Program flea treatment

[Liz]

I have to say sitting here with 40+ cats on Program and the 2 dogs, Ace on Profender and beijing on Frontline - she's only 5 weeks old

Can't say we have any fleas on this lot and we do check as the boys are prolific rabbit hunters and we do check as I am usually a meal waiting to happen

Program works for us and does include the second free health check, in fact one of our vets is going to Canada for a year and can't find anyone to take her cat so it may be coming here for a holiday and she said so you are the Program family oh well another injection if he comes to you - no said I another 2!

[toothfairy]

bath sounds like a good idea and at least they can't run away as easily,also easier to clean like you said.

 

[Millys Mum]

In the bath  you can see what comes out then and its easy to clean. Or if that freaks them, a white towel on the kitchen worktop.
Thats good you have done the environment already 

[toothfairy]

am going to comb them tonight (will be 24 hrs then) any tips on how to do it bearing in mind they are not that keen on being handled. i have sprayed with a room spray thst i bought from the vets and disinfected kitchen tey have only been in the kitchen and the spare room when i cleaned the kitchen, sprayed the spare room loads and left it over night and gonna hoover it again.  just wondering where you think it is best to comb them, spare room cause it will be easier to clean that the kitchen?

[Millys Mum]

The fleas shall die within 24 hours 
They are lucky if they had those fleas since tinies as anaemia kills 

It would also be wise to treat your home as fleas lay alot of eggs  indorex & acclaim are too good makes available from vet uk 

[Tiggy's Mum]

Frontline spray is the safest thing to use for little kittens (can be used from a few days old) and your babies do look pretty little  The spot ons are only suitable for kittens over 1kg in weight and 8 weeks old. Program injections don't kill fleas it affects the life cycle so your little ones have been treated with the best stuff.

I would give them a little combing session tonight to help the process, make sure you drown the fleas in hot water or crush them with the end of an old toothbrush or something as they will hop off otherwise. 

[toothfairy]

i am puzzled, i took my kittens to the vets today and they did the front line sparay and rubbed it in and i just looked at them and they have fleas or what i assume is fleas still crawling on their fur and on their faces not close to the skin like the vet showed me, i am worried that when i comb it out tomoz i will just get covered in live fleas.

really not sure what to do for the best.

[Linda D]

As has been mentioned Program only kills the fleas once they bite your cat, so it's an ideal preventative.  If your cat has a flea allergy (allergy to flea saliva & faeces) then Frontline might be a better option as the contact with your cat will kill them off, they don't need to bite to be killed.  Frontline also interferes with the eggs and larvae, so in my opinion would be a better choice to deal with an actual infestation.

[Desley (booktigger)]

When i enquired about this, i Was told they needed the spot on in the beginning as well, as the injection just sterilises the fleas and doesnt kill them, and when i worked out the cost, i wasnt saving anything.

[bluecat]

i use the ingections for mary as she was a bit timid and it seemed as soon as i brought her round it time for anorther aplication front line etc and no progress was being made    shes been fine with the injections touch wood and calmed down a lot

[Liz]

Ours range in age from 19 to 10 months and all are on Program injections and the dogs on Program tablets and no one has had a reaction to it in all the years we have used it.

We changed all to this when one of our bridge boys had a reaction to the frontline we were using on the dogs - they share beds and he went bald in his hind end now no reactions at all

It is also useful as our vet does a health check on the second 6 month shot - ours get a booster and Program in one hit and just Program in the other and we visit the vet every month of the year!

We have Ace on Profender as we haven't quite got him in a trap yet to visit and yes I mean trap, Brodie is off next month for boosters and Program - his first since being rescued and coming to us also he will be chipped to, then Gem off for speying and all the shots, dog for castration add in the usual stuff and July is a visit every weekend for the month!

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Thanks for posting this cos was thinking of Sasa but seemed to remember the drop on had to be stopped for Kocka cos she was allergic to the bites.

I also like that stronghold does ear mites too

[Millys Mum]

Program also comes in an suspension that you give monthly, i *think* its available without prescription, if not now its going to be soon.

It doesnt kill adult fleas it effects the eggs so they are no longer viable so if you have a cat that is allergic to bites i wouldnt use it.
I also dont like the idea of chemicals floating around for that long, i dont monthly frontline my lot as touchwood they havent needed it

Edit: the oral version is now available without prescription

[Dawn F]

every six months - I only stopped doing it because one of mine is allergic to some vaccines and if I was getting frontline for him I thought I may as well get it for all of them, if you can be bothered to take them in every six months its well worth it

[Kally]

about how often do they need it?

[Dawn F]

I think I used to pay about 120 for all four

[Kally]

do u know roughly how much it costs?

[Dawn F]

I used to use it, it was very good, I think the main downside is if you already have fleas in the house they will still hatch and only die if they bite the cat - Liz uses it all her 39 (last count I think)

[Kally]

i was just wondering if anyone knows anything about program flea treatment i know its and injection but just want to know if anyone knows the ups and downs about it