Fleas are one of the dangerous blood-sucking parasites that can irritate your pets as well as they can infest your home.
Most times, the pets are allergic to these fleas, however, the fleas can cause hot spots, hair loss, intense scratching, etc. on the skin of your pets. In addition, fleas can also be responsible for causing parasites like tapeworm and even anemia.
Therefore, in this article, we are going to discuss whether you can use flea treatment on dogs or not.
Using cat flea treatment on dogs
You can certainly use cat flea treatment on dogs, however, it won’t be that much effective on dogs. Because the cat flea treatment only works on cats and also there is an effective chemical named permethrin used to make dog flea treatment but the chemical is absent in cat flea treatment.
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Fleas can be very problematic when it comes to the infestation on the skin of your pet or even in your house.
The infestation of fleas can be irritating for your dogs because the fleas suck blood through biting which causes intense itching that can be worse for your dog.
Also, many dogs are allergic to fleas which means any sort of contact with the fleas can be dangerous for your dogs. Therefore, many dog owners groom their dogs regularly so that the fleas are not able to create colonies on their pet’s skin.
Fleas can be responsible for the hot spot that is visible on your dog’s skin and also it can be the main reason for the patches of hair loss. Fleas can also transmit other dangerous parasites like tapeworms that can cause diseases.
Also, fleas can cause skin allergies which can be long-lasting and also it can eventually lead to skin diseases.
Fleas can also cause different sorts of diseases by transmitting pathogens into the human body. Most flea-borne diseases are caused by fleas that came from rodents or squirrels.
Also, flea bites can be harmful not only to pets but also to humans because flea bites can cause allergic reactions. Therefore, you will need to prevent fleas infestation as soon as possible if they invade your pets or in your house.
There are different flea treatments available in the market for your pet. Well, cat flea treatments are widely available and can be very effective. But if you want to use the cat flea treatment on your dog then it might not work.
Because the flea treatment has been manufactured differently based on the type of your pet.
The dog’s flea treatment contains a chemical which is permethrin that can be very effective in preventing flea from your dog. However, this chemical is not available in cat flea treatments which is why the cat flea treatment might not be effective on dogs.
It is recommended from the vets not to use the cat flea treatment on dogs because most times it is safe to use cat flea treatments on dogs but sometimes it can cause allergic reactions in your dog.
Therefore, make sure you use the flea treatment that is manufactured especially only for dogs.
Is it safe?
Yes, it’s safe to use cat flea treatment on dogs. But the effectiveness of cat flea treatment on dogs is quite low.
Because obviously there is a difference in the chemicals in cat flea treatments compared to dog flea treatments but also the cat flea treatments are made only for use in preventing fleas on cats.
Otherwise, it is entirely safe to use cat flea treatment on dogs.
The dog flea treatments contain different ingredients compared to the cat flea treatments and also there is a chemical named permethrin which is very effective in preventing fleas from dogs.
However, this chemical is not available in cat flea treatments which is why the rate of effectiveness of cat flea treatment on dogs is quite low.
Therefore, the experts have recommended using cat flea treatment only on cats and dog flea treatments only on dogs.
Is there a difference between dog and cat flea treatment?
There is not much difference between dog and cat flea treatments except a few. But understanding these differences is really important because you might be able to choose the right flea treatment product for your pets. The differences are given below:
The chemicals:
The major difference is seen in the chemicals used in flea treatment products. The dog’s flea treatment contains permethrin which is very effective against fleas. This chemical composition can last longer as well as it can eliminate the flea completely.
However, you cannot use the dog’s flea treatment products on cats because permethrin can be poisonous to cats. But you can certainly use the products that contain pyrethrins for both of the pets.
Because pyrethrins are composed naturally and are very effective against fleas for both cats and dogs.
The effectiveness:
The flea treatments for cats might not function properly on dogs. Because the ingredients used to make flea treatment products for cats are not very effective on dogs.
Therefore, you can use cat flea treatments on your dog but you won’t see any major difference in the prevention of fleas. On the other hand, you should never use the dog’s flea treatment on cats because it can be very fatal for them.
What is the best flea treatment for dogs?
There are many flea treatments available in the market for dogs. However, before selecting those flea treatments you must make sure they are manufactured from a well-known brand as well as the ingredients used to make them are safe to use on dogs.
However, below we have noted some of the best flea treatments you can apply to your dogs:
The collars are made for preventing fleas:
Unbelievable as it may seem, prevention might be as easy as giving your dog a collar. For up to nine months, the collars that are specially made for preventing fleas help to prevent fleas from bothering your pet.
As a result, fleas that appear in the summer and early fall shouldn’t be a major worry.
Chewable treat:
A squishy chewing tablet that resembles a treat could help your dog if it has a bed bug infestation. The flea neurotoxin, which is used to make the tablets, paralyzes and terminates fleas within 60 minutes of application.
It’s wonderful to keep it around the house at all times in order to halt invasions right away and avoid being forced to wait for longer times.
The usage of this medication should only be temporary if your dog has an infestation because it is not a permanent treatment. You can also use medications that are very effective against flea invasion for dogs.
Why can’t you use dog flea treatment on cats?
Well, there are not many special reasons behind why you can’t use cat flea treatment on dogs but there are important reasons behind why you can’t use dog flea treatments on cats.
These reasons have great importance as well as every pet owner should be aware of them. The reasons are explained down below:
Dog flea treatments are toxic to cats:
Most dog flea treatments are highly toxic to cats. Because the chemical named permethrin that is present in dog flea treatments can be very toxic to cats.
This chemical can cause seizures, ataxia, dilated pupils, salivation, etc. in cats which can lead to a condition that can be very fatal. Therefore, it is recommended by the vets that you should not use dogs flea treatments on cats.
Can cause serious health complications:
Using dog flea treatments on cats can lead to serious health complications. As the dog flea treatments contain chemicals which can be fatal for the cat.
Also, the coat of both cat and dog is different which is why sometimes for double effectiveness the dose of the chemicals can be increased on dog flea treatment products.
If you even apply a single drop of these products then it can cause serious allergic reactions as well as skin diseases on your cat.
Understanding Pyrethrins vs. Permethrins:
Understanding the effect of both of these chemicals is really important before using any sort of flea treatment on your pets. You should not use permethrins contained products on cats because these chemicals are synthetic and can be very toxic to your cats.
However, you can certainly use pyrethrins because pyrethrins are naturally composed of the flower named pyrethrum plant. The flea treatment product that contains pyrethrins can be used in both cats and dogs.
Therefore, always make sure before using any sort of flea treatment products on your cats and dogs.
Final Thoughts
You can certainly use cat flea treatment on dogs but it won’t be very effective. Because the dog’s flea treatment contains permethrin which is very effective against flea invasion. But make sure you do not use dog flea treatments on cats because the chemical can be very toxic for the cats.