Stronghold for cats
The carefree life of a domestic cat is often marred by a series of unexpected problems that seem to arise out of nowhere. A caring owner does everything they can to protect their pet from various misfortunes, closely monitors their pet's health and well-being, and meticulously selects their food. However, many of us overlook the fact that the threat of parasite infestation for cats is much more real than we might think.
The most common mistake is the belief that a pet living in an apartment is protected from these problems and that its health is not at risk. Unfortunately, this is not the case. When faced with the task of exterminating parasites, which have settled in the pet's fur or in its body, the owner rushes to the pet store or veterinary clinic for help.
Today, the range of anti-flea medications is huge, these are shampoos, collars, drops or sprays. One such veterinary drug is Stronghold for cats, which effectively combats parasites that threaten your pet's health.
Composition and action of the drug
This drug is manufactured by the American company Pfizer and is known in the US market as "Revolution." Its active ingredient, selamectin, was specifically developed for use on dogs and cats. It works by targeting specific parasite receptors, resulting in complete paralysis and death. It also has a high safety rating for all mammals.
After contact with the skin, selamectin is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream and circulates throughout the body. The substance reaches its maximum concentration within 24 hours, resulting in complete destruction of fleas, ticks, and helminths within a day.
Stronghold cat drops are fully absorbed after approximately thirty minutes. Selamectin then accumulates in the sebaceous glands and is secreted along with their secretions onto the skin and fur, protecting the animal from reinfestation for up to a month.
Furthermore, not only the fleas themselves are destroyed, but also their larvae and eggs. The fact is that the majority of these parasites live in the environment, that is, in cracks, carpets, or under baseboards as eggs, larvae, and pupae. Only about 5% of the entire colony of these blood-sucking insects resides on the animal itself. A cat treated with Stronghold drops becomes a flea repellent. Microscopic particles of its skin and fur, impregnated with selamectin, are constantly present in the home, and upon contact with them, the larvae die. This interrupts the entire development cycle of these parasites, eliminating the risk of reinfestation.
Instructions for use
The product is conveniently packaged according to the animal's weight and age. The manufacturer emphasizes that it should not be used on kittens under 6 weeks of age. Before use, ensure the pet's skin is dry and undamaged.
The instructions for using Stronghold for cats are more than simple: first, lightly press the cap to pierce the tip of the tube, then part the fur at the withers (between the shoulder blades at the base of the neck) and apply the entire product to the pet's skin.
It is worth noting that there are pipettes with caps of different colors for cats of different weights.
|
Cat weight, kg |
The color of the cap of the pipette used |
Solution concentration, % |
Selamectin dose, mg |
Pipette volume, ml |
|
Less than 2.5 |
Purple |
6 |
15 |
0.25 |
|
2.6 - 7.5 |
Blue |
6 |
45 |
0.75 |
|
7.6 - 10 |
Gray-brown |
6 |
60 |
1.0 |
|
More than 10 |
— |
6 |
From 75 |
Pipette combination |
After applying the product, wait 30 minutes for the medication to be fully absorbed. Petting the cat or allowing small children to handle it should wait two hours. Also, if necessary, bathing the pet after two hours is not affected, without affecting its effectiveness.
Regarding cases of other parasites and the use of Stronghold for cats, the instructions state that it effectively combats otodecosis (ear mange), microfilariae and heartworm larvae (lungworms), and intestinal parasites (roundworms). A single application is sufficient for treatment; for further prevention, repeat treatment once a month.
It's important to remember the product's expiration date, which is three years from the date of manufacture if the pipette is intact. Using an expired product is strictly prohibited!
The manufacturer notes that when treating otodectosis (ear mites) in your pet with Stronghold drops for cats, never apply the product directly to the ear! It should only be applied to the withers, directly to the cat's skin. It is also recommended to regularly clean the auricle and ear canal of any scabs that may form using veterinary-grade products.
Advantages of the drug
- Destroys several different types of parasites at once, no need to “cram” pills worms, and also treat your pet separately against ticks.
- Protect your cat and family members from helminth infection for a month.
- Eliminate fleas in your pet's home. No need to waste time and money on treating your home.
- Completely safe for both cats and humans. Simply wash your hands with soap after handling.
- You can even bathe your pet with shampoo; this will not affect the effectiveness of the drug.
Price
It's no secret that for many pet owners, price is a key factor when choosing veterinary medications. Stronghold for cats isn't cheap, but when you consider how much you can save on things like deworming tablets, the price tag doesn't seem so daunting.
This product is available in a tube in a blister pack. Each blister pack contains one, three, or six droppers. After reviewing the product selection at various online stores, we see that this medication is available in both packs and individually. Currently, Stronghold cat drops (one dropper) cost 280 rubles, while a box of three tubes costs between 900 and 1,500 rubles, depending on the tube size. While this pricing may seem steep to some, you can be assured that the money spent on this product will help protect your pet from a whole host of parasites eager to attach themselves to them.
Read also:
- How to get rid of fleas on a cat and kittens
- Notoedric mange in cats: symptoms and treatment
- How often can you bathe cats?
15 comments
Julia
Hello! How soon after Stronghold treatment can I vaccinate a 3-month-old kitten?
Dasha is a veterinarian
Hello! What was your purpose for the treatment? Was it just to get rid of fleas or to also kill intestinal parasites? To be on the safe side, wait 10 days and then take your kitten in for vaccination if they are clinically healthy on the day of the vaccination! If there are any signs of illness (such as a cold), the vaccination should be postponed until the animal has fully recovered.
Daria
Hello.
I treated my cats with Stronghold. I made sure they didn't lick themselves for two hours.
Now (the next day) they're sleeping all the time, and one of them even started eating poorly. What could be causing this? As I already wrote, they couldn't have gotten enough of the medication. Thanks in advance for your reply.
Dasha is a veterinarian
Hello! Did you follow the dosage exactly? Could there have been an overdose? Perhaps the animals were recently sick or weakened? They may be hypersensitive to one of the active ingredients. Observe for another day. It usually gets better within 24 hours. If the symptoms persist or any alarming signs appear, then rush to the clinic.
Mara
Good afternoon! We treated our cat with a flea treatment when he was a year old, but we weren't paying attention. He kept crawling out and getting poisoned. We had to put him on an IV. He's been around for 11 years now, and now he's got fleas. They're few, but he's scratched his neck. I'm wondering what drops to give him. To be safe, maybe I should put a bowl of activated charcoal right after the drops. Or try cleaning him with folk remedies and applying wormwood. Thank you.
Dasha is a veterinarian
Hello! First, no folk remedies. Why bother? There are good products out there. First, bathe your cat in a special shampoo, then you can either put on a special collar or use drops. Second, to prevent your cat from licking it, you need to apply it correctly. Apply the drops to areas the tongue can't reach (either above the shoulder blades, closer to the back of the head, or the armpits or chest area, where licking is impossible). Alternatively, part the fur, apply the drops to the skin, and hold the cat in your arms for 10-20 minutes until the product is absorbed. However, in your case, choose areas the cat can't reach with its tongue. See how flexible your cat is when it comes to hygiene (ignore the instructions if they say apply from the withers down the spine; even if you apply half-doses under both armpits, the product will be absorbed and effective).
Yana
We found a kitten on the street with a deep, large wound on her thigh, the skin was almost torn off to the flesh. We've been treating it and bandaging it for a week now. We went to the vet today and asked when we could treat her for fleas and lice. They told us we could use a spray or drops now. We took Stronghold drops and applied them between her shoulder blades. She managed to lick it off, so I went online to find out if it was dangerous. Now I read that you can't touch broken skin. Will there be any complications?
Dasha is a veterinarian
Hello! The wound is on the thigh, and you applied the drops to the space between the shoulder blades. The skin there is intact, right? It's bad that she licked it off. Intoxication is possible, so monitor your kitten's behavior. Weakness, profuse salivation, drowsiness, vomiting, and diarrhea may develop. In this case, you should immediately take the kitten to a clinic for detoxification, although you could have given activated charcoal as soon as you noticed the kitten licking itself, so it "takes" the insecticide and prevents it from being absorbed. For future reference: apply the drops to the space between the shoulder blades, then hold the kitten in your arms for 5-10 minutes until the solution is absorbed. Another trick, suggested by a good dermatologist during a refresher course, is to apply the solution to the chest (in the armpit area). This area is extremely difficult for a cat (or dog) to reach with their tongue.
Yana
Thank you very much! The skin between my shoulder blades is intact.
Christina
Hello! I've been observing him for 20 minutes because he's trying to scratch with his back paw, and then he might lick it. Is 20 minutes enough or does it take longer?
Dasha is a veterinarian
Hello! It's best to wait at least half an hour. You should check the skin (to make sure there's no trace left). You can apply toilet paper or a thin napkin and observe whether it leaves a mark. For those who are particularly lazy, you can make a collar. Or apply the drops to areas where neither tongue nor paws can reach (like the armpits).
Natalia
Good afternoon! We found a kitten on the street. The vet used a medication and told us not to wash the cat for 21 days because of the medication! Is it really wrong to wash a pet for that long? (He was a stray, after all.)
Dasha is a veterinarian
Hello! Well, firstly, you should only wash your pet when absolutely necessary (it's dirty), and then only briefly and with special products. Secondly, what kind of product is this that requires you not to wash your pet? Cats lick themselves, so a product like this can't stay on your pet's skin and fur for that long (if it's a topical product). Wait a week and then wash it. But not too often! Only when absolutely necessary: if it's very dirty, treat it with a special shampoo for skin parasites.
Dean
Good night.
We treated the kitten with Stronghold. Some of it got on his fur, and he licked himself clean. He's acting normal (he's actually sleeping now). Should I do anything?
Dasha is a veterinarian
Hello! Keep an eye on him. It would have been better to give him charcoal or another absorbent right away. Keep an eye on him. If vomiting or excessive salivation occurs, rush to the clinic.
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