vet prescribed Vectra for cats & kittens?

[maxmo]

My rabbits have been having tapeworms for a while and they got dewormed but the assistant of the vet said they need flea protection too. She gave me Vectra for cats and kittens but after some research they said it’s ONLY for cats and kittens and should never be used for any other animal. I feel very concerned right now due to the fact that I just gave him the medicine on the back of the neck. Now, his fur is completely oily even after wiping it out. I’m afraid he will also groom it off. I’m just confused as to why the vet would prescribe me this and not revolution??

[Bam]

Moderator Dana has experience with Vectra for rabbits. I’ll alert her to this thread.

I dont know why your vet described it instead of Revolution, but  one reason could be that Vectra has an insect-repelling effect. It doesnt just kill fleas upon contact, it makes fleas less likely to even get on the animal. It also kills very quickly and without the fleas having to bite the animal.

I have treated dogs with permethrin spot on anti-parasitics and I know it can be messy. I used to divide the dose and apply it in smaller portions over a cpl of hours so as not to make the fur all wet in one spot.

I dont know what the risks are if the bun ingests it. Vectra is commonly used for cats, and cats groom themselves even more meticulously than rabbits.

 

 

[DanaNM]

Yep, Vectra can be used on rabbits, but there are some risks of skin irritation and chemical burns if dosed incorrectly. It’s usually only used in cases where rabbits are being exposed to mosquitos in an area with Myxomatosis. Here’s some info on it’s use in rabbits (this dosing protocol was developed by a very respected vet in my old town that works with the rabbit rescue: https://www.vgr1.com/vectra3d/) . At the rescue they have to house the rabbits outside so they give them all Vectra 3D to keep mosquitos away. I don’t see the cat and kitten version on the chart, but you should be able to compare the cat and kitten concentrations to the dog concentrations and make sure your dose is in the right zone.

In your case, it could be because the vet wants to quickly break the tapeworm life cycle so they don’t keep getting reinfected, because revolution won’t repel, as Bam said. Fleas host the larval stage of tapeworms and then the rabbit (or cat usually) gets infected by eating a flea during grooming. Tapeworms are not life threatening, just gross and annoying (lol). Are you taking other measures to deal with the fleas in the area (like treating other pets and vacuuming carpets with diatomaceous earth)?

All of that said, no harm in calling your vet and asking for clarification!

With all of these spot treatments, once they are dry it’s usually safe if they groom the area. So with my bonded buns, I will separate them while the product dries so they don’t immediately groom it off of each other.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[maxmo]

Thanks so much for your response. The vet told me to use the entire bottle which seemed very excessive because just one drop seemed messy enough. I used (almost) the whole bottle on him but had to wipe it off soon after because of the pungent smell it was emitting. I guess the only way I’m treating them is by vacuuming everyday, changing the hay & litter box constantly and giving him some other dewormers my vet prescribed them. Also, I’d like to mention that even after washing and wiping the Vectra off, it was still oily and smelly days after. So, I just really can’t imagine using that and it becoming dry. I can imagine the smell and sensation of the oiliness bothered  my rabbit too.

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