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NFA-VPS Over the Counter Companion Animal

Advantage 40 mg Spot-on Solution for Cats (<4 kg)

Active ingredient: Imidacloprid

Form

Spot-on

Species

Cats

Manufacturer

Elanco GmbH

VMD MA No.

52127/5134

What it's used for

One treatment prevents further flea infestation for three to four weeks. The veterinary medicinal product can be used as part of a treatment strategy for t...

Full indications, dosage and side effects ↓
View official SPC (PDF)

The prescription itself has a price. See what practices near you charge for a consultation and the written prescription fee.

Paying less for Imidacloprid

  1. 1

    Ask your vet for a written prescription

    They must provide one on request. Under the CMA Order the fee is capped at £21 from 2027.

  2. 2

    Fill it at a registered online retailer

    The CMA found online pharmacies 50–60% cheaper than practice dispensing on common medicines — typically £200–£300 a year.

Clinical information

Advantage 40 mg Spot-on Solution for Cats (<4 kg) — SPC Details

Source: VMD Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC). Last updated 27 Mar 2026.

One treatment prevents further flea infestation for three to four weeks. The veterinary
medicinal product can be used as part of a treatment strategy for the control of Flea
Allergy Dermatitis (FAD) where this has been previously diagnosed by a veterinary
surgeon.
Underdosing could result in ineffective use and may favour resistance development.
To ensure a correct dosage, body weight should be determined as accurately as
possible.
Dosage and treatment schedule
The recommended minimum dose is 10 mg imidacloprid per kg body weight (bw),
equivalent to 0.1 ml/kg bw of the veterinary medicinal product.
Cat
weight
(kg)
Pipette size to be
used
Pipette volume
(ml)
Imidacloprid (mg/kg
bw)
< 4 kgAdvantage 40 mg
for cats
0.4minimum of 10
For cats of 4 kg bw and greater, use the appropriate available pipette size for the weight
of the cat to be treated.
For treatment or prevention of infestations with fleas the need for and frequency of re-
treatment(s) should be based on professional advice and should take into account the
local epidemiological situation and the animal’s lifestyle.
Method of administration
Remove one pipette from the package. Hold pipette in an upright position, twist and pull
off cap. Use reversed cap to twist and remove seal from pipette.
Part the hair on the cat's neck at the base of the skull until the skin is visible. Place the
tip of the pipette on the skin and squeeze firmly several times to empty the contents
directly onto the skin.
Application at the base of the skull will minimize the opportunity for the cat to lick the
veterinary medicinal product.
Apply only to undamaged skin.
Do not treat unweaned kittens of less than 8 weeks of age.
Do not use in cases of hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the
excipients.
Cats
Very rare
(<1 animal / 10,000 animals treated,
including isolated reports):
Agitation
Diarrhoea
, Hypersalivation
, Vomiting
Neurological signs (e.g. Depression,
Incoordination, Tremor) Application site
reaction (e.g. Hair loss, Itching,
Reddening of the skin, Skin lesion)
May occur after oral ingestion.
May occur if the cat licks the application site immediately after treatment due to the
bitter taste. This is not a sign of intoxication and disappears within some minutes
without treatment.
Reporting adverse events is important. It allows continuous safety monitoring of a
veterinary medicinal product. Reports should be sent, preferably via a veterinarian, to
either the marketing authorisation holder <or its local representative> or the national
competent authority via the national reporting system. See the package leaflet for
respective contact details.
Unnecessary use of antiparasitics or use deviating from the instructions given in the
SPC may increase the resistance selection pressure and lead to reduced efficacy. The
decision to use the veterinary medicinal product should be based on confirmation of the
parasitic species and burden, or of the risk of infestation based on its epidemiological
features, for each individual animal.
The possibility that other animals in the same household can be a source of re-infection
with fleas should be considered, and these should be treated as necessary with an
appropriate product.
Re-infestation from emergence of new fleas in the environment may continue to occur
for six weeks or longer after treatment is initiated. More than one treatment may
therefore be required, depending on the level of fleas in the environment. To aid
reduction in environmental challenge, the additional use of a suitable environmental
treatment against adult fleas and their developing stages is recommended, especially of
the animal's basket, bedding and regular resting areas such as carpets and soft
furnishings. In order to reduce further the environmental challenge, it is recommended
that all cats in the household are treated. Treatment of nursing queens controls flea
infestations on both dam and offspring.
The veterinary medicinal product remains effective if the animal becomes wet, for
example after exposure to heavy rain. However, re-treatment may become necessary,
depending on the presence of fleas in the environment. In these cases do not treat
more frequently than once weekly.

Special precautions for safe use in the target species:
This veterinary medicinal product is for topical use and should not be administered
orally.
Care should be taken to avoid the contents of the pipette coming into contact with the
eyes or mouth of the recipient animal.
Do not allow recently treated animals to groom each other.
Any collar should be removed prior to application of the veterinary medicinal product.
Prior to re-fitting the collar, the treated area should be visually assessed to ensure it is
dry.
Special precautions to be taken by the person administering the veterinary medicinal
product to animals
This veterinary medicinal product contains benzyl alcohol and may cause skin
sensitisation or transient skin reactions in rare cases (for example, irritation, tingling).
People with known hypersensitivity to imidacloprid and benzyl alcohol should avoid
contact with the veterinary medicinal product.
Avoid contact between the veterinary medicinal product and skin, eyes, or mouth.
Do not massage the application site.
Do not eat, drink, or smoke during application.
Wash off any skin contamination with soap and water.
If the veterinary medicinal product gets into eyes accidentally, the eyes should be
thoroughly flushed with water.
If skin or eye irritation persists, or the veterinary medicinal product is accidentally
swallowed, seek medical advice immediately and show the package leaflet or the label
to the physician.
After application, do not stroke or groom animals until application site is dry.
Wash hands thoroughly after use.
Special precautions for the protection of the environment:
Imidacloprid is toxic to aquatic organisms, see section 5.5.
Other precautions:
The solvent in this veterinary medicinal product may stain certain materials including
leather, fabrics, plastics and finished surfaces. Allow the application site to dry before
permitting contact with such materials.
No incompatibility has been observed between this veterinary medicinal product at twice
the recommended dose and the following commonly used veterinary medicinal
products: lufenuron, pyrantel and praziquantel. The compatibility of the veterinary
medicinal product was also demonstrated with a wide range of routine treatments under
field conditions including vaccination.
This veterinary medicinal product does not require any special storage conditions.
Keep the blister in the outer carton.
Not applicable.

This information is sourced from the official Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) published by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). It is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace professional veterinary advice. Always consult your vet before administering any medication.

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