Best flea treatment for dogs?

[raynefyre]

My dogs are starting to itch again. Last summer we tried Frontline Plus but it didn't seem to work after a few days. The only relief we could get for them was bathing them constantly, but it dried out their skin horribly. Any suggestions? I want to try to get them treated early before they get any worse.

 

[sarae]

I've had really good luck using First Shield or Vectra 3d (both available only from a vet, but if you've got a petsmart with a Banfield in it, you can get first shield there without an appointment or an office visit).


I've heard too many reports about the OTC stuff not working around here, I'm not even going to chance trying it.

 

[ceduke]

Frontline and Advantage are meant to be applied year-round. If an infestation is already present, it can take up to three months for it to be fully eradicated (As the eggs live, well, everywhere) I buy the large dog Frontline, and measure out the correct dosage with a syringe so I can split one tube between my three animals. It saves me a fortune.

Also bear in mind that any flea bites present will continue to itch for up to two weeks regardless of whether or not there are still fleas on the animal.

 

[Susan]

I have only one word for you...COMFORTIS

We've been recommending it since it first came out and everyone is extremely pleased with how well it works. It is prescription, so your dogs need to be current on their exams, and it can't be used on dogs less then 14 weeks old or those that have a history of seizure activity. You also have to make sure you give it when the dog has a full stomach. It starts killing fleas within 30 minutes and lasts for at least 30 days. Keep your dog in a confined area (bathroom/crate) with a light colored sheet or towel underneath to see all the dead fleas that fell off your dog after you give the tablet for the first time. It's amazing!

 

[animalhouse]

Comfortis is the best thing EVER! lol I use it for my dogs..and I have one with a Flea Allergy,So I have to make sure there are NO fleas here.

 

[dionythicus]

As with any med, there can be dangerous side effects. Comfortis has been shown to cause vomiting and death with a small number of dogs. Just something to keep in mind. I also worry about organ damage with any internal meds, but I haven't found any reports on that yet. I personally like Frontline or Advantage.

 

[Nanci]

I like Comfortis, but it's expensive. I've been using Frontline Topspot. And Benedryl for itching.

 

[vetusvates]

I have only one word for you...COMFORTIS

We've been recommending it since it first came out and everyone is extremely pleased with how well it works. It is prescription, so your dogs need to be current on their exams, and it can't be used on dogs less then 14 weeks old or those that have a history of seizure activity. You also have to make sure you give it when the dog has a full stomach. It starts killing fleas within 30 minutes and lasts for at least 30 days. Keep your dog in a confined area (bathroom/crate) with a light colored sheet or towel underneath to see all the dead fleas that fell off your dog after you give the tablet for the first time. It's amazing!

Comfortis is the best thing EVER! lol I use it for my dogs..and I have one with a Flea Allergy,So I have to make sure there are NO fleas here.

I like Comfortis, but it's expensive. I've been using Frontline Topspot. And Benedryl for itching.

Comfortis.

Note : Flea eggs will live in the ground and cracks of hardwood floors for 2-3 years. I once moved into a situation that was almost intolerable. But I conquered it.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

 

[Pal-O-Mine]

Comfortis is a great product. Vectra D is also the new, snazzy, flea control that works really well because the fleas haven't had a chance to build up any resistance to it like the older flea control products on the market. Just a bit of advice, whatever topical, monthly flea control you use ( and please make sure its from a vet. That way you're actually getting the same product on the inside of the box that's advertised on the outside;-) MAKE SURE YOU USE IT FOR 3 TO 4 MONTHS before deciding "AH! This ain't working!" Whatever fleas that are on the dog may be killed but there is still their eggs in the environment and their pupae that have to mature before the flea control can kill them. As with many things, persistence is the key. AND DON'T STOP USING IT IN THE WINTER BECAUSE "Its cold. There's no fleas when its cold." That's a LIE! Your house is warm, the dog is warm and if there is a warm day or two, the fleas and ticks are active again.

Sorry for the ranting tone but I sell this stuff every day at work!

Devon

 

[MysticExotics]

Some holistic remedies for fleas on the fur kids:

1Tbs of apple cider vinegar per 16 oz drinking water makes them unappetizing to fleas & ticks (you can start off with smaller amounts to get them used to the taste of the ACV in the water).

100% pure Neem oil (made for humans) mixed with water in a spray bottle, sprayed onto your doog/cat/ferret before you go outside-avoid spraying the head/eye area.
http://www.iherb.com/now-foods-neem-oil-1-fl-oz-30-ml/14739?utm_source=gb&utm_medium=pf&at=0

You can bathe them in pure castile soap w/ peppermint (Dr Bronner's Peppermint soap is a good one) to get rid of fleas. Keeping up on preventatives will help prevent the need for frequent bathing. *One thing you can do when you bathe them, is first rub in a ring of soap around their faces and necks FIRST thing. This is to create a soap barrier that the fleas don't want to cross. Of course, you have to be careful not to get the soap into eyes or mouths, but I get as close as I can and then work my way back towards the tail as I bathe. It can be a pain - especially since you have to be extra careful washing the soap off - but if it keeps the fleas from going to the face I think it's worth the extra care.

Lemon- citrus is a natural flea repellent. Slice a lemon (score and leave the peel on) and pour 1 cup of boiling water over it. Let sit overnight- this water can then be sprayed on your dog. This will kill fleas and temporarily prevent new ones from taking up residence on your dog.

Here's another lemon variation-

Herbal Flea and Tick Repellent

Find yourself a big, juicy lemon (the thicker the rind, the better) and slice it paper thin.
Next, put into a glass or ceramic bowl and add a large sprig of rosemary (or a Tbsp. of crushed, dried).
Add the following: 10 drops of tea tree oil, 1 tsp. of powdered pennyroyal (or 10 drops of the oil).
Pour hot (near boiling) water over the concoction and let it steep overnight.
Strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth and into a spray bottle. Refrigerate. Mist your dog thoroughly before each walk or any outside activity. Spray on feet, legs, belly, back (areas where fleas and ticks love to go).

The lemon oil in the mixture will also make your dog’s coat shiny and keep them smelling wonderful!
Lemon oil is also a natural antiseptic, so not only do you prevent fleas and ticks, but you keep bacteria away at the same time.

For your house:
sprinkle baking soda on your carpets-which will dry out the newly hatched fleas as well as eggs, leave for 4-5 days then vacuum.

You can place small dishes of water, with a drop of dishsoap, placed in an area where it won't be spilled/disturbed, place a night light of some sort nearby, which will attract the fleas. They will drown in the water (dish soap creats a surface tension that they cannot get back out.)

 

[Susan]

As with any med, there can be dangerous side effects. Comfortis has been shown to cause vomiting and death with a small number of dogs. Just something to keep in mind. I also worry about organ damage with any internal meds, but I haven't found any reports on that yet. I personally like Frontline or Advantage.

ALL medications have potentially bad side effects. Yes, Comfortis may cause vomiting, but the few cases out the hundreds of dogs from our hospital that are using it have been a result of the owners not feeding the dog enough prior to giving it. They thought that a treat or two was the same as a meal/full stomach. Then there was one that was the offspring of a dog with known seizures. The younger dog had never had a seizure that the owner knew of, but the Comfortis may have brought that to the surface. Other than that, we have not seen any of the potential bad side effects in Comfortis or any other medication, for that matter. But then, all it takes is one case out of thousands to get the media screaming about it, especially when the story comes from a study run by the competition.

I like Comfortis, but it's expensive. I've been using Frontline Topspot. And Benedryl for itching.

Depends upon where you get it. Our hospital sells it for about the same price as Advantage.

And then, there is a product many people forget about that is actually the best thing you can use in conjunction with ANY of the other fleas products. It's called Program (also found in Sentinel). It is a hormone that sterilizes fleas so that they cannot reproduce in the environment. If more people used it, we wouldn't be having the problem we are with fleas becoming resistant to a particular flea control as those resistant fleas would not be able to make more resistant fleas. My family has used it since it came out on the market and we have been flea-free since, even when I bring fleas home from the hospital on my clothes. The pills are monthly for dogs, and for cats, you can use pills, a liquid or a convenient 6 month injection.

 

[Cflaguy]

I know a shelter lady.....

who uses vegetable oil when bething her dogs. It clogs up the breathing pores of the creepies and suffocates them. It does take a few days however.

Another thing to remember. If you're bathing your dog right after applying any topical use a shampoo w/o soaps or detergents. You will wash the treatment right off. Best to use a soap based shampoo a few days prior to the next treatment.

 

[raynefyre]

My fiance got them Frontline Plus and we gave it to them last night. They have completely stopped itching except Moose has some scabs from biting his rear. I gave him some Benedryl and now they are both back to being happy doggies, snoozing next to me.

If they do start itching again I will definitely be doing something else, like bathing, to help them get comfortable again. Thanks for all you help guys. Ya'll are just too awesome!

 

[Cflaguy]

I didn't read this the first time around......

Frontline and Advantage are meant to be applied year-round. If an infestation is already present, it can take up to three months for it to be fully eradicated (As the eggs live, well, everywhere) I buy the large dog Frontline, and measure out the correct dosage with a syringe so I can split one tube between my three animals. It saves me a fortune.

Also bear in mind that any flea bites present will continue to itch for up to two weeks regardless of whether or not there are still fleas on the animal.

Well done. The wife was a vet tech for ten years and also says this.....

When you spray a roach with Raid, Black Flag whatever, the female will flip over and spit out her youngins. They will be immune to whatever you killed mommy with. Same is true for Advantage and Frontline. She says to alternate between the two.