Stronghold for cats - reviews from veterinarians and owners

How does Stronghold work?

Selamectin is a modern semi-synthetic avermectin with a broad spectrum of action. Applying Stronghold to your pet's skin causes the active component to enter the bloodstream and then into the tissues, causing the death of the parasites.

Paralysis of insects and helminths is caused by increased permeability and polarization of nerve cell membranes. In addition, the drug affects the reproduction of some parasites, reducing the laying of eggs or causing mutations in them. For cats, selamectin is generally not dangerous; avermectins do not penetrate the blood-brain barrier, so the neurons of the animal’s central nervous system are not affected.

Stronghold easily enters the epidermal cells and sebaceous glands. The bioavailability of the drug in cats is about 75%. The drug begins to be excreted from the body after approximately 69 hours, with most of the selamectin excreted in the feces and only a small amount in the urine. Complete elimination of Stronghold occurs 8 days after use.

Course of treatment and step-by-step instructions

The drug Stronghold is intended for external use as prescribed by a veterinarian.

Step-by-step instructions for treating a cat:

1. First, you need to read the instructions and contraindications of the product. Then take into account the fact that the pipette is used once - there is no point in storing it for later.
2. Next, put on rubber gloves and open the pipette.
3. The animal must be held so as not to cause the solution to get on the mucous membranes and places where the cat can reach and lick the drug. If the cat breaks out, then ask one of your family members or neighbors.
4. It is necessary to spread the fur in the area between the shoulder blades , approximately 3-5 cm below the base of the neck, and drip the product onto the skin.

Attention! Do not rub the medicine into the skin - it must be absorbed on its own. This may take time, so the animal is not released for 1-2 minutes.

Applying Stronghold to the withers

Treatment depends on the disease, so the following features are highlighted here:

• If prevention (fleas, scabies mites, nematodes), the product is used monthly in accordance with the dosage of the drug.
• For the treatment of ear mites, the frequency of application is also 30 days. Before applying the product, clean the ears from the crust using a slightly damp cotton pad. The procedure is done only once.
• To treat subcutaneous mites, the solution is applied 2 times with a difference of 30 days.
• Elimination of internal parasites occurs in one procedure.

If re-application is necessary, take a break of 30 days and drip Stronghold again. It is important to monitor the condition of the pet. Be sure to visit a veterinary clinic if you experience ambiguous symptoms that appear after using the drug, for example: weakness, loss of appetite, scabies, diarrhea.

Video instruction

Visual treatment of a cat for fleas using drops:

Release form and dosage of the drug

Stronghold for cats is available in the form of a colorless or yellowish solution based on isopropyl alcohol. Drops for external use are offered in single-use pipette tubes with a color-coded cap. Each of them contains a different amount of the active component, which corresponds to a certain body weight of the pet.

If the pet weighs more than 7.5 kg, then two tubes are used for treatment - 15 and 45 mg each.

Instructions for use of Stronghold for cats

In accordance with the instructions for use, before applying Stronghold, you should press the cap against the seal on the tube and pierce it. A click will confirm that it has been successfully pierced.

After this, you need to place the tip of the tube on the desired area of ​​the body and squeeze it 3-4 times, completely emptying the contents at one point. It is recommended to avoid contact of the solution with your fingers.

The treatment regimen for a cat with Stronghold will differ depending on the disease:

• Fleas. Before using the drug, you need to separate the hair on the animal’s withers at the base of the neck in front of the shoulder blades (where the cat cannot lick the medicine) so that the skin is visible. There is no need to rub in the medicine. In addition, due to the alcohol content, it should not be applied to damaged skin or wet fur. Stronghold should be used once every 30 days, starting a month before the period of increased insect activity. The product not only leads to the destruction of parasites, but also helps with allergies to flea bites.
• Tocoscariasis and hookworm. The drug is used in the same way as described above. To treat diseases, a single application of the product is sufficient, and for preventive purposes, drops should be used once every 30 days.
• Otodectosis (ear mites). The medicine is applied once. To achieve a greater effect from the treatment, you must first clean your pet's ears. With concomitant otitis, Stronghold is used in parallel with prescribed anti-inflammatory therapy. If the treatment result is unsatisfactory, the drug can be used again after 30 days.
• Dirofilariasis. The product is used to prevent the disease by applying it to the withers. Frequency of use: once every 30 days. It is important that the pet is treated with the drug a month before and a month after the onset of the active season of mosquitoes that carry the infection. The medicine has an effect only against microfilariae, preventing the development of adult individuals. If another drug was previously used to prevent dirofilariasis, then at least 30 days should pass between their use.

Instructions for use

To increase the effectiveness of the drug, treatment should be carried out correctly.
The Stonghold instructions for cats will help with this. To prevent flea infestation, drops should be applied to the withers area of ​​the purr. As a rule, the highest peak of flea aggressiveness occurs in the summer. Therefore, it is advisable to use the product for prevention purposes at the end of April or at the beginning of May .

If the doctor has diagnosed ear mites in your pet, then the drops must be applied twice. The second stage of processing occurs after 30 days. Before applying Stronghold, the animal's ear canals are cleaned of crusts and wax.

If a subcutaneous mite is diagnosed, Stronghold must be applied twice. The duration of the interval between treatments reaches 30 days. During the summer, experts recommend using the product for preventive purposes every month.

It is possible to cure helminthic infestation and hookworm infection with a single use of the drug.

Stronghold is usually used from April to October.

Dosage

If the cat's weight exceeds 10 kg, then it is necessary to use several pipettes of various sizes.

Side effects and contraindications

Many users in reviews of the drug claim that Stronghold quickly solves problems with external and internal parasites of cats, and is absolutely safe for purebred, pregnant and lactating animals. The drops dry quickly and do not have an unpleasant odor, so there is no need to keep the treated pet away from other pets or people.

Side effects of Stronghold occur in rare cases and are expressed as:

• skin redness;
• mild itching;
• moderate hair loss at the site of application of drops or the appearance of severe stiffness;
• cosmetic defects (greasy, white deposits, discoloration of fur) associated with local application of the drug.

Reactions are usually observed within the first 24 hours after application.

Stronghold is not recommended for use on kittens under 6 weeks of age, animals suffering from other diseases (especially in acute form), weakened or underweight for their age. Cats expecting offspring can use drops.

Contraindications, side effects

This medicine has virtually no contraindications. There is no need to use drops in the following situations:

• if there is individual intolerance. allergic reaction to the components included in its composition;
• kittens less than 1.5 months old;
• sick animals with infectious diseases;
• convalescent cats.

This drug is not injected into the body. Treatment of otodectosis should not be accompanied by instillation of a substance into the ear canal. Stronghold is also not applied to a cat's wet fur. Upon completion of the medication application procedure, it is necessary to protect the treated animal from direct contact with high-temperature heating devices until the fur is completely dry. There are no side effects as a result of using Stronghold if you follow the recommendations of your veterinarian.

Signs of overdose

If the dosage is exceeded, Stronghold may cause the following symptoms:

• violation of movement coordination;
• disproportionality of movements;
• disorientation;
• increased sensitivity to touch;
• paw trembling;
• dilated pupils;
• inability to rise;
• depression;
• blindness;
• to whom.

In addition to the wrong dosage, drug poisoning can occur due to the drug getting into the gastrointestinal tract (after licking).

Adverse effects and special instructions

When Stronghold is used in prescribed doses, side effects in cats are rare and most often occur several days after treatment. As a rule, they develop against the background of hypersensitivity to the drug.

Sometimes animals may experience incoordination, lethargy, or hair loss at the site of application of the drug.

It is not recommended to carry out antiparasitic treatment on wet surfaces of cats. After application, limit the animal’s contact with other pets and children for 24 hours.

If the solution gets on the skin or mucous membranes, wash it off immediately with plenty of water. After the procedure, hands must be washed with soap.

The shelf life of the drug in room conditions at a temperature not exceeding +30 degrees is 36 months, after which the product must be disposed of. The medicine should be stored away from food and feed.

Is it possible to give Stronghold to kittens?

Some owners write negative reviews about the drug Stronghold, associated with poisoning and death of kittens after its use. In fact, the problem turns out to be not in the medicine (provided the dosage is correctly selected), but in severe intoxication with the decay products of dead parasites.

By the age of one and a half months, when it is allowed to use Stronghold against helminths and external parasites, most kittens have a large number of worms. Under the influence of the drug, their mass death occurs, which is accompanied by the decomposition of the remains and the absorption of toxins into the blood. Since the kitten’s immune system is not formed, poisoning leads to vomiting, diarrhea, rapid dehydration, and death.

The solution may be to first increase the pet’s immunity, for example with Gamavit. Also, during deworming, you need to give the kitten and adult animal absorbents (Enterosgel), and make sure that there is enough water and free access.

Cost, analogues of the drug

The price of Stronghold is affected by the weight of the cat and the required volume of drops. For a bottle of 15 mg you need to pay approximately 230 rubles, for 30 mg - 300 rubles. The cost also depends on the pricing policy of the pharmacy and its location. You can replace this drug with analogues, which can be seen from the table.

Table: Stronghold analogues