The well-known Russian company is the largest developer and manufacturer of veterinary drugs. Using innovative technologies, modern equipment and safe components, she strives to improve the quality of life and health of pets. One of the widely used drugs is Dana drops for dogs and cats, intended to destroy ectoparasites. The Dana line of insecticidal preparations includes highly effective products approved for use for various age categories of pets.
Fleas, ticks, lice eaters and other insects can cause great harm to people and their pets. Dangerous pests are carriers of severe infectious diseases, which they infect their victims with when they bite. The presence of fleas is quite easy to determine in a cat or dog. The animal itches, becomes restless, frantically bites into its fur, wanting to get rid of the discomfort. The presence of these and other signs indicates that it is necessary to contact a veterinary institution and purchase Dana flea medication, which is applied to the withers. The use of these drops will quickly and effectively rid your pet of annoying and dangerous parasites.
Composition and properties of the drug
Dana ultra is a strong insectoacaricide that causes poisoning of external parasites. In pharmacies, the drug is presented in drops that are applied to the skin.
Composition of the dosage form:
- fipronil;
- thiamethoxam;
- pyriproxyfen;
- dimethyl sulfoxide;
- polysorbate;
- isopropanol;
- polyvinylpyrrolidone;
- d-limonene;
- PEG-400.
The first 3 components are main, the rest are auxiliary. Fipronil has a detrimental effect on adult parasites. Pyriproxyfen destroys the larvae. Thiamethoxam causes death of arthropods. Excipients improve the penetration of active components to the sites of parasites.
In appearance, it is a transparent liquid with a yellowish tint and an oily consistency. The drops have a light citrus aroma.
The medicine is packaged in metal polymer pipettes. The volume of liquid in them differs:
- Dana ultra 0.32 ml is suitable for cats up to 4 kg;
- Dana ultra 0.64 ml is used for animals weighing more than 4 kg.
Important! Dana ultra drops are available for sale in volumes of 0.4, 0.8, 1.6, 3.2 ml. Such pipettes are used for insectoacaricidal treatment of dogs.
There are other forms of release of Dana Ultra - collar and spray. The first form looks like a tape of polymer material that contains fipronil, ivermectin, pyriproxyfen and additional components. Active substances are released from the surface of the collar, spread throughout the body, and accumulate in the surface layers of the skin. Their action is aimed at fleas, lice, and ticks. The collar has a long-lasting effect on ectoparasites.
The main components of the spray are fipronil, cyfluthrin. They are effective against fleas, lice, ticks (sarcoptoid, ixodid), as well as blood-sucking insects. The main substances of the drug lead to paralysis and death of external parasites.
Proper storage
Since the medicine contains many volatile and rapidly evaporating compounds, its storage has a number of important features and nuances:
- It is necessary to strictly observe the temperature regime. Not higher than +25° Celsius, but not lower than 0°. In principle, a short-term drop in temperature below zero is acceptable (the medicine contains agents that do not freeze immediately), but is not encouraged. Prolonged exposure to excessively low or high temperatures leads to the destruction of the drug.
- It is necessary to protect the drug well from direct sunlight. UV radiation has a detrimental effect on almost any medicine, and the drops we describe are no exception. In addition, the medicine begins to actively evaporate, which in some cases can even lead to damage to the dispensing pipettes.
- Do not store drops (especially open ones) with food. This medicine, as we have repeatedly noted, is prone to rapid evaporation. Eating foods soaked in the fumes of the drug will not lead to anything good; even cases of severe poisoning are possible.
- The medicine should be stored out of the reach of small children and pets. This is very important, since neglecting this rule can lead to tragic consequences.
- Finally, the medicine is stored for no more than two years. After this period, its use is strictly prohibited.
Operating principle
Dana Ultra has a comprehensive effect on different types of ectoparasites.
Fipronil, upon contact with adult parasites, blocks GABA-dependent receptors and disrupts neurotransmission. Next, paralysis and death of the arthropod occurs.
Pyriproxyfen blocks the formation of chitin, disrupts the molting of larvae, and does not allow the development of full-fledged pupae. That is, it disrupts the normal cycle of insect transformation: egg-larva-pupa-adult. Parasites die at the larval stage on animals and in their habitats.
Thiamtoxam, a member of the neonicotinoid class, acts on acetylcholine receptors in the central nervous system of ectoparasites. This substance inhibits (suppresses) neurotransmission, causing the death of insects.
After applying the drops to the cat's skin, the main components are distributed throughout the body. They accumulate in the surface layers of the skin, hair follicles, and sebaceous glands. In this way they provide long-term protection against ectoparasites.
Dan Ultra drops protect against ticks for about a month, and against other ectoparasites for 6–8 weeks.
Important! This is an ultra-moderately dangerous drug (hazard class 3). This means that if the dosage is observed, the drops do not irritate the skin, do not cause intoxication, and do not increase sensitivity to allergens. This medication is dangerous for bees and fish, so treatment should be carried out away from them.
Folk remedies for fleas
You can also fight fleas on your cat using folk remedies; they are safe and quite effective.
Several recipes for folk remedies against fleas for cats:
- Homemade shampoo. Grind a piece of baby soap on a fine grater, add hot water and heat over a fire until a jelly-like consistency is obtained. After cooling, add a tablespoon of strong nettle broth, a teaspoon of grated onions and one egg yolk. Wet the cat's fur and lather with the resulting mixture. Leave for 20 minutes, then rinse;
- Pour a head of peeled garlic into a glass of water and leave for 12 hours. Rub the resulting infusion into the animal’s withers;
- Take two tablespoons of dry tansy, eucalyptus and wormwood herbs. Pour two glasses of boiling water and leave. Using the resulting infusion, moisten the animal’s fur, dry without rinsing;
- Litter filled with pine needles or pine sawdust will serve as a good flea repellent. If the cat uses it regularly, this will be a good prevention of the appearance of skin parasites.
Instructions for use
As the instructions say, Dana Ultra is applied by drops (spot-on) to the interscapular area or neck (back). The cat will not be able to lick drops from these areas. The product is applied to dry skin without damage.
Repeated procedures are prescribed by a veterinarian. It is also recommended to treat your cat during the season of increased parasite activity. Treatment or prevention cannot be carried out more than once every 4 weeks.
Important! After killing fleas on a cat’s body using Dan Ultra, you need to put clean bedding on the animal or treat the old one with approved insecticides.
To rid your cat of ixodid ticks, apply 1 drop (or 2) of Dan Ultra to the area where it has attached to the skin. The parasite should fall off on its own within 20–30 minutes. If this does not happen, then the tick is removed from the body using tweezers and then destroyed.
Dana Ultra exhibits a therapeutic effect 12–24 hours after the procedure. Therefore, the drops should be applied no later than a day before the cat walks in places of potential threat (park, forest, square).
The instructions say that for ear scabies, Dana Ultra is injected into the ear canal, 4-6 drops. In order for the drug to be evenly distributed, you need to fold your ear in half and gently massage it at the base. The remaining drops are applied to the withers.
Attention! The drug can be instilled into the ear only if the eardrum is intact. Therefore, before such use, it is necessary to perform an otoscopy on the cat. It is also worth considering that after instilling Dan Ultra into the cat’s ear, itching and inflammation may occur.
Repeated treatment for otodectosis is carried out after 10–12 days, if necessary.
Infection with exoparasites
Dogs and cats have long been home to fleas. It is even believed that this neighborhood is beneficial for both parties. A healthy animal has substances in its blood that inhibit the growth of parasites and slow down their activity. As a result, fleas do not cause any concern to the owner.
But as soon as the animal’s immunity decreases, the parasites begin to actively multiply. In this case, their population grows greatly and begins to cause only harm. This especially applies to pets. The pet begins to itch, suppuration may appear in the scratches, and the condition of the coat worsens. Young and old animals are especially affected by fleas. In addition, if a pet becomes infected with parasites on the street, they can get some kind of infectious disease.
This possibility is always present even for those animals that only walk in the yard. And if the owners take their pet to the forest or to the country, it can pick up more than just fleas. Exoparasites also include ixodid and ear mites, lice, and lice. All of them can carry infectious diseases and cause serious trouble to the animal.
How to apply drops correctly
It is important to choose the correct dosage of Dan Ultra taking into account the cat’s weight. Then you need to inspect the withers for damage or moisture. If everything is in order with the skin, then the foil layer is torn off from the pipette, while keeping it in a vertical position.
You can fix the pet (using your hands or feet), and spread the fur with your fingers to form a skin path. After this, drops are applied until the pipette is completely empty. An oil stain may be present at the treatment site for 1–3 days.
Dana ultra drops are suitable for treating kittens. They are allowed to be used from 10 weeks after birth.
The drug should not be applied to wet skin with wounds or inflamed areas. Do not bathe your cat in open water or wash it with detergent for 2 days after applying the drops. Also, you should not let your pet outside on a sunny day after the procedure.
Precautions when working with medicine
The manufacturer strongly recommends working with insecticidal drops with gloves, avoiding direct contact of the medicine with the skin. In addition, you should also not get carried away with the duration of the treatment, since inhaling the evaporating components of the product may also have a negative impact on the health of the operator.
We strongly advise you to follow other rules for safe work with drops:
- If the owner has a tendency to develop allergic reactions, he should stock up on antihistamines before treatment, or better yet, entrust this work to a veterinarian. In addition, in the same situations, it is not recommended to pet the dog within 24 hours after treatment.
- It is advisable to keep your pet away from children for two days from the date of application of the drug.
- Of course, during work you should not eat, drink, smoke, etc., to avoid the components of the product entering the digestive system.
Contraindications and possible side effects
Dan ultra drops are prohibited from being used in the following cases:
- allergies to the components of the medication in the cat (even in the past);
- weakened or exhausted body of the animal;
- infectious disease or convalescent stage;
- perforation of the eardrum (when instilled in the ear);
- pregnancy or lactation period;
- age up to 10 weeks.
Dana ultra cannot be combined with other insectoacaricidal agents.
Usually the cat tolerates Dana Ultra well. Sometimes, after the first use of the drops, the pet becomes restless or depressed, and salivation increases. But these symptoms quickly pass without any intervention.
If the dosage is exceeded or drops are licked off, lethargy, excessive salivation, digestive disorders, muscle tremors, vomiting, and allergies may occur. In this case, the drops are washed off with warm water and shampoo or soap. After this, the cat must be shown to a veterinarian, who can prescribe symptomatic therapy.
Dosage of Comfortis tablets
Considering the presence of a certain concentration of toxic substances in the drug, its dosage must be approached with particular care. The manufacturer took this point into account, so the instructions for Comfortis tablets explain in great detail the required volume of the drug in relation to the weight, age and type of animal
Comfortis for cats is suggested to be used in an amount of 50 to 100 mg per kilogram of body weight. Similarly, it is worth calculating the dosage for indoor dogs of small breeds. At the same time, for large dogs the drug is dosed at the rate of 50–70 mg per kilogram of weight.
The tablets are taken to animals along with food. To make the animal feel more comfortable about an unfamiliar object in a bowl of food, the tablets are given the smell of meat food.
What are the advantages of Comfortis tablets?
- They have a long period of insecticidal action after a single application;
- The drug is quickly eliminated from the body;
- Easy to use;
- Can be used even if the skin is damaged - wounds, dermatitis, etc.;
- It has a mild effect and does not harm the animal’s body;
- Can be used for preventive purposes.
- The product is easily accessible, it is not difficult to buy it at a pet store or order it online.
