Raising cats or dogs includes making major decisions. What should you feed them? Should you get them spayed or not? But most importantly, how can you protect your house and pet from an infestation?
In this article, you’ll be learning about two excellent anti-parasitic medications, Revolution and Advantage Multi, which have proven treatment and prevention effects.
This guide will discuss their differences and similarities in terms of:
- Active ingredients
- Effectiveness
- Side effects
- Sensitivity
- Useability
- Availability
- Price
Revolution vs. Advantage Multi – which is the medication of choice?
Let’s hop right in!
Table of Contents
Revolution vs Advantage Multi: Overview
Revolution and Advantage Multi are vet-prescribed, anti-parasitic topical solutions used to treat pests that infest cats and dogs. Doses depend on pet species, age, and weight. Revolution’s main pros are its wide safety profile and broad-spectrum. On the other hand, Advantage Multi is more effective against heartworm infections, which tend to be hard to treat.
| Image | Product | Details | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Advantage Multi | Best for heartworm infections | Check Price |
 | Revolution | Runner-Up | Check Price |
Comparison: Battle Of The Parasiticides
Unsure whether to choose Revolution or Advantage Multi for your fluffy buddy? This comparison will surely help you out!
Active Ingredient
Active components in medication are the biologically active constituents that fulfill the main purpose of the drug. It’s crucial to understand the active constituent of some medication to be able to choose the right treatment and utilize it with maximum efficacy.
In Revolution’s case, selamectin is the active ingredient, while in Advantage Multi, Imidacloprid, Moxidectin are.
Revolution
Selamectin: This component is majorly parasitostatic.This means that it stops the development of insects at specific stages in their life cycle, rather than killing them. Selamectin prevents the development of flea eggs and adult heartworms.
It also has parasiticidal effects that include killing adult fleas, ear mites, hookworms, American dog ticks, Sarcoptic mange (scabies), and roundworms. Revolution is ineffective only against tapeworms.
Advantage Multi
Imidacloprid: is an insect-specific neurotoxin. When applied to your pet’s skin, it spreads between the fur across the body. Imidacloprid kills fleas on contact by interfering with the transmission of stimuli in their nervous system.
Moxidectin: once applied on your pet’s skin, it’s readily absorbed into the bloodstream to kill internal parasites. Similar to imidacloprid, they’re neurotoxins that reduce movement and hinder fertility through paralysis.
Internal parasites include intestinal hookworms, whipworms, and roundworms. Moreover, it’s effective against ear mites and heartworm infections.
Advantage Multi-active ingredients make it less potent to adult fleas, ticks, and tapeworms.
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Effectiveness
Revolution and Advantage Multi are both clinically-certified topical treatments, used according to vet prescriptions. This ensures maximum effectiveness and safety.
Revolution
Revolution is a non-greasy liquid treatment that becomes waterproof two hours after application. Yet, it contains alcohol so be careful not to use it on wounds or broken skin.
After Revolution is absorbed into the bloodstream, it can rise back to the skin and intoxicate the pests attacking your cat or dog. If applied in a timely manner, it can prevent re-infection, even if your fluffy friend spends the majority of its time outdoors. This is because it kills existing fleas and prevents flea eggs from further development and hatching.
Within 36 hours of application, Revolution kills 98% of fleas. Only one dose is effective enough to eradicate an infestation.
Advantage Multi
Advantage Multi is a greasy liquid treatment, with an unpleasant odor that protects your furry friend from an infestation externally and internally. Its broad-spectrum nature allows it to target internal pests in the gut and the external ones hiding in between your pet’s fur.
Unlike Revolution, it doesn’t promise safety from reinfection. Therefore, outdoor playing sessions have to be controlled to ensure their efficacy.
Upon application, it’s rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream. Within 12 hours, it kills 98% of adult fleas on your pooch.
Side Effects
There are general precautions you should take to avoid adverse reactions. These include washing your hands before and after applying the medication, flushing your eye with water if some get in it, and preventing your furr-iend from licking the medication.
The specific side effects are the following:
Revolution
Studies proved that dogs experienced no adverse effects when received 10 times the recommended dose. This implies the rarity of side effects.
Itching and mild redness on the area of application is a common reaction. It is non-concerning and goes away after a while.
Even if the pet accidentally ingested some of the medication, it’s rare to display any side effects. Moreover, it can be used on pregnant, lactating cats and young kittens. It’s also harmless for owners.
While some studies promise the safety of Revolution, there have been cases where owners reported side effects that affected their pet’s overall health. Some of these include vomiting and loss of fur at the site of application.
However, no significant side effects relevant to Revolution were reported by owners or discussed in studies.
Advantage Multi
Side effects are quite a concern when it comes to Advantage Multi. They’re not common, but also not rare. A respectable number of cases with these side effects have been reported before.
Once the topical treatment is applied, make sure not to touch the liquid till it has dried. Advantage is irritating to the skin.
Moreover, It’s crucial to wash your hands after the procedure before eating or smoking. Also, make sure to separate your cat or dog to ensure that they don’t lick the medication. Advantage Multi is toxic to human beings as it is to pets if ingested.
If ingested, the following neurological symptoms may present:
- Seizures or convulsions
- Panting
- Incoordination and imbalance
- Dilated pupils (mydriasis)
- Excessive salivation
- Depression
Advantage Multi is a non-specific neurotoxin, meaning that the toxin could display effects on pets and human beings.
Sensitivity
Avermectin is a group of anti-parasitic medication that includes selamectin and moxidectin. Therefore, when cats or dogs are allergic, we say that they’re avermectin-sensitive.
Revolution
Revolution should be applied to Collie breeds with caution since they may be sensitive to selamectin, although this is rare.
Advantage Multi
This treatment is intolerable for allergic breeds. Collies and Collie cross-breed are highly avermectin-sensitive. Ingestion of this treatment may lead to severe illness and death.
Usability
Both Revolution and Advantage Multi are marketed as pre-dosed pipettes. This is super convenient since it saves time and protects your pet from an accidental overdose. The treatment should be chosen according to the pet’s weight. Treatment is applied to their neck or nape every 30 days.
Keep in mind that the boxes are color-coded according to your pet type and weight as follows:
Revolution
For dogs, Revolution comes in mauve, purple, brown, red, teal, and plum boxes in order of increasing weight. The mauve is for the lightest pups and kittens, weighing up to 5 lbs. While plum is for the heavies, weighing up to 130 lbs.
As for cats; there are mauve, blue, and taupe boxes in order of increasing weight. As mentioned, the mauve is for cats that weigh 5lbs, and the taupe box is for kittens up to 22 lbs.
Keep in mind that the mauve box could also be prescribed for cats below 5lbs.
Advantage Multi
For dogs; Advantage comes in green, teal, red, blue, and brown boxes in order of increasing weight. The green is for dogs as light as 3lbs, while the brown is for puppies as heavy as 110 lbs.
As for cats, there are orange and purple boxes in order of increasing weight. The orange is for cats and ferrets that weigh as low as 5lbs, and the purple is for kitties that weigh up to 18 lbs.
Availability
Although it’s preferred to use these treatments upon prescription, they sell them in a few third-world countries without one. This makes them more in-reach, but their availability is still variable.
Revolution is considered more available in the market than Advantage since more pet owners opt for it, therefore, the demand for it is greater. However, there are times when it runs out of the market.
You can order both Revolution and Advantage Multi online, but there may be a delay in their shipment since the prescription has to be verified.
Price
Revolution and Advantage Multi are prescription-only medicine in the majority of countries since the active ingredients in them are heavily concentrated.
This implies two things, first, your pet will require a heartworm test before choosing and administering the right treatment. Second, the higher concentration makes both medications more expensive than other anti-parasitic OTC products.
Moreover, Revolution is more expensive than Advantage because of its broader spectrum and bigger safety profile.
FAQs
Can You Use Advantage Multi And Revolution Together?
No, never combine flea medicines, unless your vet advised otherwise. Using multiple anti-parasitic medications might lead to overdosing. Drug interactions may cause severe lethal toxicity that may result in death.
Does Advantage Multi Kill Flea Eggs?
Advantage Multi’s active ingredients allow it to be larvicidal and adulticidal. This means that it eradicates flea larva and adult fleas, but is not very effective when it comes to flea eggs. Advantage Multi inhibits the development of flea eggs but does not lead to their death.
Why Does My Cat Still Have Fleas After Using Advantage Or Revolution?
There are two main reasons why you’re able to spot active fleas even after treatment.
1. Hyperactivity before death
The active constituents in Revolution and Advantage Multi are neurotoxic. This means that they cause hyperexcitability followed by paralysis. Moreover, this hyperexcitability will cause the vermins to be hyperactive a few hours before their death.
This increased activity will promote the fleas to surface on your pets and lead your pet to itch and bite at its skin till those fleas have died.
Keep in mind that no parasitic medication out there is instant. The medication takes time to absorb into your pet’s skin and the fleas. Post-absorption, some more time has to pass by before effects are exhibited.
The time between the treatment application and hyperexcitability is similar to the incubation period in human beings. When someone catches a virus, the virus takes some time before it can start demonstrating its clinical manifestations.
2. New fleas are jumping onto your pet
Another point to keep in mind is that there is no anti-parasitic treatment out there that will repel insects or prevent them from jumping onto your pet.
If you had an infested furry buddy that kept lying and playing around the house, chances are your house is infested too. As a recap, the flea life stages start with eggs, then larvae and pupae, then an adult flea emerges. Consequently, many immature fleas might be hiding in your furniture or carpets.
Once these pests spot a host animal, aka your meow or ruff-ruff, they hatch out of their eggs or cocoons and enjoy a blood meal to survive. In fact, It’s not that the medication is not fulfilling its purpose, but that new pests are attacking your pet.
No worries though, if you give your pooches their monthly treatment, insects will die upon contact with them. It’s also advised to spray and treat your house alongside your pet’s treatment.
Final Thoughts
Both products are considered high-quality with high concentrations of avermectin. Therefore, both are of promised competence. However, Revolution is a clear winner for many reasons.
Firstly, Revolution does not require a minimum weight and is safe to use before six weeks of age. This ensures protection from an infestation early on.
Secondly, Revolution has a broad spectrum, allowing it to treat internal and external pests. It can also disrupt the flea life cycle, killing both flea eggs and adult fleas.
Thirdly and most importantly, Revolution has few to no side effects and is safe around human beings.
Finally, although it’s slightly more costly than Advantage Multi, its greater availability in the market makes it within reach and easy to acquire.
Advantage Multi, however, is preferred for heavier, older pets with a worm concern. Whether it may be tapeworm or heartworm, Advantage is the drug of choice.
I’ve been living with cats since 2008 and I can confidently say I have more feline friends than humans lol. I currently live with 5 cats in different life stages; two of them are less than one year old, one is 2-ish years old and the oldest two are 9-ish years old. I’ve developed a strong bond with cats over the years and I’m eager to share my experience through this blog. You can learn more about my cats here.