Advocate is an easy and painless spot on treatment that offers comprehensive protection for your pup against all sorts of parasite infections, from fleas and heartworm to most intestinal worms and more. Each monthly treatment eliminates existing flea infestations while helping ward off heartworm disease as well as protecting from most intestinal worm infections.
Advocate’s active ingredients, imidacloprid and moxidectin, work by blocking neurotransmissions in parasite nerve and muscle cells to stop feeding and eventually destroy them.
Fleas
Fleas are wingless insects that feed on the blood of mammals and birds. They measure approximately 1/8 inch long and possess flattened sides for easy movement through host fur or feathers, as well as having large hind legs for jumping purposes and modified mouthparts specifically designed to penetrate skin and extract blood from their host host.
There are over 2,000 species of fleas worldwide; in the US, two of the most prevalent varieties are cat (Ctenocephalides felis) and dog fleas (Ctenocephalides canis). Flea bites pose one major health threat – allergic dermatitis. Fleas can also transmit tapeworms, cause secondary skin irritations, or in extreme cases lead to anemia if left uncontrolled.
Flea eggs take 21-28 days to hatch into adult fleas that will attach themselves to host animals, even during rest and sleep. Fleas may mate and lay eggs while on their host before these drop off into grass, carpeting, bedding and blankets – unlike most insects which overwinter as larvae or pupae in warm, moist places.
Fleas are intelligent little critters; they won’t emerge from their cocoons until there is a strong signal indicating there is an animal host nearby – this signal could be as simple as movement or body heat. Once on a host, an adult female begins feeding immediately and can produce eggs within hours.
To effectively prevent flea problems, the best strategy is using a granular or powdered medication that kills fleas on contact, followed by regular vacuuming of areas your pet frequents such as wood floor planks, crawl spaces, kennels and pet beds. Also treat outdoor spaces like animal pens, dog runs, fenced yards, pethouses or crawlspaces under porches where your pets spend a lot of time — these areas can harbor numerous young fleas which quickly establish themselves if left untreated – without being treated they could quickly become established quickly.
Heartworm
Heartworms pose a grave danger to canines’ health. Once infected pets may harbor hundreds of parasites inside their bodies, preventing bloodflow and leading to irreparable harm in the form of blockage, lung damage and liver issues. Although treatments exist, the best prevention strategy lies with preventative measures. Heartworms (Dirofilaria immitis) can be spread by mosquitoes that pick up larval heartworm larvae circulating in an infected dog’s bloodstream before transmitting them via bite. Once inside these uninfected pets’ bodies these microfilariae mature into adult heartworms before producing offspring that continue circling through their bloodstream to infect new hosts before maturing again into adult forms to recirculate throughout a cycle and continue the cycle all over again!
Advocate’s imidacloprid and moxidectin prevent heartworm infections by interfering with transmission of impulses along the heartworm nervous system, ultimately leading to paralysis and eventual death of this parasite. Furthermore, Advocate contains a microbicide that interrupts flea lifecycle by killing adult fleas on your dog.
This monthly spot-on treatment provides comprehensive parasite protection in one convenient monthly application, effectively killing fleas, ear mites and demodex mites while providing full protection from roundworms, hookworms and whipworms – including protecting against heartworm disease as well as treating spirocercosis caused by Schistosoma caninum). Safe to be used on puppies from seven weeks old who weigh over 1 kg, the treatment provides complete coverage for one month’s protection.
Annual heartworm testing is essential for all dogs utilizing year-round preventatives, but especially in areas of high incidence or after natural disaster relief efforts, and for shelter dogs brought from other states with heartworm prevalence or as disaster relief efforts.
Heartworm tests are simple blood tests designed to detect adult heartworms in your pet. Your veterinarian will advise the best time and frequency of testing based on your pet’s risk factors and local heartworm prevalence data. Dogs receiving year-round preventatives should retest at six-month intervals, to make sure their preventative medication is working effectively; any new puppy adopted or brought into your home should also undergo testing so as to make sure it remains free from heartworm infection.
Ear Mites
Ear mites (scientifically known as Otodectes cynotis) are microscopic parasites that infest the ears of dogs, cats, ferrets and foxes. While the creatures don’t actually bite skin directly, their presence causes intense itching that often results in inflammation of the ear canal and reddish-brown discharge from itching; pet owners have even reported seeing pets shaking their heads violently or rubbing their ears against furniture or floors due to itching; they can even result in fluid-filled cysts called haematomas – these cysts that develop on tissue that are extremely painful if untreated!
Ear mite infestation can quickly become contagious and spread among multiple animals within one household, Honnas says. Spread via close physical contact such as grooming or playing together, grooming kennels or multi-dog households and grooming pads; unfortunately once established the mites can be difficult to eradicate; however using prescription flea and tick medications that double as ear treatments alongside regular bedding washing could prevent an outbreak.
Advocate offers safe and effective ear mite treatments as well as effective protection from various parasites, such as roundworms (Toxocara canis and Toxascarsi leonina), hookworms (Ancylostoma caninum, Ancyllostoma braziliense and Uncinaria stenocephala), whipworms (Trichuris vulpis), whipworms and intestinal hookworms (Helicopterygidiformes gallinarum and Helicopterygidiformes brevis). Furthermore, Advocate can treat and control heartworm which spread by mosquito bites which could potentially result in lung disease or even death in untreated dogs.
Advocate can be purchased in various topical forms that can be applied directly to a dog’s ears, head and neck. Each preparation contains a powerful combination of antiparasitic agents that kill adult fleas as well as larvae from fleas; also killing ear mites, worms and lice. As it only takes 3 weeks for adult ear mites to mature from eggs into adults – be sure to start treating as soon as you suspect an infestation and discuss with your veterinarian an appropriate plan of care.
Lice
Lice are an especially irritating parasite for your pet and if left uncontrolled can cause intense itching, leading to sleepless nights and general misery for both of you. Severe infestations may even result in blood loss in young animals – although this condition usually only appears after prolonged infestations have been present for an extended period. Furthermore, lice can carry tapeworms which can spread throughout your household, potentially spreading infections among humans as well as animals.
Advocate is highly effective at eliminating lice infestations, killing both adult lice and their eggs through absorption by skin contact – killing both adult lice and larvae present within hair shafts (see photo).
Advocate is unique because its drops can be given directly to a pet’s skin without needing to swallow pills or solutions, making administration painless and simple. Small pipettes make application simple – simply screw off one of your dog’s hairs, release, and the product takes effect almost instantly!
Advocate offers more than just quick relief from fleas; it can also protect against deadly heartworm disease and clear up intestinal worm infections (hookworm, roundworm and whipworm) and control ear mites (Otodectes cynotis). Advocate has proven itself extremely effective against debilitating sarcoptic mange in just two treatments!
At least four weeks post treatment, it’s essential that you keep your pet away from high-contact situations such as dog parks and groomers. If they are currently infested with lice, treating both at once is recommended in order to eliminate existing infestations and stop further ones from hatching from newly hatched nymphs.
As with any product containing chemical active ingredients, pipette tips containing medicine must never come in contact with hands or be applied directly to an open wound. In addition, cats or rabbits should never receive this medicine as it could prove toxic for them.