How does Advocate kill flea larvae?
Once Advocate is applied the active ingredient (imidacloprid) spreads across the body quite rapidly. During this process, imidacloprid forms microscopic particles that bind with the superficial lipid layer on the skin surface. This lipid material is slowly shed off of the animal, via the normal replenishing activity of the epidermis. This “dander,” made up of bits of epidermal cells, lipid, hair fragments and such, also contains imidacloprid. Thus, the treated dog, in essence, treats its own environment (as flea larvae feed on the biological material). As imidacloprid is an extremely potent compound (i.e., very small amounts kill fleas and flea larvae), sufficient amounts are deposited to effectively kill flea larvae in the pet’s surroundings.
