Advantage Burned My Cats Fur Off!! Explanations? Alternatives?

[chirp]

We only use it 1-2x per year, during flea season, to rid ourselves of the inevitable infestation. He's never had a reaction like this.

But this time after three days All of the fur near the area where we applied the product has totally come off, and there is a small scab (less than a cm wide) right where we applied it.

He doesn't seem to be in any pain, but I still feel so bad!!! Like I said, this has never happened before...but now I'm hesitant to ever use this stuff again.

Anyone know why it may have happened this time? Or of any alternatives that actually work??

eta:..i know it's not flea season now...the reason we used it this time is we got a couch of craigslist and it seems to have come with fleas

[lonegirl]

Sorry to hear he had a reaction like that. It is a rare reaction, but I have seen it before. If he seems ok then just keep an eye on him. The advantage is still likely doing it's job so a different topical is likely not needed. Do you still have the couch? Are you positive it was fleas? Eggs can lie dormant for up to a year and when the right conditions arise they will hatch. Vacuum well, and you may need a premise spray for the couch....there are some that are like advantage-being only once monthly treatments (only available through your vet).
Good luck.

[chirp]

definitely fleas!! there weren't many, but there were enough that they were biting my family and I. we had the pleasure of squeezing many of their bloody guts out before we applied the advantage.

but the advantage did seem to do it's job.

i want alternatives for the future, because although he's never reacted like this before, i don't want it to happen again, or for anything worse to happen (like a larger scab, or worse, infection!!)

for now though, the flea problem is rectified.

[broodymama]

I don't know of any alternatives, but one of my cats has reacted like that to Advantage and Revolution also. The same cat will lose all the hair around his neck if I put a collar on him, he's very sensitive!

[LeilaM]

The exact same thing happened to one of my cats when I used Advantage on him. I will never use that product again.

[mamallama]

Capstar is a good, safe alternative for sudden infestation, but it doesn't last nearly as long. It's a pill, so irritation skin isn't a factor. Cost can be a drawback, short usefulness is a drawback. Safety is excellent, though.

I live in a flea dense area (urban deer) so I'm a big fan of knock-em-dead monthly applications. I have had problems with Advantage, but Frontline has never caused skin irritation on my dogs.