I'll try to give a summary of the flea, ear mite, and heartworm products.
 
FLEAS: Frontline, Advantage, Revolution, Program.
1) Frontline is my favorite flea product.  It also does ticks and in my
experience it also does a good job with ear mites (note: it is not labeled
for ear mites here in the USA).  It comes in a spray bottle that is dosed
at 1 spray per pound of body weight.  For ear mites I suggest 1 spray into
each ear and 1 spray on the top of the neck.  The spray form is the most
cost effective if you have a lot of animals.  The cat monthly top spot or
the cat size of the new Frontline plus can also be used.  For ear mites
apply the tube on the neck between the ears.  Some people use just 1/2 of
the tube per ferret.  This product remains on the skin and in the hair
follicles for 30 days even with baths.
 
2) Advantage is another great flea product, but it only does fleas.  The
cat size tube can be used.  Some use just 1/2 of the tube per ferret.
This product remains on the skin for 30 days, but some will wash off if
the animal gets a bath.
 
3) Revolution is the newer flea product.  It is a once a month topical
liquid in a tube also.  In addition to fleas, it also kills ticks, ear
mites, and skin mites.  Plus it is also a heartworm preventative.
Revolution is absorbed into the bloodstream.  It also last for 30 days.
The 5-15 pound cat size is recommended at this time.  It is bath-proof,
also.
 
3) Program was the first big flea product, but it is my least favorite one
now.
 
Basically Program kills the flea eggs, so the fleas cannot produce more
fleas.  It does not kill the adults fleas.  They will die after 2-3 months
from old age.  The flea must bite the animal to get this product.  It last
for 30 days also and is bath-proof.  (This product at a higher dose can
also be used for ringworm.)
 
EAR MITES: Revolution, Frontline, Acarexx, Ivomec.
1) Revolution (see above) kills ear mites, fleas, ticks, skin mites, and
is a heartworm preventative.  Clean ears out and apply monthly.
 
2) Frontline (see above) kills fleas, ticks, and ear mites.  Clean ears
out and apply monthly.  The spray is the most cost effective.
 
3) Acarexx is diluted ivermectin ear drops.  It comes in a package with
2 tubes (1 for each ear).  Repeat treatment after 3 weeks.  I suggest
cleaning the ears out then applying Acarexx.
 
4) Ivomec is ivermectin that can be giving as an injection or topically
into the ear.  Again repeat treatment in 3 weeks.  Clean ears out before
each treatment.
 
HEARTWORMS: Heartgard, Interceptor, Revolution, diluted Ivomec
1) Heartgard the 0-25 pound dog or the 0-5 pound cat can be used once a
month to prevent heartworms.
 
2)Interceptor 0-10 pound dog size can be used once a month to prevent
heartworms.  (My 2 ferrets will actually eat this tablet on their own,
but they would not eat the Heartgard for cats.) Interceptor will deworm
dogs for hooks, rounds, and whipworms, but I do not know if it will also
deworm ferrets.
 
3) Revolution 5-15 pound cat size can be used once a month to prevent
heartworms.  It also kills fleas, ticks, ear mites, and skin mites.  In
cats it also deworms them of hooks and rounds, but I do not know if it
will deworm ferrets.
 
4) Ivomec can be diluted and giving once a month to prevent heartworms.
This is the most cost effective if you have a lot of ferrets.
 
Hope that helps ,
Jerry Murray, DVM
[Posted in FML issue 3371]