Flea Control Products for Doodles

[Leslie C.]

I'm exhausted from trying to gain control over the flea infestation my Goldendoodle, cat, & home have been battling this summer.
The article re: pesticides - http://www.alternet.org/healthwellness/123420/pesticides_in_pet_pro...
will remind you to take these chemicals seriously.
Presently we have been using Frontline Plus and the fleas are laughing at it . . . I brought home Vectra 3D from the vet's office to try on my doodle.
I'm nervous about switching over mid month - i.e. - she got the Frontline plus 2 weeks ago - different chemicals in these products.

Any current thoughts? Thanks, Leslie & LiliBear

[Holly St Pierre]

I can't believe that. Myself & many others have used Frontline Plus. Its not expired is it? I can's speak of Vectra 3D, as I have no experience with it. I am just shocked that Frontline Plus isn't working for you.

[Leslie C.]

Hi, Holly.
Thanks for your reply. Yes - we have some bizarre observations going on in my house. Both my cat vet and my dog's vet can't believe what they are seeing either.
I have learned the manufacturer of Frontline only guarantees their product when purchased at the vet's office, as that is the only place the manufacturer sells to. They do not sell to pet stores. At some point, I did use some Frontline Plus that was purchased at a pet store. I have since re-purchased from the vet's office. I believe that one component of my problem was that my cat has never had flea protection on her until this summer (after the infestation was really understood). She is an older cat & the fleas that must of taken a ride into my house on my puppy had lots of fun multiplying on her. She received Frontline Plus for Cats on a Friday and was still fully infested on Monday and required a flea bath / scrub down at the vet's office. The house has been treated and the yard has been treated.
I even tried using the flea bath / chemical shampoo on LiliBear but must have not had it on her long enough, as I literally watched the fleas disengage their heads from her body as her coat started to dry and they seemed to stretch and move out from a temporary paralyzed state.
I've been vacuuming too . . . oh and flea combing . . . which is easier on the cat's coat than the doodle's.
My poor pup . . . misses playing w/ other dogs and she has not been able to attend her training class as she continues to have fleas . . . people at Frontline say it can take 3 months til this infestation is gone . . .


~Leslie

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Karen and Jack posted an article early spring about fake flea products. Most of this article was about the dangers to animals but it did contain the lot numbers of bad products going around. I will attach a word doc. that I saved with the lot numbers. See if these lot numbers match the Frontline you have at home
Since this article, there may have been more information, so make sure you do a search. This was a BAD year for mark-off flea products and flea products that made our animals very sick. Good Luck. I feel, er I mean, I scratch with you on this one.............
Note: if you don't have MicroSoft Word let me know.

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

I have been nervous about putting chemicals on my dogs for awhile now. I always used Frontline Plus and noticed last summer that it wasn't working. I tried K9 Advantix and Ginger acted like I put a hot poker on her skin. I washed if off her and threw it out. I have tried every natural, holistic and organic product out there including garlic in their food. This spring, I found a product called Cedarcide (cedarcide.com 800.842.1464). It is all natural and can even be used on people and kids. You can even spray it around your property.

My thinking was that Frontline is not a repellent and fleas or ticks don't die until after they bite but it doesn't prevent them from getting on the dog, being carried into your home or biting my family. I have had Lyme's as has my son.

The Cedarcide has not only repelled the biting critters but I have not used one single Frontline or any chemicals on my dogs all summer. It repells fleas, ticks, flies and mosquito's. It even smells good. I spray it on a hemp collar I bought that can be thrown into the wash and I spray it on their feet. Not one tick or flea all summer. Check it out.

[Leslie C.]

Thank you Trina . . . I will also check into this shampoo.
~Leslie

[Leslie C.]

Thank you Lynne. I will check into this. ~Leslie

[F, Calla & Luca]

I was interested to hear your experience. I live in north Jersey and I bought the Cedarcide too. I'm still using the Frontline though and really didn't use the Cedarcide much because I didn't like the smell.. I saw about one tick all summer too. Last year Luca got loads of tiny ticks in the fall so I'm curious what this year will bring, lets compare notes. The mosquitoes have been devouring me this year though. Too bad I didn't like the Cedarcide smell, I could have had a new perfume instead of "Eau de Off", which I don't like to use too often. :)

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

I liked the smell of the Cedarcide. It reminds me of my grandmothers cedar closet. I am in Central Jersey and have had no fleas or ticks at all since using it. And another thing I noticed is that the dogs don't mind the smell either. Usually if I spray anything on or near them they go running to get it off. This they don't. I am going to keep with it. I haven't used any Frontline this summer at all.

[Kathy Spyker]

Lilly is also on Frontline plus and I never had any trouble with fleas or ticks. I don't think I would switch her over yet, frontline is to be good for 1 month so it would still be in her system. Ask your Vet..Hope you can get things under control soon.

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

I have used K9 Advantix and never have had a problem with it. Since I got Honey my Vet recommended Revolution, it covers more problems with fleas, ticks, ear mites, mosquitos, etc, and Honey had to be on it for 2 doses a month because she had scabieis from the kennel she came from. 2 doses a month did make her sick, and she would vomit at least once a day, she was on this for 3 months and now gets Revolution 1x a month and it really helps with ears and all, I have had no problems. We have not had a flea yet all year. Usually late Sept. and October are the months for us when it starts getting cold and fleas want to be warm. Frontline also sells to 1-800 pet meds. but you need a prescription, I have never seen it sold outside a vet's office. There are generic's for all products, but never seen Frontline sold in a store. There are also two types of Frontline, the Frontline plus is suppose to give the added protection against fleas and ticks. I also would not put or recommend another flea product on my dog till the 1st one was done with its cycle. I only did with Honey because it was the same product and she really needed the dosage to kill the scabiei's, I am highly allergic to fleas, and scabiei's ..etc, but her bugs were actually biting me and I had to go to the doctor also. If your continuing to have fleas you need to continue to treat your house. I have never heard of vectra, or used it, but I do like the K9 Advantix, and Revolution.

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

Lynn read your post..what exactly do you use with this cedarcide. Looked at their website and not sure which product your using...they have a pile of them listed. Here are the links I used.....

http://www.cedarcidestore.com/ANIMALHEALTH.html

http://www.cedarcidestore.com/cedarproducts.html

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

I bought this product: http://www.cedarcidestore.com/catalog/item/3571008/5091072.htm, and this to refill the smaller bottles and spray around the house and yard: http://www.cedarcidestore.com/catalog/item/3571008/5094558.htm. I have not used up even one of the smaller bottles and that's on 3 dogs and 2 fosters this summer. I respray about once a week on hemp collars and their feet & legs. I have also used it on me and my family. It is a little on the expensive side, but I still have more than enough left for next summer.