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Original poster

Decent flea treatment i.e. advocate without yet more appointments?

28 replies

Talith · 05/09/2018 18:22

The cats are fine but I need more flea drops as ran out about three months back. Apparently have to have another checkup before they're prescribed. They're healthy and up to date with jabs, no change in weight in 6 months or whatever since last seen and I resent paying 40 quid for two new appointments to tell me they're fine ... Just to pony up for the advocate. Which isn't cheap anyway

Is frontline really as crap as they say it is these days? Can I get anything else just over the counter to keep them and the house flea free?

OP posts:
WTAFIGO · 05/09/2018 18:27

I haven't used Frontline personally as I have heard some negatives. I once bought over the counter Bob Martin flea treatment and it burnt through my cats hair. It was awful.

I think your vet is being really cheeky, we are able to buy Advocate treatment direct from our vet as needed without a check up.

I think it sounds like you need to change your vet rather than risk a different treatment on your cat.

ferrier · 05/09/2018 18:30

Buy it online.

pugalugs90 · 05/09/2018 18:32

I feel your pain had to pay £60 for 2 appointments and flea treatment. Was fuming. We regulate everything. Constantly monitor weight, teeth, hair and skin condition and I need the vets to now tell me they're ok to give it. So infuriating.

BrokenWing · 05/09/2018 18:33

My vet does a health plan for £11/month which includes flea and worming. They send a text every 3 months and I just drop into reception to pick it up. He just gets a yearly health checkup (can be 2 if I wanted) included in the plan. Do they do anything like that?

TheQueef · 05/09/2018 18:36

Amazon sell it.

Twigwonderkid · 05/09/2018 18:36

Google online vet pharmacy or pet meds and compare prices. We get advocate online and never had any problems

IdahoJones · 05/09/2018 18:41

My local Vets4Pets does a £10 a month plan that includes annual check up, annual jabs, and a year's supply of Advocate and Droncit, and text reminders.

SoupDragon · 05/09/2018 18:44

My vet doesn’t make me go on for Advocate! What a rip off.

PuppyMonkey · 05/09/2018 18:47

You used to need a prescription for Advocate - even if you bought online they asked for a scan. Is it different now?

HollyBollyBooBoo · 05/09/2018 18:51

@BrokenWing have you ever worked out if that's good value for money? I do exactly the same but I can't work out how to break it down to ensure it's the most cost effective way of paying for DDogs bills!

SoupDragon · 05/09/2018 18:51

I looked not long ago and you needed a prescription.

reallybadidea · 05/09/2018 18:51

Advocate has two ingredients, one for fleas and the other for worms/parasites. Advantage has the same anti-flea ingredient but is available online without prescription, so we buy this and then buy worm tablets separately.

BrokenWing · 05/09/2018 19:20

Holly he is 34kg (so larger dose pills) and his plan covers flea, worms, vaccinations, boosters including kennel cough, 2 health checks a year, 10% off neutering/dental, nail clipping by the vet nurse (even though not on plan leaflet) and some other bits I cant remember as I don't use.

I'm sure I worked it out once (when he was on advocate and drontal) and it was fairly cost neutral for the consumables with the health check /appointments free.

He's had since moved to bravecto and Milpro (advocate started causing him to be a bit spaced out) but I haven't looked at prices again.

BrokenWing · 05/09/2018 19:22

really are your worm tablets Milpro to replace the lung worm protection in advocate? Or are there others that cover lung worm now?

Ploppymoodypants · 05/09/2018 19:24

Yep use advantage. It’s advocate without the wormer built in. No need to vets and half the price. My vets sell it over the counter. Just do Advocate once a year now for worms and then top up with Advantage

HollyBollyBooBoo · 05/09/2018 20:48

Thanks @BrokenWing, my vet plan sounds the same as yours although I only have a little dog so whether his tablets would cost less I'm not sure.

Amicompletelyinsane · 05/09/2018 20:53

If it's just fleas you need cover I use advantage. It used to be a vet product but not since newer ones came out. It works well and can buy it online

BrokenWing · 05/09/2018 21:05

Holly the cost for our plan is based on the size of dog. the cost of tablets are more for a larger dog, if you take Milpro it is likely your small dog takes only one tablet ours needs two,

Sparklingwinemakesmehappy · 05/09/2018 21:15

After years of repeated flea drops and appointments I discovered that if my cat has a flea vaccination end of April, I pay for one jab and one consultation. This lasts roughly 6-7 months.

By the time it's worn off it's winter. We don't usually suffer from fleas in the winter. Then by the following spring, come April, I vaccinate again.

We have been flea free completely for 4 years now. It's expensive, but for a single annual jab it's not too bad. Plus the poor cat doesn't have to repeatedly be taken to the vet for check ups to get more drops.

dementedpixie · 05/09/2018 21:18

I go in monthly to collect mine. Haven't needed extra appointments for it

sillysausage16 · 05/09/2018 21:18

Frontline plus covers fleas and ticks and you don't need a prescription

Myneighboursnorlax · 05/09/2018 21:26

I work at a vets. Previous posters are correct in saying Advantage is the same, just without the wormer. At my surgery animals only need to be seen once every 12 months to be able to buy Advocate from us. If your cats are up to date with their vaccinations then I’d question how often your vet wants to see them. Also ask if they offer free of charge appointments for this purpose - we do. It’s still a pain to bring them in, but doesn’t cost anything. Another option (if they are both a similar weight) is just take one cat in, and then just use the Advocate on both of them.

reallybadidea · 05/09/2018 21:54

Good point about lung worm Broken Wing, I hadn't really considered that.

hairypaws · 05/09/2018 21:56

My vet just asks for her to be brought in to have a weight check which is free. Seems a bit of a rip off that they charge you for a consultation.

MrMeSeeks · 11/09/2018 07:38

I get a prescription from the vet and buy advocate online.
Frontline is crap.