Fleas & Worms

Keeping your cats parasite-free is essential for their well-being. Our team is there to give you advice on how to protect your pets against creepy crawlies such as fleas, mites, lice and intestinal worms.

Fleas

Cats become infested with fleas through contact with other animals or contact with fleas in the environment. Fleas cannot fly but their strong back legs enable them to jump from host to host.

Flea bites can cause itching and in some cases, can be severe and lead to hair loss, inflammation and secondary skin infections. Preventative flea care needs to be ongoing.

To get on top of infestations, and depending on the medication chosen, cats need to be treated every month for 3-4 months, and the environment needs to be treated as well using flea bombs. It is important to vacuum and wash animal bedding regularly. It takes several weeks to eliminate the fleas and ongoing treatment of pets should be maintained even after the flea numbers have subsided.

Environmental sprays must contain Insect Growth Regulators (IGR’s) as this stops flea egg development. Insecticides do not affect flea eggs. We recommend Pyriproxifen – Indorex house packs.

Ticks

Ticks will feed on a variety of animals including cats. They jump onto your pet and feed by sucking blood. They cause irritation and create wounds that can become infected. In extreme cases, your pet may become ill from loss of blood.

Our recommendations

Bravecto Plus Spot on (fluralaner & moxidectin)

Targets fleas, ticks, ear mites, roundworms & lungworm
Last 3 months so no remembering to apply monthly
Worming required for tapeworm
CAN’T use under 9 weeks & 1.2kg
Not tested for use in pregnancy & lactation.

Broadline spot-on (fipronil, (s)-methopreneare, eprinomectin, praziquantel)

Targets fleas, ticks, roundworms, tapeworms & lungworm
Lasts 1 month
No worming required
CAN’T use under 8 weeks & 0.8kg
Not tested for use in pregnancy & lactation.

Revolution Plus spot-on (selamectin & sarolaner)

Targets fleas, roundworms, ear mites, flea allergy dermatitis (FAD)
Lasts 1 month
Low dose & quick drying
Worming required for tapeworm
CAN’T use under 8 weeks & 1.25kg
Not tested for use in pregnancy & lactation.

Kittens - Revolution Puppy & Kitten spot-on (selamectin)

Targets fleas, roundworms, ear mites, flea allergy dermatitis (FAD)
Lasts 1 month
Worming required for tapeworm
CAN’T use on puppies & kittens under 6 weeks & rabbits under 8 weeks.

Worms

Unlike fleas that can be seen on your pet, worms are internal so may go unnoticed.

Once they have found their way into the gut, parasitic worms will survive by sucking on your pet’s blood. If left untreated, they can be a serious health risk. As they are internal, they may go unnoticed which is why it is important to treat your pet as per our worming protocol below. And remember, worms pose a threat not only to our pets but to human health as well.

Franklin Vets Cat worming protocol

Starting at 2 weeks of age, use an all wormer every 2 weeks up until 12 weeks of age
- Lactating queen to be treated when kittens are 2 weeks old as well
Monthly treatment from 12 weeks up until 6 months of age
3 monthly treatment with all wormer recommended after 6 months of age, for most cats (that do any of the following; spend time outdoors, hunt, eat raw meat, and/or live in household with young children).
- If the cat is regularly flea treated (every month/3 months depending on the brand used), then worming every 6 months is sufficient
Indoor-only adult cats who are unlikely to hunt rodents, are OK to be treated once every 6-12 monthly with an allwormer
With respect to lungworm infections in cats that are hunters, it is recommended to use a flea/worm product effective against lungworm (e.g. Bravecto Plus).