Not happy with vectra D

Did you try bathing with dish soap? When Pirate had a reaction to FL+ that was the only soap that would cut all the oil out of his fur. I hope Lily feels better!

Ooh, and did you call the company and report it? I would.

Vectra is working better for me than Frontline -- that had just stopped working.  My only problem with it is that sometimes it doesn't absorb -- I*think* Billy had rolled in somethng (unusual for him) and the stuff just glopped and didn't spread.  But it works on fleas pretty well -- and no one has had skin issues in MY crew at least.

We've had really good luck with Vectra with no skin issues, thankfully.  It does take a while for it to dry on Angel & Brinxx, & it has clumped in their fur once, but I changed the way that I applied it, & it's made a difference.

I'm allergic to Frontline, so we had been using Advantix with minimal effectiveness.

I personally would not use any product with permethrin in it. :( If I did use a spot on product, it would probably be Frontline because it does not contain permethrin and I've heard of less issues connected with it. (BTW, giving a bath likely won't help... at this point it's already been absorbed).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_uqBjvy7YI

As it is, I use diatomaceous earth for flea/tick control. I live out in the country and take my dogs camping in the woods quite a bit. Last year I didn't see a single tick on either dog after I started the DE. This year, I didn't start it right away (it's so odd for it to be so mild this time of year and I didn't even think about the fact that the ticks would come back early) and Nova ended up with ehrlichia. :(

Rott-n-GSDs

I personally would not use any product with permethrin in it. :( If I did use a spot on product, it would probably be Frontline because it does not contain permethrin and I've heard of less issues connected with it. (

I absolutely agree and I've used Frontline (and Frontline Spray) for years.   But in the last year it just plain has stopped working because enough fleas here have built resistance to it.  And down here, fleas are just plain too dangerous -- not just parasites, but the skin problems they cause and such are just too high risk any more.

It's really difficult to envision HOW BAD the fleas are here.  I was reared up North and I had a rude awakening down here.  I'd never had to use ANYTHING ... and the year before I met David (like 15 years ago) I literally resorted to combing them with a flea comb EVERY day (and I had done garlic/yeast, and every essential oil and treating my yard, etc etc etc) including flea bombing my home weeks in a row.

My breaking point was the day I sat and combed my two dogs and had JUST bathed them and combed them the day before -- and *today* I came up with 364 felas on MIke and 456 on Foxy.  I literally just sat and wept. 

So ir's really hard to visualize how critical this stuff can be and how incredibly frustrating when it stops working altho Frontline too can have it's own set of problems.  *sigh*

calliecritturs

It's really difficult to envision HOW BAD the fleas are here. 

That's how it is here as well.  When I was working in a vet clinic, I was amazed to see how many puppies, with negative fecals, came in severely anemic due to flea infestations.  We are talking transfusion level PCV numbers.  Nine times out of ten, their owners were very honest about the fact that they had a huge flea problem that they couldn't get under control.  Some would even tell us how they were bathing the puppies in dishwashing liquid daily, to try to keep the numbers down. 

I attmepted to use DE in our yard last summer, with absolutely no success.  If it didn't work in the small yard that we had last year, I have no doubt that it won't work in our new yard, which is about 20 times the size of our old one.  I will be content to use whatever topical I need to in order to keep my family comfortable & flea free.

 After Rita, the mosquitoes were running us over. We bought a garlic repellent to spray the yard with. The added bonus was it worked on fleas as well. The bad - it kills butterfly larva. It is expensive, but it soooooo worth it. It is smelly when you spray it, but after it dries, it isn't bad and it is safe for pets. I will probably be investing in it again this summer.

I've tried DE (I have a huge jar of it in my kitchen) but it rains too often here (even when it's a dry year) -- just a 5 minute florida shower will wash away the DE.  DE is essentially a dessicant -- it works SUPER well for some folks.  I have a friend up in the Carolinas who swears by it.  But the gravity of the situation down here is incredible.

If fleas are you only problem, try Comfortis.  Frontline, Advantage, etc had STOPPED working down here on my dogs (Texas coast).  I would apply and in 10 days to 2 weeks, fleas again.  But the Comfortis (pills) have worked GREAT.  However, it does not work against ticks, so if ticks are a problem, it will not take care of them.

sandra_slayton

If fleas are you only problem, try Comfortis.  Frontline, Advantage, etc had STOPPED working down here on my dogs (Texas coast).  I would apply and in 10 days to 2 weeks, fleas again.  But the Comfortis (pills) have worked GREAT.  However, it does not work against ticks, so if ticks are a problem, it will not take care of them.

Also- since fleas have to bite the host for Comfortis (and other "flea pills";)  to work, don't use it if your dog is allergic to fleas. 

All this brings up something I have been wondering/worrying about since I got Zeke. I don't really like putting toxic chemicals on him, just to repel fleas and ticks, both because of the toxic nature of it, as well as insects wonderful ability to develop resistance to any sort of chemical we throw at them.

I know there are more natural options, but I do not know what they are, or how well they work. If anyone is able to enlighten me, that would be great. I currently use Advantix. Also,I think the package says one should apply year round, but that does not make sense to me, since I live in an area that does freeze every winter. Is there really any reason to apply in the winter?