From:
AFERRETVET@cs.com
Date: 2001-05-01 07:04:00 UTC
Subject: [Ferret-Health-list] Frontline vs Advantage
I have some more info on Frontline and Advantage.
Since someone claimed that Frontline was not safe
for ferrets, I will address that first. "Fipronil spray (Frontline)
has been found to be safe and effective for ferrets." That is
from the book Muller and Kirk's Small Animal Dermatology
6th edition 2001. The reference for that quote was
Lewington J : Frontline for ferret fleas. University of
Sydney, Postgraduate Foundation Veterinary Science
Control Therapy Series 189:856, 1996.
The second source is Vet Clinics of North America,
Exotic Animal Practice: Therapeutics Jan. 2000. This article
was by Dr Bruce Williams. He list both Frontline and Advantage
for use on ferrets.
As for which one is better- both products work well on fleas!
Frontline will also kill ticks and when put into the ear will also
kill ear mites. Advantage just kills fleas. Which one last longer?
Frontline will last for 30+ days; however, Advantage does not.
In 2 recent studies of Advantage on ferrets by 2 different groups
(University of London's vet school and University of Georgia's
vet school) it was both safe and effective. In the first study
(London)
they applied 0.1ml/kg of the cat Advantage to the ferrets. It worked
well
for 1 week. In the second study (Georgia) they applied the full
0.4ml tube
of Advantage for small cats to the ferrets. It lasted for 3 weeks.
Duration
of
activity therefore appears to be dose related. Something to think
about
if you are dividing the tube into smaller amounts. In addition baths
will
remove some of the Advantage as well. The another thing to consider
(since
they both are safe and effective) is cost. Frontline spray is by far
the
least cost of the 2 products.
BTW- No I do not work for either company. I do not own stock in
either company, and yes my clinic carries both products.
I hope that clears up some of the confusion,
Jerry Murray, DVM