We would like to inform cat owners that there is now an effective topical prevention against ticks for cats.
Like many of our neighbours, you may have had the unhappy experience of finding a tick on one of your pets. Your dog may be protected against ticks, but your cat, who goes outside regularly, has had no such prevention up until now!
Bravecto for cats is now available. This topical solution is applied to the skin in one or two areas on the back of the neck and is 98.9% effective against Ixodes Scapularis, (the most frequent type of tick in Quebec) for 8 weeks, and 97.7% effective in killing fleas for 12 weeks. The product may be used for cats older than 6 months, weighing more than 1.2kg.
Unlike humans and dogs, cats are not at risk to develop Lyme disease, but are still susceptible to ticks that are found in large quantities in our area. Removing one or often multiple ticks embedded in the skin of your cat can be a long and unpleasant process and puts you at risk for Lyme disease. For this reason, if you live in a zone that is known for ticks, Bravecto may be the product of choice in preventing ticks and fleas from appearing on your cat and in your house.
If the principal objective is preventing ticks, the product must be administered every 8 weeks from April to December, or 5 doses. It is important to remember that tick season is long! If you would like to use the product for flea prevention, dosing every 12 weeks will be acceptable, with 3 doses required for the season, but there is a risk for ticks as the prevention will be sub-optimal.
Bravecto is available with a prescription from your veterinarian, therefore an exam will be necessary once a year to acquire the medication.
Please do not hesitate to contact our team for more details about the importance of tick prevention, or to have us prepare Bravecto for your cat.