Kidney disease is a very prevalent issue among cats, with almost 1 in 40 cats being diagnosed with it at some point in their lives. Kidney disease can cause many complications in your cat’s life, like making some flea treatments not available for them to use. You may be wondering if certain flea treatments can impact or exacerbate your cat’s kidney disease.
It is always a good idea to be knowledgeable about the products that you are using to treat conditions for your cat, and flea treatment is no different. In fact, if you have a cat with kidney disease, it is even more important to be aware of the treatments that you are administering. In this article, we’ll explore various flea treatments that are safe for cats that have kidney disease.
Best Flea Treatment for Cats with Kidney Disease
The best flea treatment for cats with kidney disease is Advantage 2. It is a topical solution that is safe for cats with kidney disease.
Depending on the pack that you choose, it can protect your cat from fleas for up to 8 months. This is a great preventative measure, since it kills fleas before they bite your cat. This helps stop the spread of any disease that the flea might have. Along with killing live fleas, it also kills flea eggs and larvae.
This is a fast acting medication, and it can start killing fleas in as little as 12 hours after application.
What medications should you not use for cats with kidney disease
If your cat has kidney disease, I recommend that you don’t use the following flea treatments:
- Biospot
- Hartz
- Any off label flea treatment
I suggest that you consult with a vet before you give any medication to your cat with kidney disease.
Along with flea medication, cat’s with kidney disease should also be fed a prescription diet.
It is also important that you keep your cat hydrated. To learn more, read my guide on the best water supplements for cats with kidney disease.
Importance of Treating Fleas for Cats with Kidney Disease
It needs to be established that it is incredibly important to treat fleas in your cat. Fleas can have very harmful effects on your cat and can even exacerbate its kidney disease symptoms.
It is much easier for a cat with kidney disease to become anemic, and fleas increase these odds even more. This can cause your cat’s gums to be white.
Fleas are also just generally very irritating and will interfere with your cat’s day-to-day happiness and well-being. Therefore, it is very important to address fleas as soon as you notice that your cat has them.
Additionally, note that you should never use flea treatment products that are intended for dogs on your cat, especially your cat with kidney disease. This needs to be mentioned as many cat owners think it will be cheaper or easier to use dog flea treatments. However, the chemicals in these products can be very harmful to your cat. Always get flea treatments that are specified for cats.
If your cat is having a tough time maintaining their weight, you should check out my article on how to help a cat with kidney disease gain weight.
Types of flea treatment
It can be a hard task to locate a flea treatment that is safe for your cat with kidney disease. Many products will specify that they should not be used on sick cats, making your search for a proper treatment that much harder.
There are many different kinds of flea treatments. There are powders, direct medications, shampoos, or collars. You may want to try more indirect products for a cat with kidney disease like room sprays or carpet sprays. These treatments are less invasive.
Since those can be hard to come by, I would start with a topical treatment instead of any pills.
However, you should check with your veterinarian for any specific product before you try using it with your cat. Generally, most products are safe for cats with kidney disease, but it is very important to check with your veterinarian beforehand.
That is the safest way to ensure that the product is safe for your cat with kidney disease. If your cat is having a reaction following the administration of over-the-counter flea treatments, watch them closely for a short period of time before determining your next steps.
Most of the time, reactions will be mild and nothing to worry about. However, if you are concerned about your cat’s well-being or they are showing more severe side effects, it’s important to get them to a veterinarian as soon as you can.
If your cat’s kidney condition is progressively getting worse, you should read my guide on when to euthanize a cat with kidney disease.
Final Thoughts
Having a cat with kidney disease can make treating additional illnesses or infections much more difficult. However, most flea treatments are safe for cats with kidney disease. The worst thing that you could possibly do is attempt to leave the fleas alone.
This will substantially increase the chances of harm coming to your cat with kidney disease. Since cats with kidney disease are at risk of becoming dangerously anemic and fleas only increase the chances of anemia, not treating the fleas is the worst thing you can do for your cat.
You should attempt to get rid of all the fleas as soon as you can, so waiting is not a good idea. It is always a good idea to visit your veterinarian and get certain products approved for your cat with kidney disease before you use them, especially if they are over-the-counter and were not specifically diagnosed by a veterinarian.
And, if you notice that your cat is reacting negatively to any flea treatments that you administer, it is important to take them to the veterinarian right away for further treatment and care.
