Features of flea therapy in pregnant cats

Removing cat fleas from a pregnant animal has some specificity. The flea or Siphonaptera is a blood-sucking, secondarily wingless insect, characterized by complete transformation and the presence of a highly specialized oral apparatus with the help of which the ectoparasite pierces the skin of the host and sucks blood. Removing cat fleas from a pregnant animal at home is a rather labor-intensive process.

Harm caused and symptoms

It is quite difficult not to notice the presence of these insects in a cat, cat or kitten. Based on the characteristic symptoms, you can guess that fleas have settled on the animal. The pet's behavior changes dramatically: the animal exhibits restless behavior, as bites provoke scratching and scratching. The formation of dermatous changes and small focal baldness of skin areas may be observed.

Unlike a cat, a pregnant cat and kitten experience much more discomfort, and the itching from the bite of just one adult individual of this ectoparasite lasts for several days. The animal is not able to get rid of fleas on its own, so the main task of the owner is the need to remove these insects as quickly as possible.

Removing cat fleas from a pregnant animal at home is a rather labor-intensive process.

Insulin preparations approved for use during pregnancy

Rules for storing insulin and administering injections

• Sealed vials and cartridges with insulin should be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of +4–8°C; opened ones can be kept at room temperature no higher than +25°C for one month;
• Before using a new bottle, you must check the expiration date information;
• You cannot use an insulin syringe pen if its body has cracks, the cartridge is not tightly screwed to the piston, or the pen body is wet from leaking insulin;
• The needle should be changed after each injection, as crystallization of insulin and “clogging” of the needle may occur, which will lead to inaccurate administration of the drug dose;
• Before the injection, it is necessary to “reset” 1 unit of insulin;
• If the insulin does not "reset", it may be low or the plunger is not touching the rubber cap inside the cartridge;
• Optimal absorption of insulin is ensured when it is administered into the subcutaneous fatty tissue. To do this, use two fingers – the thumb and index – to form a skin fold;
• For best absorption of the drug, it is recommended to hold the fold;
• Continue to press the plunger of the syringe pen for 10–15 seconds after the end of the injection so that all the required amount of insulin has time to flow out of the needle;
• If you practice good personal hygiene and use disposable needles for hypodermic insulin injections, there is no need to wipe your skin with alcohol before injection. Alcohol causes the destruction of insulin and has a tanning or irritating effect on the skin.

Hypoglycemia is a condition characterized by low blood sugar levels. Hypoglycemia is considered to be blood sugar below 3.9 mmol/l during pregnancy only during insulin therapy. It is very rare in gestational diabetes mellitus.

Causes of hypoglycemia in gestational diabetes mellitus:

• Too much insulin was administered;
• Lack of carbohydrates in the diet;
• Skipping meals;
• Too intense physical activity.

Signs of hypoglycemia:

• Headache, dizziness;
• Hunger;
• Visual impairment;
• Restlessness, feeling of anxiety;
• Frequent heartbeat;
• Sweating;
• Shiver;
• Deterioration of mood;
• Poor sleep;
• Confusion.

What others might notice if you experience hypoglycemia:

• Pallor;
• Drowsiness;
• Speech disorders;
• Anxiety, aggressiveness, inappropriate behavior;
• Impaired concentration.

Algorithm of action for signs of hypoglycemia

• Stop any physical activity;
• Determine your sugar level - is it really low?
• Immediately eat or drink something containing quickly digestible carbohydrates: 100 ml of juice, or 4 pieces of sugar (can be dissolved in water;
• After this, you need to eat or drink something containing slowly digestible carbohydrates in quantity (a glass of kefir,
• piece of bread, apple).

The most reliable method of preventing hypoglycemia is regular self-monitoring of glycemia.

Treatment methods

In order to remove fleas from a healthy adult animal at home, you can use almost any drug designed to destroy ectoparasites of this species. The veterinary industry offers a variety of sprays, drops, shampoos, anti-flea collars and other products that help get rid of such an unpleasant neighborhood in a short time.

It is more difficult to carry out such an event if fleas attacked an ill or weakened animal, a pregnant cat or a small kitten. Treating the fur of such animals with standard anti-flea products is quite dangerous.

Most modern drugs and remedies have some side effects and can provoke an undesirable reaction in the vulnerable body of a pet.

Kittens have a rather weak immune system and are much more susceptible to all symptoms of the disease.

Can there be side effects?

When using cat flea collars, be aware of possible side effects. Not all manufacturers use high-quality materials when making a product. When purchasing a flea collar for your cat, carefully read the instructions and make sure that the manufacturer has positive reviews. A low-quality product will do more harm than good. It is necessary to take into account that a flea and tick collar for cats, even from a trusted manufacturer, may have side effects. Among them the most common:

• skin irritation, allergies;
• hair loss;
• an unpleasant odor that causes severe discomfort to the animal.

During initial use, be sure to monitor possible changes in your pet’s behavior in order to help him in time - if necessary.

The cat was poisoned by a flea collar - what to do?

A negative reaction may not occur immediately, so do not let your guard down. What symptoms should you pay special attention to:

• lethargy, apathy;
• vomit;
• lack of appetite;
• constant itching on or near the neck;
• increased salivation.

If you notice at least one of the listed symptoms, remove the product and immediately contact your veterinarian. To avoid causing unnecessary stress to your pet, you can call a veterinarian to your home. While the doctor is visiting you, give the animal clean water to help the kidneys remove toxins from the body.

Cat itches from flea collar

If your cat keeps trying to scratch under the collar, there are two possible problems: allergies or simple chafing. In the second case, you can simply loosen the seal, and the itching will stop almost immediately. With allergies the situation is more complicated.

Allergy to flea collar

An allergic reaction can manifest itself as:

• itching;
• hair loss;
• redness of the neck, eyes, lacrimation;
• stuffy nose;
• red blisters on the skin with clear liquid.

Perhaps the animal is allergic to a component of the impregnation - try changing one model to another. If this doesn’t help, switch to sprays or ultrasonic collars.

Treatment of pregnant cats

To remove fleas from a pregnant or lactating cat, you should choose an effective, most gentle drug. Ridding a pregnant cat of blood-sucking parasites before the kittens are born is the primary task of every owner. Newborn kittens are absolutely defenseless against fleas, which not only cause severe itching, but also infect the fragile body with worms. Infected babies are severely stunted and grow very weak and restless.

During pregnancy or breastfeeding, anti-flea treatment is based on preventing the ingestion of even a minimal amount of the drug. Harmless to an adult and healthy animal, the anti-flea agent can negatively affect pregnancy and provoke spontaneous miscarriage or abnormal development of the fetus. It is for this reason that it is advisable to use the following low-toxic products:

• flea collar
• flea shampoo
• after consulting a veterinarian - special drops for fleas

To remove fleas from a pregnant or lactating cat, you should choose an effective, most gentle drug.

The first two drugs do not affect the intrauterine development of kittens. Some types of anti-flea drops can penetrate not only under the skin, but also into the circulatory system. A pregnant cat can only be treated with such drugs with the permission of a veterinarian.

The use of shampoos in such conditions sometimes causes stress in the pregnant animal and is therefore used in cases of extreme necessity. Therefore, experts most often recommend putting a collar on a pregnant pet, which should be chosen according to certain rules.

Safety of disposal

It is imperative to treat an infected cat when she is pregnant. Constant bites and discomfort experienced by the animal can lead to nervous exhaustion.

In addition, being carriers of dangerous infections, parasites can infect the animal with tularemia or hemobartonellosis.

Immediately after birth, fleas infest the kittens' fur. They can cause much more harm to newborn babies than to an adult animal, for example, infecting them with worms or leading to anemia.

For a fragile kitten or a cat weakened by childbirth, the consequences of fleas can be fatal.

Fleas often contribute to:

• animal exhaustion;
• infection with worms;
• baldness;
• the occurrence of allergic dermatitis;
• infection of pets;
• constant nervousness of animals.

When carrying out disinfestation, special attention should be paid to the safety of use. Otherwise, you can harm not only the pregnant pet, but also her offspring.

Treatment of kittens

Kittens have a rather weak immune system and are much more susceptible to all the symptoms of the disease. The consequence of flea bites is the appearance of anemia, and in severe cases, death is possible.

You should protect your cat from flea infestations by taking preventative measures.

• Most drugs are prohibited for use in kittens. Treating them with strong agents intended for treating adult cats is strictly prohibited. The most gentle and effective method for controlling fleas at home is the mechanical method of combing out fleas using special combs. This method is quite labor-intensive, but is best suited for kittens.
• Another effective and approved method for removing fleas from children is the use of proven and safe Frontline or Stronghold shampoos.
• It is allowed to combine treatment of kittens against ectoparasites with the use of anthelmintic drugs.
• A very effective and safe remedy is a self-prepared composition of 150 ml of inexpensive shampoo for kittens with an ampoule of “Neostomazan”.

Popular brands of flea collars

The shelves of veterinary stores are filled with anti-flea collars from various manufacturers. They all have special qualities, have various advantages and disadvantages, and also vary significantly in price and duration.

Table: rating of flea collars

When choosing a flea collar, pay attention to its characteristics and appearance. Choose a product that is suitable for your pet

Read reviews from those who have already used such products and listen to the advice of veterinarians. Do not choose the cheapest collars, as they are mainly designed to protect the animal from the appearance of fleas, but do not fight existing parasites.

The most important factor when choosing a collar is how easy it is to use for your pet.

Preventive actions

You can effectively and permanently rid your pet of fleas only by using a combined treatment method, which consists not only of removing fleas from the animal itself, but also of eliminating blood-sucking insects from their habitats.

For this purpose, it is necessary to thoroughly treat the animal’s bedding and bedding with modern insecticidal preparations. Such actions will not only help get rid of the larvae and eggs of the parasite, but will also serve as an excellent preventive measure.

An effective prevention is daily wet cleaning and the use of a vacuum cleaner in the places most frequented by animals.

An effective prevention is daily wet cleaning and the use of a vacuum cleaner in the places most frequented by animals.

Veterinarian advice

• Most often, the appearance of fleas on a pet is the result of a violation of basic hygiene rules.
• The flea population is enormous in size and no more than 5% of the total number parasitizes the animal’s body.
• Fleas can infest not only sleeping areas and pet carriers, but also actively breed behind baseboards and in other cracks and seams.
• According to experts, daily use of a vacuum cleaner can reduce the ectoparasite population by almost 50%.

By being patient and armed with our advice, you can alleviate the difficult situation of your pregnant cat and protect her offspring from encountering parasites.