Flea control

[Annie]

We need help. Our Moose is a giant flea magnet. Never had this problem before with our other dog.
We have tried everything. We go to dog parks and beach so he is exposed to a lot of areas. What do you find that helps?

[Stacy, Bruno, Molly and Gracie]

We use Vectra 3D and we have not had a problem since. It is a monthly topical that we get from our vet

[Pat and Traveler]

I feel for you, Annie, and for Moose!  We had a horrible flea infestation a couple of years ago, and nothing I tried worked.  Eventually I found a combination of Comfortis (an oral med, which needs a vet prescription & which I got through Dr. Smith online) and a premise spray which I got from the vet--this combo got rid of the fleas.  Trav absolutely hates Comfortis and it was a real struggle getting the huge tablet down his throat.  But the claim about it killing all fleas on the dog within an hour was true!  I timed it and checked his belly, which is the least hairy part of his anatomy.  lol  After giving him his first tablet, I made sure the house was vacuumed, everything washable was washed, and began spraying rooms.  The spray dried within about an hour.  After a few months of Comfortis, Trav threw up the tablet and I went to Advantix II, which has worked--though I did have to reapply it this month about two weeks after the last application, as fleas were starting to show up again.   Hope you'll find something that works, as it's horrible to have those critters around.   

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

We've used Frontline Plus for many years and have had no problems. 

[Annie]

Moose is on Vectra 3D right now and it isn't working. We have tried Frontline, Advantix, DE, everything except the pills from the vet. That's next.

[Donna K & Quincy]

Here's a link you may want to check out. Good luck!

http://www.medi-vet.com/Capstar.html

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

If Moose brought the fleas into your home, the only thing you can do to get rid of them is hire a professional exterminator. It's really very difficult to get rid of them once they have laid eggs. The larva can survive in a dormant state more than a year, even in an empty house. I had a bad flea infesation back in 2004, and tried everything from "natural" substances (borax, diatomaceous earth) to OTC flea bombs and sprays, and it still took two visits from the professional exterminator to finally get rid of them. :(

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Hi Annie ~ Welcome to Doodle Kisses!  I saw your post about fleas.  What does your vet recommend for fleas in your area?

When I was living in Seattle, our vet suggested Sentinel (a heartworm and flea prevention) and the use of capstar if we actually saw adult fleas as it kills them within 30 minutes.  The sentinel helps protect and break the cycle of fleas and their eggs.  Here are some interesting facts I recently read:  

• A female flea can lay 50 eggs every day — as many as 2,000 eggs in her 2- to 3-month lifetime.
• Female fleas consume 15 times their weight in blood every day.
• Eggs fall off your pet wherever it goes.
• Eggs hatch into maggot-like larvae in 2 to 4 days
• Larvae are repelled by light and burrow into carpet, fabric, cracks and crevices.

        By the time you see one flea, you could already have spent months living with an infestation of eggs and maggot-like  larvae hiding where you least expect — in your bedding, carpets, furniture, and even between floorboards.  They are just plain nasty!!

I hope you can get a program in place in order to get rid them asap!  I am so allergic to fleas and if I am around a dog or cat that has them, they will jump off the animal and onto me! Where we now live it is so hot and dry in the summer and cold & dry in the winter, that we have not had any fleas in the last 7 years, AND I AM KEEPING MY FINGERS CROSSED THAT CONTINUES! 

Good luck! 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

This is such good information, and so accurate.  

When I had the flea infestation, I was covered in bites. They can't live on people like they do on dogs and cats, but they can and do bite us!  

My Jackdoodle is also very allergic to fleas. In fact, flea allergy dermatitis is the most common type of allergy in dogs. 

[Christine & Camus]

There is a collar called Seresto that Camus' allergist has been testing on her dogs and I've been told she likes it.  It lasts for 8 months and has gotten good reviews online as well.  I think I am going to try it once I run out of his Frontline Plus.  Here is a link:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=25802

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

This is a discussion from another dog forum about the Seresto collar. Anecdotal, so to be taken with a grain of salt, but possibly worth reading for anyone who is considering using it. 

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/forum.read?mnr=721293-warning-on-ne...

[AndySharon BoomerShaynaMariner]

My first concern would be about adverse reactions especially seizures.  Personally I would not switch if my current product was working. 

 

[Jennifer Tramell]

I'd think twice about the Seresto collar.  Charlotte's diagnosis of auto immune disease resulted in a change from Advantix to the vet recommended Seresto collar.  After giving the collar 6 weeks, my vet told me to call Bayer and complain.  Fleas are bad this year but of the 3 dogs in the house (the others are on Advantix), Charlotte had the most fleas.

I called Bayer and was told that I shouldn't give her a flea bath because that lessens the effectiveness of the collar.  Fine, but my dog is COVERED in fleas, should I just let her suffer while waiting for the collar to work?  After a long and circular conversation, they offered to give me Advantage if I returned the collar to the vet.  Charlotte is now on Advantage and, while we are still the waging war on fleas, the fleas are few are far between.