Perhaps your cats shed their skin quicker than normal. Perhaps Bayer have
been slightly optimistic in how long Advantage stays on the skin for
(can't imagine why). Perhaps the fleas had only just jumped on the cats
and hadn't died yet. Perhaps you didn't apply the Advantage properly.

You can get an injection from the vet which lasts for 6 months and, while
it doesn't kill the adult fleas, it stops the eggs they lay from hatching.
In addition to something which kills the adult fleas it can work well to
control fleas. Perhaps you should ask your vet about it.

You may have new fleas coming in from outdoors or it may be because
new fleas have hatched out in the house. Fleas hatch depending on
conditions of heat and moisture. They can lie dormant in crevices in
floors and furniture for many months until conditions are just right.
If Advantage is working properly and you are using it on a regular
basis, those fleas should be dead in about 12 hours.

If you want even more protection, combine Advantage with an IGR
(insect growth regulator) like Program ( lufenuron) which is given
orally. That keeps fleas from laying viable eggs. I use Program for
my feral colony because it can be given in food. I also use it for
maintenance on my indoor fosters and only use Advantage if I see a
flea or I have a cat with flea dermatitis.

BarB

If you got a lot of it on the fur instead on the skin it will be less
effective and wasted. I go very slow in applying as it doesn't flow
easily around the dense fur base.

-mhd

Pat, remember that fleas thrive on furry mammals (generally pets, but you
qualify too), in textiles like carpeting, furniture, and bedding, and also
outside in the yard. Unless you erradicate all sources, they will continue
to jump onto your pet. And even with a good topical insecticide they will
live for awhile and bite.  Here are some things to consider in your quest to
eradicate fleas.

- Outdoor flea control is next to impossible.  Outside regular lawn
trimming, I recommend considering the outdoors a lost cause.  You can
chemically nuke the yard, but it's expensive, bad for the ecosystem in your
yard, and most likely not to healthy for your family either.

- Inside, a qualified pest control operator can apply a safe treatment to
your carpeting that will last 3-6 months.  This will prevent unwanted guests
from hopping off your pet and living in your house.  I believe our's uses
"precor" and we have been flea free despite 4 in/out cats and one in/out
dog.  Also, vacuum often and dispose of the bag in the outside trash can.
This is very important since the flea population is typically made up of 50%
eggs, 30% larvae, 15% pupae  and only 5% visible biting adults.

- On furry mammals, I have always been a big fan of FrontLine Plus for
several years. We used Advantage for awhile, but were not as pleased.  The
formulations are different and our vet recommends swapping periodically if
one becomes ineffective.  Here's what is in each:

         Frontline
           fipronil - Insecticide

         Frontline Plus
           fipronil - Insecticide
           methoprene - Insect Growth Regulator

         Advantage
           Imidacloprid - Insecticide

Finally, a word of caution.  You are applying pesticides to your pet and
there is some disagreement about the safety of doing so.  There is a good
article on the pros and cons of flea control in the Jan issue of our
newsletter.  It can be found at:
http://www.odordestroyer.com/news/story5/index.html

Sincerely,
Philip Doolittle
http://www.OdorDestroyer.com

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