Russian (AVZ) develops and produces medicines for domestic and farm animals. It produces insectoacaricidal products: sprays, shampoos, collars. An effective drug is “Bars” - drops against fleas and ticks for cats, the instructions for which must be studied before using the medicine. There is a product for treating kittens. It has a softer effect. "Leopard" kills not only adult ectoparasites, but also their larvae. The drug is also used to prevent infection.
Advantages and disadvantages
Medicine cannot be completely harmless. It has both pros and cons. It must be used if the animal has ectoparasites or is likely to become infected with them. The insectoacaricidal agent is well tolerated by dogs and cats if used correctly.
The following advantages of drops for cats “Bars” are highlighted:
- high efficiency;
- ease of application;
- low level of toxicity;
- innovative formula with a wide spectrum of action;
- the ability to dose the medicine depending on the weight of the animal;
- low concentration of active components;
- synergy of active ingredients (strengthening each other);
- prolonged action (protection up to 2.5 months).
The disadvantages of the drug are:
- risk of overdose;
- presence of contraindications;
- unpleasant odor;
- the need for re-treatment in case of severe infection;
- the likelihood of animals licking drops.
Poisoning of cats with an insectoacaricidal agent is possible. This happens with individual intolerance to the components or overdose. Therefore, before treating your pet, you must take into account all the pros and cons of the medicine.
It is important to know
In order for treatment and prevention of external parasite infestations to be truly effective and safe, it is important to take several factors into account.
Pet age
. Bars drops should not be used on puppies and kittens under 8 weeks of age. But treating young and adult animals whose weight does not reach 2 kg with such drugs is also contraindicated.
Health status
. Drops should not be used for the treatment and prevention of external parasites in dogs and cats with therapeutic or infectious diseases in the acute stage. The same applies to pets recovering from illness or surgery, animals with physical exhaustion and dogs/cats that are weakened due to very old age.
Pet's "status"
. Treatment should not be carried out on pregnant or lactating females. But it is possible and necessary to carry out such treatment before mating - this will protect both your pet and its offspring from infection by parasites and diseases that they carry.
Composition and pharmacological properties
The veterinary drug is available in the form of a solution for external use. The dispenser pipette contains 1 ml of insectoacaricidal agent. The liquid is oily, yellow or light yellow in color.
At the same time, 3 components of the drug are active:
- fipronil - 10 mg/ml;
- dicarboximide (MGK-264) - 1 mg/ml;
- diflubenzuron - 1 mg/ml.
The composition also includes excipients:
- isopropyl alcohol - 50 mg/ml;
- Tween-80 - 30 mg/ml;
- polyvinylpyrrolidone - 30 mg/ml;
- polyethylene glycol 400 - up to 1 ml.
The drops are distributed over the fat layer on top of the skin, accumulate in the sebaceous glands, without entering the systemic bloodstream. This ensures long-term protection against ectoparasites.
Fipronil blocks GABA-dependent receptors of fleas, lice, lice and ticks. The conduction of nerve impulses in their bodies is disrupted. This leads to paralysis and death of ectoparasites. It takes 7-10 hours to completely kill insects.
Thanks to diflubenzuron, the synthesis of chitin in parasitic individuals slows down. The process of molting and egg-laying is disrupted. Hatching of larvae from eggs becomes impossible. Adults do not leave offspring.
Dicarboximide is necessary to enhance the effectiveness of fipronil and diflubenzuron. With minimal doses of active substances, maximum impact on ectoparasites is achieved. At the same time, the harm to cats remains minimal.
The active components of the drug are classified as moderately hazardous substances. If you use the drops correctly, there will be no harm to cats. The main thing is to follow the instructions and monitor your pet for several days after instillation.
Shampoo
The shampoo also helps remove all parasites and insects from the cats fur and skin. For this:
- The animal's fur is first lightly soaked in water so that the shampoo can foam easily;
- after that, take two ml of shampoo per kilogram of body and rub it into the skin and coat with soft massage movements;
- after application, to achieve a therapeutic effect, you need to wait 3 minutes and rinse thoroughly with warm water;
- in case of severe infection, shampoo is applied twice;
- One or two procedures are required to achieve the desired effect.
Important!!! There are no contraindications when using shampoo. It can be used to treat small kittens and adult cats.
You can find out more about what other flea shampoos are available for cats here.
Indications for use
Many people believe that Bars drops are effective against fleas and ticks (exclusively). However, this opinion is wrong. The drug has a wider spectrum of action. Indications for its use are:
- Entomoses. This is an infestation of fleas, lice and lice.
- Otodectosis. This is an ear pathology caused by microscopic mites.
- Cheyletiellosis. This disease is otherwise called stray dandruff. The pathology is caused by microscopic mites of the genus Cheyletiella, which feed on the keratin layer of the skin.
- Sarcoptic mange. The disease is also called pruritic scabies. The causative agent is the microscopic subcutaneous mite Sarcoptes canis.
- Notoedrosis. The disease is often referred to as cephalic scabies. The causative agent is the subcutaneous microscopic mite Notoedres cati. These parasites most often affect the scalp and the edges of the ears.
- Infection with ixodid ticks. This parasite reaches 2.5 mm. It can increase 10 times in size if it attaches itself to an animal. Ixodid ticks carry piroplasmosis, which is often fatal.
Drops can be used on cats from 2 months of age. If a pet lives on the street or goes for walks, treatment with an insectoacaricidal agent is carried out for prevention once every 2.5 months.
Possible reactions, contraindications
Not all animals can easily tolerate the effects of the chemical components of Bars drops against fleas and ticks for cats. The medicine is contraindicated:
- cats during lactation;
- pregnant individuals;
- kittens under 2 months old;
- sick animals;
- cats that have irritation or damage to the epidermis;
- animals with individual intolerance to the drug;
- cats with perforated eardrums (if drops are used in the ears).
Important! If several cats live at home, treatment for parasites is carried out simultaneously for all animals.
Practice shows that Bars rarely disrupts the normal well-being of pets. However, in some cases, a cat may develop:
- skin irritation;
- lacrimation;
- muscle tremors;
- nausea.
As a rule, these individual reactions of the body are caused by intolerance to any of the components of the product. To avoid allergic manifestations, a special test is performed during the initial use of Bars. Apply 1 drop of the drug to the cat’s skin (on the withers) and leave for 12 hours. If no reactions occur, the product can be used.
Dosage of the drug
After treating the cat with any insectoacaricidal preparations “Bars” against ticks, lice and fleas, apply no earlier than a month later. Otherwise, you can cause an overdose, since the active components of the previous medicine still remain in the fat layer of the animal.
Drops must be dosed according to the cat’s weight:
- up to 1 kg - 0.3 ml (10 drops);
- from 1 to 3 kg - 0.6 ml (20 drops);
- over 3 kg - 1 ml (whole pipette).
If the cat is a large breed (Maine Coon, Savannah, British, Siberian) or is overweight (over 6 kg), the exact dose of the medicine should be checked with a veterinarian. To get rid of fleas, 2 droppers (2 ml) of drops may be needed.
If the cat lives or goes for a walk outside, it is recommended to wear a “Leopard” collar 7 days after treatment. It consolidates and prolongs the effect of drops against fleas, lice and lice for 5 months, against ticks - for 4 months. The pet must wear it continuously.
Reviews from owners and veterinarians
In order not to be afraid to use Bars drops, you can read reviews about this product from veterinarians and pet owners. If we talk about experts, they believe that Bars is one of the best remedies in the fight against blood-sucking parasites.
Doctors advise owners to follow dosages carefully and not increase them without further advice. Veterinarians also recommend wearing special masks over the mouths of kittens so that they cannot lick the drug and get poisoned.
Owner reviews can be found on various forums and Internet sites. In 90-95% of cases they are positive. The owners agree that it is enough to apply the drops once for the cat to live peacefully for more than 3 months without unnecessary worry from fleas.
Negative reviews about Barca are rare. Symptoms of poisoning occurred only in 3–5% of cases, and this was due to improper use of the drug. Many people believe that if they treat their cat with a large amount of the product, they will get rid of fleas faster. But this is a mistaken opinion.
In conclusion, we can say that Bars (leopard) drops and spray for cats are considered one of the best means for protection against fleas and other parasites. For a low price, a person receives a high-quality drug with which you can quickly deal with ticks, insects, and fleas.
Flea Drops Application Guide
The medicine is distributed throughout the fat layer, which is located on top of the skin.
Therefore, the animal cannot be bathed 3 days before and 3 days after treatment. Otherwise, the fat layer may be washed away, the drops will have nothing to distribute or they will be washed away.
For cats, flea treatment is applied in the following order:
- The pipette is opened. To do this, its tip is broken or cut off with scissors.
- The fur on the withers is parted with your fingers to provide access to the skin. In this case, the animal’s head should be fixed.
- The required amount of the drug is applied to the withers. For cats of large breeds, medicine is also dripped between the shoulder blades.
- The area to which the drug was applied is well massaged. This helps the drops absorb faster and distribute evenly.
Before applying the medicine, you need to make sure that the fur is dry and clean, and that there are no wounds, scratches, etc. on the skin. Otherwise, the pet will be in pain and allergic reactions are possible.
If it snows or rains, then the animal should not be allowed outside for 5 hours from the moment of treatment. The drops will not yet have time to be completely absorbed, so they may wash off.
For 3 weeks after treatment, it is not recommended to bathe the cat using shampoo, soap, etc. Washing may weaken the protective effect of the insectoacaricidal agent.
Side effects from the action of Bars
Despite the fact that the drug does not harm pets, in some cases side effects may occur, namely:
- general weakness of the body;
- impaired coordination of movements;
- hanging salivation;
- lacrimation;
- loss of appetite;
- shiver;
- skin reactions.
Monitor your pet carefully when the first symptoms appear. In most cases, side effects go away on their own, the main thing is to offer your dog or cat more to drink. If your pet's condition worsens and vomiting or seizures occur, visit your veterinarian immediately. Such symptoms indicate an overdose and a severe allergic reaction.
How to use drops against ixodid ticks
Unlike other parasites, ixodid ticks are more likely to attach to dogs. However, cats are also at risk. The parasite gets onto the animal's fur and skin from grass or ground, sometimes from a tree or low bush.
Ixodid ticks are active from March to October. At this time, the ground is not covered with snow and has an acceptable temperature for the parasite. If the winter is warm, then this type of arachnid is active all year round.
To protect cats from ixodid ticks, insectoacaricidal treatment must be carried out every month. This applies to animals that go outside for walks. At home, infection with ixodid ticks is unlikely.
If prevention was not carried out on time, ticks can be found on the pet’s body. In this case, the use of Bars drops has its own peculiarities. It is necessary to carefully move the fur apart. A few drops of the medicine should be applied directly to the tick.
After half an hour, the parasite should die and fall off on its own. If this does not happen, you need to take special tweezers and unscrew the tick counterclockwise. It is important that the parasite comes out with the head. Otherwise, inflammation may occur.
After the tick has fallen off or been twisted out with tweezers, you need to contact a veterinarian. The cat could become infected with diseases carried by this parasitic arachnid species.
Using the Bars collar
- It is necessary to carefully remove the item.
- Place it around the animal’s neck and then secure it.
- The excess length is carefully cut off with scissors so that the cat can move around calmly.
- It is important that there is a gap of at least one centimeter between the neck and the collar for the animal’s comfort.
If your pet is heavily infested with fleas or ticks, it is worth pre-treating with shampoo from the same series . During the first two days, the animal may still be subject to attacks from ticks and fleas, but they will no longer be able to have a harmful effect. Even with suction, within a day the mites will fall off on their own without outside help.
Important!!! Under no circumstances can the collar be placed on a sick animal, bearing offspring or recovering from any disease. It is also prohibited to use the accessory to treat kittens under the age of eight weeks.
Read more about how flea collars for cats work here, and from this article you will learn what means you can use to remove parasites from kittens.
Treatment with drops for ear scabies
The drug is used to treat otodectosis. However, it should only be used with the permission of a veterinarian.
To rid a cat of ear mites, the product is applied to the skin in the withers area and directly into the ears. Even if one ear is affected, both should be instilled.
Before treatment with drops, the ears are cleaned of wax and waste products of microscopic mites, which look like black dirt. For this, special sprays are used, for example Auricap. Cleaning must be deep, so it is advisable to use cotton swabs or medical clips with cotton wool wrapped around them.
3-4 drops of Barca are instilled into clean ears. Then the ears must be thoroughly massaged. This will help the medicine distribute faster and prevent it from splashing across the surface of the coat.
Otodectosis can be complicated by inflammation. In this case, you will need antibiotics, immunomodulating agents, etc. Therefore, you should not treat the animal yourself. It's better to see a doctor.
When should it be used?
Before starting treatment, you should consult your veterinarian. He will help you calculate the correct dose and will be able to accurately determine which parasite is bothering your pet. Insectoacaricidal drops "Bars" are used to treat cats and dogs if they have parasites and ailments such as:
The drug can be used to treat odecosis in pets.
- otodectosis;
- lice;
- fleas;
- lice eaters;
- sarcoptic mange;
- iscod tick;
- notoedrosis;
- cheyletiellosis.
