur, consult your veterinarian or call 1-800-422-9874.

    How long does flea medicine toxicity last?

    How long does your cat’s flea medicine toxicity last? Toxicity from your cat’s exposure to permethrin-based spot-on flea and tick products for dogs may last up to three days.