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Is Injectable Flea Prevention Right for My Pet?

Is Injectable Flea Prevention Right for My Pet?

Published: March 15, 2019

Updated on February 03, 2023
Reviewer Profile Photo
Reviewed by Dr. JoAnna Pendergrass
DVM
Cat at veterinarian

If there's one word that pet parents do not like to hear, it's “fleas.”

Fleas may be tiny, but they are mighty in terms of how many problems they cause. Known scientifically as Ctenocephalides felis (cat flea) and Ctenocephalides canis (dog flea), fleas hop onto our pets and become a big nuisance. Flea bites can make our pets miserably itchy and possibly even spread disease, such as tapeworms.

As if that wasn't bad enough, female adult fleas can lay up to 40 eggs per day that fall off the host pet and develop in the environment, getting ready to start the cycle all over again. A flea infestation in the home can be difficult and expensive to eradicate.

Because fleas are so problematic, flea prevention is essential—even for indoor cats! When used year-round, flea preventives work well to keep these tiny parasites off of our pets and out of our homes. Although flea preventives are available over the counter, the most effective products are prescribed by veterinarians. Commonly prescribed preventives include oral and topical medications—although injectable flea prevention is available, as well.

Injectable Flea Prevention for Cats

Injectable flea prevention is ideal for pet parents who struggle with administering topical or oral flea preventives. Currently, it is available only for cats (sorry, dog parents!). If giving your dog his monthly oral or topical flea preventive is a battle of wills, talk with your veterinarian about alternative flea prevention strategies.

The injectable flea prevention product for cats is called Program. This product contains lufenuron, a substance known as an insect growth regulator (IGR). IGRs prevent the normal development of insects from eggs to adults. Although lufenuron does not kill adult fleas on cats, it affects their ability to produce flea eggs that can hatch and survive to adulthood. Thus, lufenuron breaks the cycle of flea reproduction.

What makes injectable Program so appealing is its duration: one injection works for six months! After Program is injected, it is stored in a cat's body fat, meaning that it will stay in the body for a long time. Because Program works for so long, cat parents do not need to remember to give a monthly flea preventive or struggle with their cats each month to administer the medication.

A potential drawback, however, is the need for a veterinary visit to have the injection administered. If your cat is not a fan of the veterinary office or injections, administering Program may be a problem in and of itself.

If your cat does not like oral or topical flea preventives, injectable flea prevention may be a good option. Talk with your veterinarian to determine if an injectable flea preventive is right for your cat.

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