Program Oral Suspension

Program Oral Suspension For Cats

Program suspension for cats is manufactured by Novartis Animal Health Australasia. Program suspension is given as a single monthly dose to help in the treatment and control of fleas. Whilst Program does not kill adult fleas, it does play a role in reducing the overall flea burden in a household. Program will prevent any flea eggs laid by an affected flea (that being a flea which has bitten a treated cat) from hatching, thus reducing the overall flea population within a household.

Program tablets for dogs should be used concurrently for any dogs in the household.

Rapid kill flea products may be required in the initial stages of treatment to help remove heavy flea burdens in the environment.

How to use the product

Program for cats should be given orally once a month with food according to the dosage on the product packaging.

All dogs and cats in the household must be treated at the same time with a Program product to ensure maximal effect.

Program should be used as part of an integrated flea control program which also includes rapid kill products such as Capstar and environmental treatment.

Sizes

Program suspension for cats comes in 2 sizes.

• Oral suspension for small cats - cats up to 4.5kg
• Oral suspension for large cats - cats 4.6-9kg
• Cats over 9kg are given an appropriate combination of ampoules.

Tips and tricks

When initially learning to dose a cat orally, owners may benefit from a lesson from their veterinarian or a veterinary nurse.

A key to dosing cats effectively with oral medication is ensuring that they are held still and that the full dosage can be given quickly and effectively at the first attempt.

Having another person available at the time of dosing can be of great benefit for many owners. The key is to stop the cat wriggling away and to immobilise the paws to prevent scratching of the owner during dosing. Some cats need to be wrapped in a towel to help with oral medicating.

Ensuring the cat has swallowed the full dose and does not spit it out is essential to ensure full coverage with the product. Holding the mouth closed and stroking the underside of the neck after dosing can help.

Emptying the contents of the ampoule onto the cat's paws can be a useful way of dosing as the cat will groom the product off. However owners need to be aware that the full dose may not be received if given in this way as some product may fall off the paw or be rubbed off. Direct oral dosing would therefore be preferable.

Active ingredients

Program oral suspension contains the active ingredient Lufenuron which is a flea development inhibitor.

Contraindications and warnings

All dogs and cats in a household must be treated concurrently with a Program product for full effectiveness.

The product does not kill fleas so a flea adulticide product such as Capstar may be required during the initial stages of treatment and on occasion during the flea season.