Revolution is a newer product that offers control of heartworm, fleas, ticks, ear mites, scabies, roundworms and hookworms.  It is easy to use, and is applied topically once a month to the back of the neck.  For the sake of heartworm control, we recommend it be used once a month from May 1st to December 1st.

We also feel that this is an exciting breakthrough in the prevention of heartworm in cats.  HeartGard for cats just has not been as well accepted as we would have liked.  Because Revolution is applied topically, it needs no acceptance by the animal like a pill does.  Reports indicate that some cats have suffered temporary hair loss at the site of application--we have seen this only in very rare cases.

We have had the opportunity to use Revolution in a number of cases and give it mixed reviews.  For scabies and heartworm prevention, it has been very effective.  We have found it to be less effective than other treatment options for tick control, ear mite treatment and flea control.  But, it is much more convenient than having to apply or give two or three different drugs each month to control all of the parasites your pet is exposed to.  So, if you want something that is easy to use and prevents the greatest number of problems, this is the way to go. 

For most people, probably the biggest drawback to Revolution is its' pricetag.  It is packaged in 6-packs, which run from $60 for cats to $108 for large dogs.  In dogs weighing less than 85#  the price is comparable to using a monthly heartworm preventive, monthly flea control, and seasonal or monthly tick control.  The big price jump occurs in large dogs weighing from 86# to 130#.