Which treatments do cats really need for fleas/worms etc?

[cemeterybird]

I've sort of fallen out with my vets because they won't give you anything without a consultation which bumps up the cost astronomically!

I have been giving my cat Program Flea Treatment ever since he was a kitten (he is now 15 years old) plus Bob Martins Spot On Worm treatment every 3 months, then about 3 years back because he was overgrooming and losing hair the vet said he had an infestation of fleas (believe me, had there been any fleas in my home, I would know because they always find me) and he said to use Stronghold too, which I have been doing ever since but now they won't give me a prescription without a consultation.

We take him once a year for all his jabs and other than the overgrooming he has always been very healthy.

I can get Program online without a prescription and Bob Martins can be bought in the supermarkets but what does Stronghold do that the other two doesn't? I feel I am being held to ransom by not being able to get it without the consultation costs!

Any advice appreciated, thanks.

[Prudie]

Are you sure you will get a fee for the consulation? My vets insisit on seeing the cat for flea treatment but don't charge for the consultation if it's just for fleas.

[cemeterybird]

My vet charges just for sticking your nose inside their door!!

The annoying thing is that I would have been taking Tigs for his yearly check up and jabs in a couple of months anyway and I resent having to pay for two consultations so close together!

[cris r]

Can you not just use frontline treatment if you use it continually with no breaks that should cover the cat. It is cheaper if you buy it at Pets at Home and if you leave your email address they will let you know when you need to buy the next treatment. Vets will always quote the more expensive treatment
Stronghold kills most worms, whereas Frontline doesn't.
On the other hand, Frontline kills ticks, and Stronghold doesn't Stronghold contains a systemic wormer,which I'm told also treats earmites,so you shouldn't have to give wormer as well
I use frontline for fleas and ticks every eight weeks ( five weeks for cats )
and drontal for worms every three months hope this helps
Christine x

[ladybirder]

My vet won't prescribe it unless he sees the dog once a year. If it's over a year you have to take the dog in before you get the prescription BUT you don't have to pay for the consultation. Change your vet.

[JustJenni]

i personally wouldnt use frontline myself, used to use it on my cats and had no problems up until about 2 years ago and they were becoming infested with fleas even though we always keep up with there drops as we live near woods and they always bring something back. but anyway not my point frontline doesnt seem to be working for alot of cat owners now, i use advocat myself, again its from the vets but they only see me because they need to weight the cat to see what ones to give them, have you tried going to another vet in the area if your not happy with your current one? Where abouts are you as im sure some other ABer's would be able to offer advice, i myself am in north devon and use market vets who are nothing but wonderful.

[lcg]

you can buy stuff online. try:
http://www.bestpet.co...-T06a4CFYImtAod-npwIw

[China Doll]

The vet prescribes Eric advocat. He obviously had to see vet first (which was fine as he needed his second set of vacs anyway) but since then I just pop down and get his advocat.

[cemeterybird]

I live in Bristol but in a cemetery (hence my username:-), so we are sort of rural inner city! We have a host of wild life in our garden and it is nothing to see Tigger out there with a fox and badger together but all completely ignoring eachother!

We did wonder and ask the vet, when he said that Tigs had an infestation, if he may have picked something up from a badger or fox but the Vet pooh poohed that.

Christine, your answer just backs up my confusion about one treatment doing one thing but not another etc etc. I can vaguely remember back when Tigs was a kitten, there was some reason why I went for Program and not Frontline and I must admit, in all those years, I still haven't found a flea in my home, so Program worked for me..... so if I am happy with Program for fleas - is the Bob Martins Spot On enough for the worms but then there are ticks and earmites too - perhaps I should read all the tiny print on the boxes and find out which each one does!!

ladybirder/Just Jenni - I'll definitely be changing my vet when Tigs is due his jabs in April! Just for curiosity, when you change vets, is it like when you change doctors and the old doc has to send the new doc your records?

[ladybirder]

Advocate is excellent cm, just about kills everything. Whatever you do don't use FrontLine, jenni is right. I believe that you don't save money buying cheap products for you pets. They are often ineffectual and usually not as strong as anything you get from your vet.

[lcg]

http://www.bestpet.co.uk/search_results.asp

3 advocate things for £18. cheaper than the vets???? x

[lcg]

oops...link doesn't work - just look it up on best pet. i expect it is cheaper....

[ladybirder]

But you need a prescription lcg and the vets aren't daft. Mine charges about £9 for the scrip, usually just makes it not worthwhile buying elsewhere by the time you've paid postage as well.

[firewatch]

Advocat has been recommended by my brother in law as the best one on the market

[lcg]

no...i have bought online for years without a prescription. naughty i know, but not difficult. my cats haven't seen a vet in years...and only go when they are unwell (which is never!) x

[Prudie]

My vet also uses Advocate on my cat(s). I know it's a sensisitive topic cbird but just because you've never seen a flea in your home doesn't mean they're not on the cat. My cat had a serious infestation (that shop bought product didn't touch) but I never actually saw any fleas elsewhere but the cat.

[naomi24]

Can you go to another vet? Mine doesn't ask to see the cat. I just buy the treatments over the counter from reception.

[ladybirder]

lcg do tell. How the heck do you do that?

[JustJenni]

my old records from my old vet did go over to my new one i think, bristols not to far from me cemetery, nice to know theres some close aber's around. id change vets in a heartbeat if your is charging you crazy prices, mines an independant vets they have 2 practices where i live and they are just to nice, and they try and keep the prices fair. i took my cat down for what i thought was a bb pellet to the side, turns out its something the vets never seen before and did a test to find out what it was for free out of his own curiousity.

[cemeterybird]

JustJenni, that makes a refreshing change to find a vet not out for every penny they can get!

Must admit I have never heard of Advocate but checking on Best Pet, lcg, it says you have to have a prescription, so how do you manage to buy without one?

Prudie, the reason why I assume my cat hasn't had fleas, besides never seeing any on him, is because all my life, when I was growing up, many years ago before anyone had heard of flea treatments, I used to get what they called 'heat bumps'...... I realise now, because we always had cats as pets, that they were flea bites and back in the 70's, I can always remember being expert at catching them and killing them between my nails...... ewwww gross, I know, but that is what is was like back then! I seemed to be particularly susceptible to them - if there was one in the house or on the cat, it would find me and bite me!! Used to annoy me because my hubby never got touched - I must have sweet blood or something!! Anyway, since decent products came on the market, I always thought it was worth anything to keep my cat/home flea free and in all that time I have never had another flea bite.

However, it just seemed my vet was taking the mickey and something just snapped with me, so I'll go elsewhere on principle now.

I guess the main reason for asking on here was because I wasn't sure if it was necessary to have three products and if they overlapped and did the same things...... I'll check the small print in the boxes tomorrow and see if it tells me. Night all and thanks for taking the time to answer!

[lankeela]

I only ever use flea treatment (frontline spray) if I see evidence of fleas on any of my animals. I don't believe in pumping them full of chemicals every month, and some of the spot on treatments don't kill the fleas themselves, they just stop any more hatching. Frontline spray is only available from vets or with a prescription, and as for most things, stuff you buy over the counter is less effective. If you get a prescription most vets will issue one for several lots of treatment if you want to order them online.