Advocate for dogs: what is it for and why?

What is Advocate?

Advocate® is an antiparasitic for dogs and cats that is effective against both internal and external parasites. Even though it is often seen as just a worming treatment: Advocate not only treats worms, but is also effective against a variety of other endo- and ectoparasites such as fleas, mites and hair lice.

Special features for certain dogs

Advocate should not be used in puppies under seven weeks of age. Special care should also be taken with animals weighing less than one kilogram - the benefits and risks should be weighed up by a vet.

In addition, it is particularly important to ensure that the product is used correctly in dog breeds with known MDR-1 gene defects, such as collies, bobtails and related breeds or crossbreeds.

Active ingredients Imidacloprid & Moxidectin

Advocate contains both imidacloprid and moxidectin. Moxidectin is a broad-spectrum antiparasitic: it is effective against both internal parasites (such as worms) and external parasites (such as fleas and mites). Imidacloprid, on the other hand, is an agent against external parasites that is applied to the skin. It acts as a contact poison and is particularly effective against fleas.

When is Advocate useful?

Advocate is used for existing mixed infections or for prevention in the following cases:

• Treatment and prevention of flea infestations in dogs and cats
• Treatment of hair lice in dogs
• Treatment of ear mites (Otodectes cynotis) in dogs and cats
• Sarcoptes mange in dogs (burrowing mites)
• Demodicosis in dogs (hair follicle mites)
• Prevention of heartworm disease in dogs and cats
• Treatment of French heartworm (Angiostrongylus vasorum) in dogs
• Treatment of threadworms in the gastrointestinal tract in dogs and cats

Possible side effects

After using Advocate, itching, reddening of the skin or greasy hair may occur at the application site, which usually disappears by itself.

If the animal licks the treated area, temporary neurological symptoms such as tremors, movement disorders (ataxia) or vomiting may occur. This should therefore be prevented if possible.

Application of Advocate

Advocate is applied as a spot-on solution directly to the animal's skin in the neck area.

How is Advocate applied?

Advocate is supplied in pipette form and dripped directly onto the animal's skin. For dogs up to 25 kg, the contents are applied between the shoulder blades, while for larger dogs it is spread evenly along the back. It is important to apply the solution only to healthy skin.

What should I watch out for?

Direct contact with skin, eyes or oral mucous membranes should be avoided. After application, hands should be washed thoroughly and any residual medicine on the skin should be removed with soap and water. People who are sensitive to benzyl alcohol, imidacloprid or moxidectin should use the product with particular caution. In rare cases, the product may cause skin reactions such as numbness, irritation or a tingling sensation. Equally rare are respiratory irritations in sensitive individuals.

If persistent skin or eye symptoms occur or the product is accidentally swallowed, a doctor should be consulted and the package leaflet shown. In case of contact with the eyes, rinse them thoroughly with water.

Do not eat, drink or smoke during use. Advocate must not be allowed to enter bodies of water as it is harmful to fish and aquatic organisms. The solvent in Advocate may also stain or damage materials such as leather, textiles and polished surfaces. Avoid contact of the animal with these materials until the application site is completely dry.

Important notes

Oral ingestion of the product by the treated animal or other animals must be avoided at all costs.

It is essential that the pipette contents or the applied dose does not come into contact with the eyes or mouth of the treated animal or another animal. Freshly treated animals should not lick each other. If the product is applied to 3-4 areas, special care must be taken to ensure that the animal does not lick these areas.

The product can be used safely on animals infected with adult heartworms, but has no effect on the adult worms themselves. Therefore, animals older than 6 months and living in heartworm endangered regions should be tested for heartworms before treatment.

Imidacloprid is particularly toxic to birds, especially canaries.

Recommended dosage for dogs

The dosage differs depending on the animal species: for dogs, the concentration is 2.5% moxidectin and 10% imidacloprid. The exact amount varies depending on the body weight: The recommended dosage is 10 mg/kg body weight imidacloprid and 2.5 mg/kg moxidectin. This corresponds to 0.1 ml/kg body weight Advocate.

Conclusion on the use of Advocate

Advocate offers your dog (or cat) comprehensive protection against fleas, mites, worms and heartworms. When using Advocate, make sure that the product does not get into your pet's eyes or mouth and ensure that freshly treated animals do not lick each other. You should be particularly careful with sensitive breeds or very small animals. Remember that Advocate must not get into water to protect the environment. If you follow these instructions, Advocate is a reliable protection for your pet.