flea meds on pup?

It makes a big difference what you are using?? Which chemicals are you using? Are you seeing ANY fleas on the pup? In that case I probably wouldn't put anything on until you SEE a flea

Pupsday

what can i do about the flea protection?

Personally I'd ask your vet

4 months is not too young to use flea protection but its hard to know if she was given it before so I would ask at the vet. Certainly in two weeks you could start her

More importantly, thanks for taking this little one in, sounds like she's had a tough start!

I agree that you should ask your vet.  The pup isn't too young but since you don't know if she's had any flea control lately or what type, best to get advice from your vet.

 I echo Karen's thank you on giving this pup a home. 

 I think most of the brands say 8 weeks, but yeah, since you have no clue if/when she was given it, I'd wait until you know for sure she hasn't had it for a month. However, I would also make sure I had some on hand for her, that way if you saw fleas, you could put it on right away.

no, i have not seen any fleas on her at all. we cecked. i usualy use advantage.. not that it worked last year with the he-man fleas kansas had going on. with it warming up, i needed to get them medicated.. after paying bills on this check, there wasnt a whole lot left. so i got harts flea stuff that goes from neck to tail. its realy not good stuff to use, but in a pinch, i decided it was better then nothing to start the year off. we live the camping life style, (and no, we are NOT homeless) so very very important that they are gotten early on this. next time they are ready for a redo, i will be able to get the good stuff. i am extra leary using harts on a puppy. i have heard bad things that have happened to the young ones. i plan on taking her to our vet on next check too. didnt plan on a new family member, so didnt have money kept out for that. in the craigslist ad, it said she was utd, but then when i was looking at her, she told me that she had bought her from petland. someone left her there, so they sold her. that they had taken her to their vet and she had shots and wasnt due more till she was six months old. now its been a while since i have had a pup, but if i remember right, isnt parvo shots a once a month thing for like 3 or 4 months? starting about 2 months old, that would mean she should still have that going on. i dont know, its been a while for me. anyway, she wouldnt let me have her crate and medical papers that was promised in the cr ad, for a couple of days. she wouldnt let me come to her house, had me meet her at her moms. and even said that i can pick asia up in a couple days. well, i was leaving with my money or the dog. wasnt giving her money and then trust that i can come back and get her. after days of her constantly changing the time and day to get asia's stuff at the last minute. i finally get a text, it says, i am at my moms house with the dogs stuff, come get it now, cause i need to go and get my kids in a bath. so we treck all the way to her moms house for a rather nice crate but has poop stuck to it. gotta clean it up before i use it. and a paper from a vet for petland stating that she is fit for sale. what?!? its sunday. cant call today, but plan to call that vet tomorrow and find out if there were any shots involved. this whole thing has been such a headache, but im glad i have asia, she realy is a good pup. and im glad i dont have to deal with this lady any more. my husband was mad when we left with the crate and paper. he said, the way she asked how things were going with her, was like she expected to hear how bad she is. but she isnt bad. she just needs trained. and shes learning a lot already. anyway, sorry to make that so long. just a lot of frusteration. but i think things will go well with her. just gotta get the shots going, i have a feeling shes not been started. its amazing that she hadnt caught anything. had been dropped off at a pet store, and her last owner says she took her to the dog park.. and yet shes healthy. i dont think she was given very good food either. she was a little skinny on bringing her home. she didnt act like she was starving or anything. didnt eat a whole lot, so didnt dive into her food or anything. but since being here, is seeming to already put a little weight on. i checked her poop. didnt see any worms. so dont know. just want to get things right with her.

and... thanks to everyone helping to know what to do. you are helping.... ;)

I'd get her in ASAP for shots and heartworm prevention since you don't know what she's had or when.  I'd worry about that more than the flea stuff.  Worms aren't always visible in the stool.  Vet needs to check a stool sample.  It is amazing that she's healthy, if thin.  You can look up the vaccine schedule for puppies but since she's already four months old, I don't think the same schedule will apply. 

Pupsday

but if i remember right, isnt parvo shots a once a month thing for like 3 or 4 months? starting about 2 months old, that would mean she should still have that going on. i

No, nothing is monthly -- This is the latest that Dr. Jean Dodds has put out (2012) for a conservative vaccine protocol (vaccines can be bad for health if given too much):

http://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/34024828409/dodds-canine-vaccination-protocol-2012

I'm working with Google Chrome so I'm not getting any of the little buttons to make that a link! Sorry.

The reason they do two "sets" of vaccines early on is to avoid maternal antibodies interference -- babies (human, dog, any mammal) get maternal antibodies via new mother's milk. so the point of the first TWO sets is that if the first doesn't fully form immunity then there is the second, but at this dog's age you shouldn't need to "catch up" -- just one set of core vaccines.

Core vaccines work better than the "combo" shot because they are modified live vaccines and form a better/more lasting immunity. So if you ASK FOR one round of core vaccines you should be fine. Ask your vet. I always refuse the "combo shots" -- they don't form as lasting an immunity and it's harder on the body's body to be vaccinated for so many things at once, in my opinion. (well, not just my opinion - that's also what Dr. Dodd's advises.)

You are absolutely right -- Hartz stuff is really sucky (it has been linked to all sorts of problems). Frontline is typically better on ticks, but it's not wonderful on fleas. Advantage II has been working well on fleas for me here in FL. If you camp I would think ticks would be the bigger concern?? maybe, maybe not?

she wasnt crazy skinny. just a little. but just being with us a couple days and she looks better. the shots are ofcourse going to be taken care of. the fleas are something i keep control of quickly if i can. my family are in close quarters. always somethin to clean, somethin to take care of. cant have dirty or bug ridden areas. just a little is a big problem in our small area. so its a big deal. i spare no cost on it. next check will be getting stuff for our close area, inside and out and some oatmeal shampoo. as soon as they are ready for another dose, they will get what they should for it. the shots will happen. thats something i dont play around with. to many things can happen as we move from one area to another constantly. and when i say constantly, i mean every 2 weeks to 3 months, we are heading to another area. im a bit anal about preventive care, realy. thats why im a bit unhappy with how this happened. we were looking for an adult gsd. wasnt in a hurry about it. just happen to look on cr cause i was bored. and she just looked like she should be in our home. utd, comes with crate, comes with vet records.... thought, mmmmmm, ill check her out. great pup, but man, people can realy suck, you know? i couldnt be that way.... i just couldnt. i just realized that the pet store has to hold records on any dog sold for how ever long. think im gonna call them and see what they may have on her. call their vet tomorrow. then make an appointment with my vet for payday.... i just have to say though, even though this started crazy..... im glad shes with us. shes a good pup.

thanks, calliecritters. that was awsome information! very helpful! im going to do just that! yes, you are right! tics, oh my god!! they are horrable to fight. i hate dealing with them. and ofcourse for the human kind as well. fleas are a big deal in our small space. fight them hard. but ya, its a battle for both. i am getting some stuff that you can put around your camp site that is supposed to deter mice and things like that. other pest carriers. i think that will help too. i am just learning about some of that and am all for it. its not supposed to do any harm to the space around it, just keeps animals like that from wanting to hang around and causing other problems. so we will see if that works this summer.