What flea meds do you all use when Frontline is no longer working?
Reader Interactions
74Comments
Comments are closed.
by John Cole| 74 Comments
This post is in: Open Threads
What flea meds do you all use when Frontline is no longer working?
Comments are closed.
raven
We use the oral flea meds, works well. Trifexis.
Nick Chubb was hurt on the first play and is likely done for the year.
Corner Stone
Reason #172 why I don’t have pets.
Mike J
American Experience? Nova? POV? Independent Lens?
Amir Khalid
Bianca has never had fleas.
PaulW
Ant-Man. have him battle the fleas in hand-to-hand combat.
raven
So Nick and Lil Bit will both have knee surgery Monday.
Laura
Advantage II, cedercide, and vacuum everyday like your like depends on it for at least a week.
tesslibrarian
Our cats prefer the odor of Revolution over Advantage, which is just as well since we’ve had a nasty mosquito year and it handles heart worm. However “prefer” may be too strong a word.
Sorry–distracted by the horrible injury to Nick Chubb.
MomSense
We use the oral med–I think it is combined flea and heartworm.
dedc79
Seresto collar
MomSense
@raven:
Fingers crossed.
PaulW
LET’S GO SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS! (checks score) hurm, still scoreless.
…here’s hoping Navy upsets Notre Dame. that would be sweet.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Michelle Bachmann is having an “event”, for some reason, and for some other reason, the Washington Post sent a reporter to cover it. They probably weren’t looking for comedy, but La Bachmann comes through
I think I’m gonna have to get a hat that says “Losing 25 pounds by eating pizza”
Myiq2xu
Go to the garden section at Walmart and buy Sevin garden dust. Use it lightly as flea powder on the pets and carpet, rugs and bedding. (It is labeled for this use). Use a broom or brush to distribute evenly. Wait 24 hours then vacuum thoroughly. Empty the vacuum bag outdoors.
Use Sevin insect spray on your lawn.
Fleas have a complete life cycle just like butterflies. Only the adults are found on pets. The eggs and larvae will be found elsewhere, especially in rugs and lawns.
Repeat monthly.
(I spent 9 years as an exterminator.)
Debbie
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
“Paging Norma Desmond: Some lady’s trying to steal your final close-up.”
Jackie
Comfortis. We live at the beach and have a constant flea problem. Comfortis is the only thing that has really managed it.
WereBear
No fleas is an advantage of living in the frozen North!
In addition to the advice offered, I would do some borax or diatomaceous earth on the carpets overnight. Vacuum, then throw out the bag in a sealed plastic bag.
A few rounds of that (don’t hurt yourself!) and things should improve.
TEL
My friends that I pet-sit for had the same problem – frontline stopped working, and the dogs are walked off-leash twice a day, and were having both flea and tick problems. They now use http://www.protecpethealth.com/store/p4/Body_Guard.html, and it does work.
It’s dose-dependent – you have to use more for larger animals than smaller ones. The lab was starting to get fleas until they increased the dose, while the smaller dogs were fine with the smaller dose. It helps with ticks, but doesn’t prevent bites so it’s still a good idea to check for them if you have them in your area.
bemused
No flea problems here. I don’t hear of any flea issues up here in far north, maybe too damn cold. Our vet clinic switched to Parastar Plus about two years ago. We do have a lot more ticks and dogs are getting treated earlier in spring and later in fall.
Avery Greynold
I inherited a bag of DDT dust from grandma’s garage. I’m guessing this info will be of no help to you. Additional trivia: The stuff does last forever.
Mary G
I answered you on Twitter, but I’ll put it here too, because I was so happy with the results this horrible hot summer: Vectra.
My vet said it’s the best out there right now and it worked great on my cats. It is a little pricy, though, but aren’t they all?
different-church-lady
Wait, which college has the flea meds as a mascot?
benw
Let’s go Jackets!
satby
Advantix worked for me, but Myiq2xu’s advice would work great and end up way cheaper for multiple pets. I’m going to remember that next year.
Carl Weese
Advantage II works well for our cats, one of them a Maine Coon, btw.
raven
@benw: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! The best thing about the Jackets is that they gave the genius a big contract extension!
raven
@efgoldman: Clemson scored 26 on the mighty Yellow Jackets in the first quarter.
Shaun Appleby
@Jackie: Second that. Comfortis worked so well we only use it when a new infestation occurs which is rarely now. But multiple pets make for an expensive treatment.
Roger Moore
I avoid fleas by keeping my cat indoors full time.
Catherine D.
I use Nexgard for fleas/ticks on dog and nothing on indoor cat. Dog gets walked on leash and doesn’t spend time lying in grass.
Frances
The thing to remember is that while you are getting rid of the adult fleas living on the pet, there are fleas living in your carpet and eggs that have not hatched. The infestation may appear to be under control then 10 days later the flea eggs hatch.
I’ve always treated the house at the same time. There is spray you can get at the vets office to kill fleas living in carpet.
benw
Advantage Multi for the cats and K9 Advantix for the dogs. They work, but are a lot nastier than Frontline. If you used to react to the Frontline right after you used it on your pets, get ready to suffer from those.
Touchdown, Jackets!!
And screw you, @raven!
Mike J
@Roger Moore: How do you tune your ukulele? Wrong animal, and no fleas.
raven
@benw: hahahahahahaha
Keith G
Polonium?
On the subject of pets, a very famous canis lupus familiaris had a birthday this week. Here is quite an excellent photo.
JMT
I use oral flea products from Little City Dogs – Lufeneron, a monthly dose that keeps any fleas that bite my dogs from reproducing and a generic flea killer nytempyram (same as brand name Capstar) for quick flea kill if I see my dogs scratching from irritation. The second can be given once a day as needed. Has worked nicely, and also come in doses for cats.
Of course, check w/your vet to makes sure there are no contraindications for your pets…..
Josie
Trifexis for dogs – combined heartworm and flea oral medicine.
Adam L Silverman
Sentinel once a month chewable for heart worm and flea life cycle destruction and Vectra 3D for topical anti-flea, anti-tick, and anti-stinging/biting insects.
Gator90
@raven: Damn shame about Chubb. Sincerely. Stuff like that is why I hate myself for loving football.
On the bright side for Georgia, the #2 back is pretty darn good.
Darkrose
@Roger Moore: Our cats are indoor only, and we’ve had problems with fleas.
Darkrose
We use Revolution for our cats. New vet recommended it when we had to take Ogdred in with flea dermatitis, and it’s worked pretty well so far.
Poor Og, though: he had two stones removed from his bladder on Tuesday. Now not only is his belly shaved, but he has to wear the Cone of Shame for two weeks.
We’ve been calling him “Conehead.”
ThresherK (GPad)
Hey, for purely geek reasons: Wisc DB appeared to kick that pass on the same play he was flagged for PI. Isn’t kicking the ball patently illegal? (Yes, in the game we call football.)
Mike E
A football thread, and no mention of the fleaflicker? smh
raven
@efgoldman: Fuck you asshole, I’ watching the game.
Wally Ballou
Cubs are making a statement in Game 2 against the Cards. Up 6-1 in the 3rd.
Wally Ballou
@efgoldman: Braves, actually. Still not over it.
Pogonip
@Corner Stone: You don’t have to have pets to have fleas! All you have to have is a neighbor who lets HER flea-ridden pets run loose.
PaulW
Let go South Florida Bulls!
J R in WV
John,
Our vet recommended Revolution yesterday when we took Alice in for a check-up on her healing wounds from the neighbor dog’s attack on Monday…
Cone of shame since then, two stitched wounds, several scabbed over. Shaved about 40%, so right now a pink/white lab.
ETA, hot compresses, ointment rubs, may pills. A total pain…
Corner Stone
@Pogonip: “Duster 1, this is Forward Air Command. You are clear for Bingo on target Pesticide, repeat all clear for target Pesticide. Good luck.”
ixnay
Your friendly neighborhood vet here, who is required to take a certain number of continuing education hours per year. The best flea/tick item out there, that can be used on both dogs and cats, is the Seresto collar. There are better products that can only be used on dogs – including the really wonderful oral ones (Bravecto, Trifexis). Revolution works really well for fleas (but not ticks) on cats – it absorbs through the skin really well in cats, not so well in dogs.
No matter what you use, use it year-round. All it takes is two (fleas) to tango, and you or your dogs can bring them inside.
Sevin is kinda scary; I haven’t used it for years. Diatomaceous dust works well, but will eat your lungs. And those of your pets.
Capstar (nitempyram) is apparently very safe: my tech once inadvertently gave a dog-size dose to a cat, and the company essentially said “no problem.” There were no known adverse effects. Downside: needs to be given 3 times a week.
I have a thumb drive from my most recent continuing ed; it may have completely scary views of flea larvae in carpet (there were definitely gifs in the live presentation). And in the cracks of hardwood floors. And in the edges of upholstery. And everywhere else (well, maybe not in the ceiling corners).
Fleas are annoying – and may be carriers of plague in the Southwest. On the other hand, ticks are likely to bring diseases that will kill us all, except for those of us who never go outside at all. Thank you very much, wild turkeys bringing Lone Star ticks to New England.
Betty Cracker
C’mon, Dawgs!
Beaviscdawg
Advantage for fleas on cats, Advantix for dogs does fleas and ticks.Wife works at a vet. Amazing stuff on cats. You can watch them jump off and die.
ThresherK
That punt isn’t going to make things easy for the Dawgs.
JPL
@Betty Cracker: uhoh
SoupCatcher
Touchdown Cougars!
Betty Cracker
@JPL: I hate the Vols, but gotta give ’em credit for not giving up.
Now for the big game at my house: GO GATORS!
Betty Cracker
@efgoldman: Because I despise the Vols. Only FSU is lower in my book.
Keith P.
If you’re buying Frontline from PetSmart/Co, try getting it from the vet instead. Frontline needs to be stored properly, and I just don’t trust the stores to do that.
That being said, I have used PetSmart frontline before, and my recollection is always following it up with Advantage the next month. More recently, I used some drops for my cats that kill the fleas in 24 hours. Cediedid or something like that. It worked with a single application FAST.
Pogonip
@Corner Stone: Banzai!
Pogonip
@ixnay: Doctor, do you know if borax is supposed to kill fleas? I tried it but it seemed to have no effect, but maybe I swept it up too soon?
Garner
It’s only the first quarter, but my God, West Virginia is playing like a bunch of physically challenged girls…not that the OSU Cowboys are all that great. Awful game.
burnspbesq
A perfect piece of scheduling by David Cutcliffe. Give Duke’s legion of NYC-area alumni a feel-good day as an incentive to open their checkbooks when the fund-raisers start calling.
Seriously, though: is there a defensive player at a Power 5 school having a better year than Jeremy Cash?
SoupCatcher
@SoupCatcher:
I think there’s an echo in here.
eta Wazzu starts the second half by going ahead of Oregon, at Oregon, in the rain.
burnspbesq
BC has held its last two opponents to no touchdowns, and has no wins to show for it.
Betty Cracker
@efgoldman: I’d rather hear Musberger than Danielson. His inane drivel makes me want to shove chopsticks through my own eardrums.
burnspbesq
@efgoldman:
Some year in the not-too-distant future, the ACC baseball tournament will be played at Fenway, and that will make up for all of BC’s shortcomings as a conference member (bad football, no men’s lacrosse, difficult travel).
And they get to play for the mythical “ACC championship” in hockey every year (the two-game Hockey East series vs. ND).
Keith P.
@Keith P.: The wonder flea drop I was thinking of was “Cheristin”. My cats had fleas all over their faces, it had gotten so bad in May. After 1 DAY, my cats were clear.
redshirt
@Pogonip: Finally, it’s your moment to shine!
That is, if Cole ever read the comments.
Pogonip
@redshirt: Fleas delenda est!
I hope Ixnay, DVM, has more to say on the subject.
SoupCatcher
4th and 9 for Oregon to match WSU in overtime 2.
eta And Oregon can’t do it.
HeartlandLiberal
@Darkrose: Seconded. Why switched two hears ago to Revolution for our cats. It has proven extremely effective.
kwallio
When my cats got fleas I ended up with Vectra, which is only available from vets. It did make my cats foam at the mouth and act kind of loopy for a couple of days, but it went away and they seemed fine later. I might not have been applying it properly, I tried to it the spot at the back of the neck but maybe I didn’t do it right. I tried Advantage first but it didn’t seem to do anything to the fleas. This was in Socal, IDK what fleas elsewhere might be resistant to. Vectra worked within a couple of weeks and then I was flea free, which was awesome.
Pogonip
Cole, when treating your vehicle I can tell you Ultracide will do it with one application. Check with your vet on how soon you can allow your pets back into the vehicle after treatment. We compared and contrasted Precor on one end of the house and Ultracide on the other; I can’t really see any difference, things have drastically improved on both ends, although we’ll be sweeping, spraying, and swearing until we get a hard frost, we move, or the (bleep)ing cat lady moves, whichever comes first. You must vacuum fanatically and, since you have pets, treat everywhere they go. Fleas delenda est!