Flumethrin: veterinary dose and monograph

At a glance

Drug class

Antiparasitic

Also known as

Seresto (component), Bayticol, Flumethrin

Species with doses

Dogs, Cats, Cattle and Sheep

Routes

Topical

Last reviewed

1 October 2026

Indications

• Flea AND TICK control/repellency in dogs and cats (slow-release collar, with imidacloprid)
• Tick, lice, mite and fly control in cattle/sheep (pour-on/dip)
• Varroa mite control in honeybee colonies (apiculture)

Flumethrin dose by species

Doses are per administration unless stated. mg/kg doses scale with body weight; per-animal, per-quarter and infusion-rate doses are shown as the reference writes them.

Dogs

• Flea/tick control (collar): Label-sourced — neither Papich 5e nor Plumb’s has a flumethrin monograph; follow the product label.

Cats

• Flea/tick control (collar): Label-sourced (no Papich 5e or Plumb’s monograph). Use only cat-labelled products — never livestock pyrethroid concentrates on cats.

Cattle

• Tick/lice/fly control (pour-on/dip): Label-sourced (no Papich 5e or Plumb’s monograph). Meat and milk withdrawals differ between pour-on and dip products — follow the local label.

Sheep

• Ticks / lice / keds (topical): Label-sourced (no Papich 5e or Plumb’s monograph). Follow the local label for concentration and withdrawal.

Buffalo

No buffalo-specific doses are on file, so buffalo are dosed as cattle.

• Tick/lice/fly control (pour-on/dip): Label-sourced (no Papich 5e or Plumb’s monograph). Meat and milk withdrawals differ between pour-on and dip products — follow the local label.

Contraindications

Concentrated livestock pyrethroid formulations on CATS (pyrethroid sensitivity). Application to broken skin. Aquatic environments (highly toxic to fish/bees outside controlled hive use). Known hypersensitivity. Use species-appropriate products.

Species-specific warnings

Cats: The cat Seresto collar is cat-safe, but concentrated livestock pyrethroid dips/pour-ons are NOT — never apply those to cats (pyrethroid neurotoxicity).

Adverse effects

• Local application-site dermatitis/pruritus (collar/pour-on)
• Pyrethroid neurotoxicity (tremor) with gross overexposure — far less likely than permethrin at labelled use
• Environmental toxicity (fish, aquatic invertebrates, non-target bees)

Drug interactions

• Other neurotoxic insecticides (organophosphates/carbamates): additive toxicity
• Combined with imidacloprid in the collar (flea adulticide + tick acaricide)
• No major systemic therapeutic interactions (topical)

Pregnancy and lactation

Collar/topical use is generally considered low-risk at label use; follow product label.

Monitoring

• Flea/tick control efficacy and collar fit/integrity
• Application-site dermatitis
• Environmental stewardship (fish/bees) for livestock dips

Toxicity and overdose

At labelled use (notably the cat-safe collar) it is well tolerated. Gross overexposure to concentrated pyrethroid (e.g. a livestock product misused on a cat) can cause pyrethroid neurotoxicity (tremor, hyperexcitability), though flumethrin is generally less hazardous to cats than permethrin. Highly toxic to fish/aquatic invertebrates and to non-target bees.

Management: Remove the collar / bathe off topical product. For pyrethroid neurotoxicity: methocarbamol and/or benzodiazepines for tremor, active cooling, IV fluids, and intravenous lipid emulsion for severe cases. Supportive care; effects usually resolve with decontamination and time.

Clinical pearls

• The TICK-killing acaricide in the Seresto collar (with imidacloprid) — months of flea and tick control/repellency in one collar
• Unlike permethrin, the cat Seresto collar uses a cat-safe flumethrin level — but still keep CONCENTRATED livestock pyrethroid products away from cats
• Strong tick repellency is valuable for tick-borne-disease prevention
• Highly toxic to fish and bees (outside controlled Varroa use) — dispose of dips/collars responsibly

Mechanism of action

A type-II pyrethroid that prolongs the open state of voltage-gated SODIUM channels in arthropod nerves, causing repetitive depolarisation, hyperexcitation, paralysis and death of ticks/insects/mites, with a strong contact/repellent ("hot-foot") effect on ticks. Selectivity for arthropod over mammalian channels gives a good safety margin; the slow-release collar matrix delivers low, sustained levels to the skin/coat lipids over months.

Formulations and products

• Slow-release collar — flumethrin + imidacloprid (Seresto)
• Pour-on / dip concentrate 1–6 % (livestock, Bayticol)
• Seresto (Elanco (Bayer)) — Flumethrin + imidacloprid slow-release collar, Collar (~8 months)
• Bayticol (Elanco (Bayer)) — Flumethrin pour-on / dip concentrate, Pour-on / dip
• Chooz Pour-on (Micro Animal Health Care (Micro Labs group), Bengaluru) — 1 % w/v flumethrin, Pour-on

Storage

Collars/concentrates: 15–30 °C in original packaging; keep from water bodies (aquatic/bee toxicity). Dispose responsibly.

Before you use this dose

Reference doses for veterinary professionals. Confirm the dose against the product label, the patient’s condition, current guidance and local regulations before use; the attending veterinarian remains responsible for every clinical decision.

Other antiparasitics

• Epsiprantel
• Febantel
• Fenbendazole
• Fipronil
• Fluralaner
• Halofuginone
• Imidacloprid
• Imidocarb Dipropionate

Frequently asked questions