Flea control for cats is an important veterinary concern for a number of reasons. First, fleas are among the most common parasites and can be found in virtually all parts of the world. They spread quickly from animal to animal, making them very difficult to avoid without some medicinal preventative measure. Additionally, allergies to flea saliva are quite common in cats and lead to itching and discomfort in many animals. Fortunately, there are a number of medicines that will help to combat the flea problem that your pet has before fleas have a chance to set up on his body.
Oral Flea Control Overview
The basic premise of oral flea control medications is to both eliminate existing fleas on your pet's body and to prevent fleas from being able to successfully live and grow on your pet as well. There are a number of ways in which these products accomplish these two goals, and some medicines are more focused on one or the other of these targets.
Lufenuron, known by the brand name Program, is an example of an oral medication that doesn't kill existing fleas, but which causes severe growth problems for new fleas as they hatch from eggs on your pet's skin. This prevents those new fleas from growing properly, effectively eliminating the flea population over a short period of time.
Nitenpyram, known by the brand name Capstar, is an example of a drug that works to kill living fleas on your pet's body. Because of the various advancements in the medicine of flea control, this drug is now able to begin eliminating fleas from your pet's skin within about 30 minutes of administration of the drug.
Using Oral Flea Control for Your Pet
Oral flea control medicines are oftentimes available over the counter and without a prescription. Nonetheless, it's a good idea to work closely with your vet in order to come up with the best strategy for eliminating fleas from your pet's body. If you provide your pet with a medicine to eliminate his fleas, but you don't adequately eliminate the fleas and eggs from your home, other animals, or your pet's environment, you have wasted your money; the fleas will likely come back again as soon as the treatment ceases. Therefore, a careful plan to not only eliminate your pet's fleas but also any other fleas that will be in the area is important.
Side Effects of Oral Flea Control
There are generally very few side effects of oral flea control. It's a good idea to consult with your vet before you begin to give your pet any of these medicines, as some of them may react poorly with other medicines in your cat's system. Most commonly, side effects include vomiting and diarrhea, as well as some lethargy.
For more information about providing oral flea control for your cat, or about controlling fleas in your pet's environment in general, speak to a vet.