Can anyone recommend flea meds that work for dogs? I think we have been through just about all of them my vet carries and we are still having problems!
Can anyone recommend flea meds that work for dogs? I think we have been through just about all of them my vet carries and we are still having problems!
I just learned about this, so I'm still checking it out. I sprayed white vinegar on my dog when it was dry and fleas jumped off. Today, I sprayed it on while giving my dog a bath, and it didn't seem to have any effect at all. I don't know if it would have any effect after it dries on a dog, either. Has anyone ever used vinegar to rid their dogs of fleas over a period of time?
I use the monthly drops (Advantix) and I haven't had any problems. I'm surprised that the prescription drops from your vet aren't working. I've never heard of the vinegar trick.
I had to bomb my house in the spring then I use Advantage topical solution once a month. Four dosages come in a box and it is about $50 at Meijer, but it is well worth the $10 a month as we spent almost $50 in a week to try to get rid of them! My parents use it and so do I and neither of us have had any problems since.
I use Front Line and also am satisfied with the results there. It's the rival to Advantage but tends to be a tad cheaper, but not necessarily by much.
Many years ago, we had a toy poodle that got fleas and our vet recommended "flowable" or liquid Sevin. I mixed it up in a 5 gallon bucket, dipped him in it right up to his ears, took him out, poured the mixture in my spray rig and sprayed the yard with it. It worked well back then; don't know what new things may have come along since. Our current chihuahua has never had fleas, but we do give her a Sentinel flavor tab once a month that is supposed to preven heartworms and fleas. Of course my wife gets it from our vet.
I haven't had flea problems for years. I don't use any medications or insecticides, topical or ingested. I have three dogs that can go in or out as they please. Fleas are a big problem where I live and I once fought a constant battle with them, but no longer.
My flea regiment is simple. I start by keeping small, short haired dogs. I do this beacuse they are very easy to clean. I can give a dog a bath in about 5 minutes.
A Fleas's life cycle is one week aproximately. If you give your dog a bath once a week(maybe every 4 days to start if you have an infestation), using a quality shampoo, not flea shampoo or dog shampoo, the same stuff you wash your hair with, your fleas will eventually dissapear. It doesn't take very long either. You see you are actually using the dogs as traps and the shampoo as the exterminator.
I don't like the idea of exposing the dog to the different topical pestcides and having them injest something to kill insects on thier exterior.
This system is a lot easier to implement with small dogs (under 25 lbs). It's been effective for me for about 10 years and my dogs stay healthier because thay are cleaner.
I suggest you make it as easy as possible to give your dog a bath, even if your using the hose, and try this and see if it works for you.
My only problem with this is that I read recently that giving a dog a bath that often can be dangerous. I don't have the link anymore unfortunately, but I would be conservative with the bath thing.
I used Biospot for both fleas and ticks with excellent results for years. However, a year or so back, the stuff quit working. I don't know what happened. My guess is Biospot's manufacturer changed the ingredients or my fleas and ticks have become immune to it.
Until I find something that works, I am using a flea comb (a good flea comb is also hard to find). My dogs love the flea combing and the flea comb will absolutely get rid of the fleas and ticks it catches.
My dog is allergic to fleas. His vet put him on Comfortis. It`s a small chunk that he eats. Of course I have to smash it up in his food or he won`t eat it. But ever since he has been on it his fur grew back and he has no rash and no fleas.