Alternatives to Frontline or Advantix?

There are some herbal sprays on the market but beware -- some of them are SO intense they make *MY* throat sore!  Really heavy on clove and pennyroyal usually (and pennyroyal can be a "not nice" herb)

 Frontline just plain doesn't work down here in Florida much anymore -- "resistance".

 I've been using plain old Advantage (NOT Advantix -- but Advantage).

Beware -- stuff like Vectra can be nasty.  Mine had a really bad reaction to it and one of Amanda's dogs seized as a result of it.

 You may have to use a combination of a couple of things -- seriously -- good old fashioned Avon Skin So Soft bath oil -- it's the best pest repeller ever -- if you can stand to have the dog smell like that.  You have to mix it with alcohol and water and spritz it on -- NOT fun. 

Plain Advantage can be tough to get -- and I have used Advantage II -- just not Advantix.  That's nasty stuff.

 I've used Avon's Skin So Soft for pests, on ME, never thought of it on a dog!  LOL

 You can also use garlic - just don't give a lot to your dog.  Garlic in small amounts is perfectly fine for a dog to take - they eat it in the wild!  I give my small dogs 1/4 teaspoon a day (I do also use Fronline Plus, however).  I had asked my vet how much I could safely give them, and she said probably up to a half teaspoon for the 20 pound boy.  Keep in mind if you mince a clove yourself that will be stronger than if you buy a jar of minced garlic -- it loses potency the longer it is cut.

I wrote about Cedar-cide recently.  This product is used by four of the folks in my Agility class.  All of them have multiple dogs, and horses too.  (I imagine at least one of them must have a cat, haven't asked -- but the product is fine for cats too.)

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

Thanks guys for the input. I never came across ticks or fleas like this when I lived in VT (it's amazing what a difference 100 miles can make). I will give the Avon stuff a shot if this herbal spray I have doesn't do the trick (and I have a feeling it will fail when the wood and deer ticks emerge en masse).

Thanks again,

Becky and Maddi Moo

Heads up on the SOS- when I tried it on Mick, it made him greasy.  BUT- that was back in the early 90s, and I used it as a rins after I gave him a bath.  So that could have been why.  

Callie already mentioned the smell.  Be careful if you're prone to migraines- SOS can trigger them.  Back when I tried SOS, they made it in a solid (like deoderant).  I tried that on the undersides of Mick's ears and on his inner thighs.  Which resulted in migraines for me.

Before Frontline came out, I had good results using the Preventic collar.  It's supposed to work like Frontline, as in it uses the oils of the dog's skin to spread instead of being absorbed through the skin likeother flea & tick collars you.  It only works on Ticks, tho, so you'd need to apply regular Advantage to control the fleas. 

micksmom

I had good results using the Preventic collar

I used to use this too when we were in areas with lots of ticks and would use it again, if needed. 

Thanks for this advice!  I have two dogs and recently applied advantix ii to both.  One of them had a very bad reaction.  I had to take him to the vet and then wash him in Dawn.  I completely forgot about Skin So Soft.  I remember years ago I had a dog and the flea collar she had wasn't doing the job.  Someone recommended giving her a bath in skin so soft and it worked great.  Thanks for reminding me of this safer yet effective treatment.  I was very concerned about what to use on my current dog as he seems to be very sensitive.      

calliecritturs

 You may have to use a combination of a couple of things -- seriously -- good old fashioned Avon Skin So Soft bath oil -- it's the best pest repeller ever -- if you can stand to have the dog smell like that.  You have to mix it with alcohol and water and spritz it on -- NOT fun. 

shadowsgin

Callie can you give us a ratio?  I have used it before and although not crazy about the smell can deal with it.  I have only used it straight out of the bottle and it does leave a greasy feel.

Probably cup of alcohol, cup of water and a couple of tablespoonfulls of SSS -- in something you can shake and spray

Thank you very much, I would have not guessed that much alcohol.

  That was off the top of my head -- the alcohol will bind with the oil where the water won't.  Try it with less and see if it works.  This is NOT a tried and true recipe -- this is me trying to remember what I did the last time I did it LOL

Thanks for the recipe!  I'm ordering the SSS from my Avon lady tomorrow.