FROM YOUR VETERINARIAN Don’t use your ’s and tick medicine on your ! Sharing isn’t always caring—especially when it can cause harm to your cat. Learn why dog flea and tick preventives should never be used on and what you can do to keep your feline friend safe.

What you know: Flea Partner with your Safety tips and tick preventives veterinary team to Store your dog’s f ea and tick promote long-term keep your cat safe products separately from the prod- health and wellness (from , ticks and ucts for your cat. Since they have When you give your cat f ea and tick toxic compounds) similar packaging and small print, it’s preventive medication, you protect Flea and tick products that easy to grab the wrong product by its outsides and its insides because contain permethrin should mistake. Speaking of keeping things f eas and ticks carry bacteria and always be labeled for use separate, keep your dog away from parasites that can cause serious and in only. Some of these your cat right after applying f ea and even fatal disease in domestic cats. products also contain warn- tick medicine, as even close contact ings to never use on a cat, but with permethrin can harm your cat. What you may not know: these warnings are sometimes Dog and and tick small and hard to read. Never split single doses of f ea preventives often aren’t If you buy f ea and tick prod- and tick medication between your created equal ucts from your veterinarian’s dog and cat. In addition to toxicity Many prescription and over-the- of ce or from your veterinarian’s concerns, dosing will be incorrect. counter f ea and tick medications online pharmacy (instead of Your pets won’t get the protection that are labeled for dogs (usually from a big box store), the prod- they need, which could cause a f ea ones you apply topically rather than ucts should come with a pre- infestation or tick problem. have your dog swallow) contain a scription label that clearly states synthetic compound called per- whether the product is safe for If you ever have a question methrin, which is safe for dogs but cats. You also have the benef t of about your pet’s f ea and tick prod- toxic to cats. If a product containing being able to get direct guidance ucts, speak up! Your veterinary permethrin is mistakenly applied to from your veterinary team on team is always ready to help—even a cat or eaten by one, it can cause the best products for your cat if you decide to buy your pet’s seizures, coma and even death. for total peace of mind. preventives somewhere else.

SUSAN SCHMITZ/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM Source: Sarah J. Wooten, DVM