Revolution can be used to control many parasites in dogs, including heartworms, fleas, some ticks, ear mites and scabies mites.Read on to find out more about Revolution.
Revolution is used to control numerous parasites in dogs. Revolution for dogs:
controls and prevents flea infestations by killing adult fleas and rendering flea eggs incapable of hatching
prevents heartworm infection
treats and controls ear mites
treats and controls scabies, or sarcoptic mange
controls Dermacentor variabilis ticks
What is Revolution?
Revolution is a product commonly used in both cats and dogs.
Revolution is a medicine which is applied directly to the skin of the dog and is used once per month.
Revolution contains selamectin, which is the active ingredient responsible for the parasite control demonstrated by Revolution.
Revolution is taken into the blood stream from the skin once applied and is then redistributed back to the skin. In this way, Revolution exerts both internal and external effects on parasites, acting on heartworms while in the bloodstream and other external parasites from within the skin.
What are the Benefits of Using Revolution in Dogs?
One of the main benefits is the fact that Revolution is a multi-purpose parasiticide. One of only a few medicines in dogs which are able to control fleas and heartworms simultaneously, Revolution is a good choice for dog owners who do not wish to give two separate medications to their dog each month.
Many of the parasites controlled by Revolution can cause serious disease for an infected dog. Heartworms are parasites which infect the heart and cause damage to the heart muscle. Heartworm disease, once a dog is infected, is difficult and dangerous to treat, making prevention of heartworm disease a much more desirable course of action.
Fleas can cause skin lesions, such as "hot spots", skin infections, flea allergies and tapeworms. Ticks can cause numerous diseases for infested dogs, including Lyme disease, ehlichiosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Prevention and control of flea and tick infestations is necessary to maintain a healthy dog.
Revolution for dogs is a convenient medication because it only needs to be applied once a month. Application is simple and dog owners do not need to worry about giving oral medications to their dogs.
Drawbacks of Revolution in Dogs
Revolution in dogs prevents many different types of parasites, including one type of tick known as Dermacentor variabilis. However, there are many other types of ticks which can infest dogs which are not controlled by Revolution. If a dog is at risk for tick infestation by more than one type of tick, a different product for tick control will be necessary.
Revolution in dogs is also not labeled for controlling intestinal parasites such as roundworms and hookworms, unlike many other heartworm preventive medicines. Periodic fecal analysis is recommended along with deworming as necessary with an appropriate medication.
Side effects in dogs after application of Revolution are rare but have been observed. Potential side effects include:
vomiting
diarrhea
lack of appetite
lethargy
drooling
muscle tremors
rapid breathing
itchiness
swelling
incoordination
fever
Revolution should not be administered to dogs infected with heartworms. Heartworm testing is recommended before the first application of Revolution for dogs over six months of age. Revolution also should not be administered to dogs which are weak, debilitated or sick.
The copyright of the article Revolution - Flea and Heartworm Control for Dogs in Pet Products is owned by Lorie Huston. Permission to republish Revolution - Flea and Heartworm Control for Dogs in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
My vet said it did not help heart worms in cats. What to do??
May 31, 2009 8:16 PM
Lorie Huston :
This is copied directly from Pfizer's website which promotes and provides
information about Revolution:
Q: What is Revolution®
(selamectin)?
A: Revolution is the first-ever FDA-approved,
topically applied medication for cats that:
* Kills adult
fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) and prevents flea eggs from hatching.
* Prevents heartworm disease caused by Dirofilaria immitis. *
Treats and controls ear mites (Otodectes cynotis). * Treats and
controls roundworms (Toxocara cati) and hookworms (Ancylostoma
tubaeforme).
I'm not sure what your veterinarian's issues
surrounding Revolution are, but I have used Revolution successfully in my
patients as well as for my own cats for quite some time now.
Lorie Huston
Jul 19, 2009 8:02 AM
Guest :
How long should you wait to bathe dog after treating with revolution flea
and tick?
Jul 19, 2009 5:46 PM
Lorie Huston :
Revolution is supposed to be completely absorbed within a few hours. So,
theoretically, it should be safe to bathe the dog within a few hours. I
usually tell my clients to wait a couple of days after administration, just
to be safe (so to speak).
That being said, it should be noted
that there are some veterinarians who feel that any of the topical products
(Revolution, Frontline, Advantage Multi, etc) are less effective in animals
that are bathed frequently (i.e. weekly or more often). That is contrary to
what most of the manufacturers of these products advertise, but it is a
concept voiced frequently never-the-less. For what it's worth, my personal
experience is that Revolution seems to work well even after bathing. Not
all of my colleages will agree with me though :-)
Oct 20, 2009 5:27 PM
Guest :
It seems that even after treating my 18month old German Shepherd with
Revolution one a month, she cotinues to itch pretty much all over. I think
she may have an allergic reaction to Revolution. Is there a milder dose
that will still do the same job? Any suggestions? Elke
Oct 24, 2009 11:09 PM
Lorie Huston :
Elke: There are so many different causes of itching in dogs that it is
really impossible for me to diagnose your dog's problem over the internet.
I would really need to be able to examine her in order to diagnose her
problem and offer specific treatment recommendations.
However,
if she seems itchy constantly, I would probably not suspect an allergic
reaction to the Revolution. If that were the case, the itchiness would
likely be much worse directly after applying Revolution. However, that does
not mean that other types of allergies could not be causing the problem.
These allergies may include food allergies or atopic dermatitis. There are
other potential causes as well.
My suggestion to you is to
schedule an appointment with your dog's veterinarian for an examination and
discuss the situation with him/her, if you have not done so already. You
might also consider seeking a second opinion with a veterinary
dermatologist if the problem persists. Ask your regular veterinarian if
he/she can give you a referral to a dermatologist in your area.
May 4, 2009
