Advocate for Dogs and Cats | Advocate Flea and Worm Treatment

Advocate is the modern, safe and effective treatment for fleas, worms, lice and mites affecting dogs and cats.

What is it used for?

Advocate is effective against most internal and external parasites affecting dogs and cats (and ferrets) in the UK. These include:
Fleas
Biting Lice
Intestinal worms (Toxocara and Toxascaris roundworms, hookworms and whipworms)
Heartworm (Dirofilaria)
Lungworm (Angiostrongylus)
Mange mites (Sarcoptes, Demodex and ear mites)

How is it supplied?

Advocate comes in small plastic tubes in a range of different sizes. Each tube contains the correct dose for one animal, and you can buy boxes of 3 or 6 tubes. The following sizes are available:

How is it used?

The tube is simply opened and the liquid inside is applied to the skin on the back of the neck. Nothing could be easier or more stress free for you or your pet. This amazing spot-on medication then does the rest. One of the active ingredients (moxidectin) is absorbed through the skin and enters the blood stream. It is then carried around the body, killing parasites wherever they are found. The other active ingredient (imidacloprid) is not absorbed, but it mixes with the natural oils found on the skin and coat of your pet. In just 24 hours it will then have travelled over the whole surface of the body, coating all the skin and hair. Fleas and other surface crawling parasites are killed off as they come into contact with the treatment, often before they have had a chance to feed. Hence fleas are often killed before they have bitten the skin, preventing the soreness and irritation suffered by untreated animals.

How often should it be used?

Ideally it is applied every month. This is very important for flea control, and even more so for so for heartworm and lungworm control. Monthly use maintains an almost constant activity against the parasites, preventing them from getting started at all. Fleas will start to populate the living areas where your pets go if they get a chance. They will live in all the little nooks and crannies found at floor level in houses, including the gaps between floor boards, in carpets and under skirting boards. Very soon a large population can build up in these places, so that even after Advocate has been applied to the pets, more fleas will keep attacking them from their hideaways dotted around the home. This explains why it takes some while to control a flea infestation if Advocate is only used once fleas are seen on the pets. Ideally it should be used all the time to prevent problems form ever starting.
Where heartworm and lungworm are a threat (ask your vet if these dangerous parasites are found in your area), regular monthly treatment is vital to aid control. Lungworm was virtually unknown in the UK just a few years ago, but now there are reports of serious illness in many parts of the UK
The common roundworm found in dogs and cats (Toxocara) is also effectively controlled. This is the parasite which can sometimes infect children. On rare occasions this can have serious health implications for the child involved. Blindness as well as brain, liver, lung and kidney disease are all recorded as resulting from the spread of the common roundworm from dogs or cats to children. Fortunately these are very rare, but with increasing expectations of good public health, dogs and cats should be wormed regularly to minimise the risks to any children they are in contact with.

Where can I buy Advocate?

Advocate can be bought from your local vet, or heavily discounted from Viovet.co.uk, the major trusted online supplier of veterinary medication.

Article written by:
John Cousins BVSc MRCVS - A veterinary surgeon from VioVet - Online Pet Store & Pharmacy.

The article reflects the opinions of the author and should only be used as a guide. It can only be taken in conjunction with advice from your vet. No liability is accepted for accuracy of content or any other matter.