Revolution For Dogs and Cats Flea Treatment
Revolution For Dogs and Cats Flea Treatment
Overview
Many pet owners use the old and tested way for preventing flea infestation – give frequent baths, use a flea comb to remove fleas, and disinfect the pet’s bedding.
Yet, in not a few cases, these easy interventions fail to fully get rid of the problem, and what happens usually is, another infestation occurs in all corners of the house after a lull of absence of these pests.
Fleas have a robust life-cycle: meaning that the older they get, the more difficult it is to exterminate them, much less put an end to their presence for good.
If you’re looking for the best solution that can be applied to settings where both species of cats and dogs are involved, your vet will likely point you to topical treatments, although oral remedies come as good options as well.
Go through the works of veterinary researchers who study fleas. You’ll find a good number of oral prescriptions that they recommend - Credelio and Nitenpyram are some names they prescribe. For topical treatments, top names would be Bravecto Feline and Revolution.
What is Revolution for dogs & Cats
Topical products for pets usually contain pesticides, so you ought to be careful when choosing. Don’t buy anything hastily, and even companies that produce them give warning to be careful when getting any product with even some of them posting articles with such titles like: Is “this product” right for your dogs or cats?
Thus, take time to read reviews and advice given directly by manufacturers. In the case of Revolution, one good thing about it is that, definitely, it does not contain any toxic chemicals.
The thing is, Revolution is a medication; it is not a “pesticide”. So, even if the formulation actually gets into the animal’s body or absorbed into the body after application, there is no way it will hurt your pet.
The manufacturer also claims that their product is the only FDA-approved topical medication for dogs 6 weeks and above, which is an area to investigate in your research and a point of comparison when assessing other topical products.
Not only for flea control
Revolution is not only a flea-control medication. It also treats the following:
- American dog tick
- Heartworm disease
- Ear mites
- Sarcoptic mange
Revolution also prevents recurrence of infestation, as it not only annihilates all young and adult fleas, but also permanently disables their eggs from hatching.
Extra advantages from using this product:
- Quick-drying – Since it is non-greasy, meaning not oil-based, it takes a short time for Revolution to dry - quickly leaving your pet’s hair smooth to touch as it normally does.
- No unpleasant door – Cuddle your dog without getting bothered with an obnoxious smell.
- Effectiveness is guaranteed – You can give your dog a bath two hours after application without reducing its effectiveness.
- No-counterfeit purchase – This medication is available only with a prescription from a vet. Nobody can get it from non-accredited suppliers.
How does it work?
Revolution is absorbed via the skin, and when it enters the bloodstream, it treats heartworm disease, while some amounts of it are distributed selectively to affected skin where it kills scabies mites, ear mites, fleas and whatever your dogs or cats are trying to scratch away from their body.
How effective is it?
Clinical studies assessed the efficacy of Revolution. In one multiple dogs’ and cats’ study, percentage reductions in geometric mean flea comb counts were measured.
It was found that combined reduction percentages for all participant dogs and cats were 90.6% for day 30, 97.0% for day 60 and 98.0% for day 90, considering the day the treatment was first applied as day 0.
Dosage of Revolution for dogs & cats
Revolution is available as a colorless to yellow formulation and is contained in ready-to-use tubes. This dermal treatment is only applicable to dogs that are not less than 6 weeks, and for cats, at least eight weeks of age.
Each tube is designed to provide 2.7 mg of selamectin for every kilogram of the formulation. Application should not be done more than once a month.
Side effects of Revolution for dogs & cats
Adverse reactions are very rare with:
- Only approximately 1% expected to develop alopecia at or near the site of application.
- Only less than 0.5% among users experiencing any or some of the following:
- Muscle tremors
- Tachypnea
- Salivation
- Lethargy
- Anorexia
- Loose stool or diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Seizures can also occur, but these cases are equally rare.
Cost of Revolution
Shipping of orders is usually made on the same day, so make sure you are clear with conditions and prices, as shipping offers can jack up the cost.
Revolution packages are offered according to different weight ranges, with different weight packaging offered at different prices. Some sites sell Revolution in 3, 6, and 12-pack options with significant savings for 6 and 12-pack options.
For instance, 3, 6, and 12 bottles are sold for $63, $113, and $226, respectively (this is specifically for dogs 10 – 20 lbs.).
Interaction with other drugs
Make sure also that you tell your vet about supplements and herbal therapies your pet is receiving. For interaction with other medications, take note of the following:
- amiodarone
- clarithromycin
- carvedilol
- cyclosporine
- diltiazem
- itraconazole
- ketoconazole
- erythromycin
- quinidine
- tamoxifen
- spironolactone
- verapamil
Ingredients in Revolution
Revolution’s main ingredient is Selamectin, an ingredient that goes into the parasite’s system - in this case, the fleas that rob your pets of a wonderful existence.
Selamectin enters the fleas’ nerve cells, causing paralysis and death.
Other effective ingredients for controlling pests include:
- Butylated Hydroxytoluene
- Dipropylene Glycol Methyl Ether
- Isopropyl Alcohol
Natural alternatives to Revolution
You can also try natural treatments, such as the following:
- Essential oils
You can try Citronella, tea tree, peppermint or eucalyptus. Dilute a small amount of your chosen essential oil in water. Spray directly on your pet’s coat.
- Organic soap
This is one of the safest ways to great rid of fleas. Use peppermint or organic Rose in your pet’s bath, a technique that can be easily combined with invasive or oral methods your vet might recommend.
If someone in the family has sensitive smell-sense that abhors strong chemical odors, try out this one.
- Coconut oil
This will not only repel fleas, but it also helps in keeping your pet’s coat shiny and healthy. Coconut oil has antiviral and antibacterial properties, so consider incorporating it in your dog’s diet.
- CBD
It has been established that CBD can treat pain in animals, specifically among dogs with osteoarthritis conditions. CBD treatments have also been found to be free from side effects, so if flea infestation is also causing your pet pain and you’re wary of the common adverse reactions in pharmaceutical pain medications, CBD might be a good option to try.
CBD is excellent for flea relief and extermination. That’s over and above the benefits your pets can get in terms of gum and teeth health, odor and breath, joints pain, protection for the eyes and the ears, digestive support and stress management in animals.
For full exposition on CBD benefits and the science behind its effects on dogs and cats, click here.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6043949/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11140929
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19757572
https://www.leafly.com/news/health/what-science-says-about-giving-dogs-cats-cannabis-cbd
Hope this helps :)
Kea Kou
BuyDogFleaMeds
About the Author
Kea here. I started this blog to help pet owners find better prices on flea medicine. I know what it's like paying an arm and a leg for pet products since I've spent hundreds of dollars on my wiener dog (Dachshund) named Mr. Beans.
I've done all the research (testing, comparing, talking to other pet owners) and I share with you all that I find. I hope my Blog helps you make a better decision on which products are best for your pet and to help you save money at the same time :)