flea and tick prevention

Callie, what are the ratios on the spray you recommended??? I know it's SSS with alcohol, and water, but can't remember the amounts. I should just look back in the thread for the post, but maybe others here might be interested in having the recipe as well?? Thank you!

There's no official 'recipe' -- it's just how *I* have used it in the past.  About 8 oz water, 8 oz alcohol and 1-2 teas. of Skin So Soft bath oil (you can buy their spray but I always think it's too strong).  This stuff is more than a bit greasy -- but bugs don't like it.  Put it in a trigger spray bottle and shake every time before using.

I wanted to add that Burt's Bee's makes an insect repellant spray that is safe for kids and pets too.   I was in heaven when I found something that I could use on both of us rather than carry OFF for me, Sentry for her.  But, I'm also using the Frontline Plus too. 

willowchow

I wanted to add that Burt's Bee's makes an insect repellant spray that is safe for kids and pets too.   I was in heaven when I found something that I could use on both of us rather than carry OFF for me, Sentry for her.  But, I'm also using the Frontline Plus too. 

Oh I love Burt's Bees...I will have to see if I can find their insect repellent spray!

So far the K9 advantix seems to be working for the most part. Tayla has had it on her for 6 days now and we check her over everyday 2 to 3 times. This morning I was scratching her belly and got a flea under my nail. But it looked to me like the flea was dying. So me and my boyfriend scooped her up and started our daily search. We found 2 more on her. They were still pretty active unlike the one I had just found under my nail. I am hoping that she just picked them up from my moms house as we had been there 6 hours prior to this. The K9 advantix says it prevents fleas from laying eggs 3 to 5 minutes after jumping on its host and kills the fleas within 12 hours. I will be checking her over again when I get home from work. Also I plan on starting to put the SSS on her. I really hope this stuff works. Poor baby was miserable before. Anyone know if finding those 2 fleas is I guess ok? Would they have really died???

 I've always used Frontline Plus, on Emma. It works great, for her, and I only use it during the worst flea times. She doesn't seem to need it when it's cooler, out. She's never reacted to it, and it keeps her from eating her hair, so I'm good with it.

I decided, last week, that it was time. Ena was getting fleas in her crest, and I knew it was only a matter of time before they got on Emma. I bought a 3 pack of up to 45 lbs Frontline. I washed everybody. I gave Mom's dog (who is 40 lbs) one tube, and split the other tube (measure with a syringe) between the girls. Every hair it touched, on Ena, fell out. I am NOT exaggerating. It'd look WAY worse if she wasn't mostly hairless, already, LOL. She felt horrible for the whole day after. I guess I'll buy seperate flea stuff, and use Advantage on her. I'm too nervous to try anything different on Em. 

We had a problem with our lab and flea allergies… I don’t think all the flea and tick remedies were available that long ago, it they were the vet never mentioned them. We sprayed, bombed, powdered and could not get rid of the fleas… long story short we had a mouse problem in our shed. Since then we keep rat poison out year round and have not had a flea problem since. Ticks are another subject… our area is usually infested, this year is so dry, not many around so far.

TAOofGoldyShep posted about using neem oil shampoo for ticks. Sorry the link button would not work...

LC

(ignore)

My dog has fleas for the first time in 5 years. We also have mice for the first time. Is there a connection between fleas and mice?

 What's the best way to get rid of the fleas on the dog and in the house (carpets)?

 So I posted back in March and April of this year about trying different things on our dog Tayla. But the Advantix never ended up working. We put her as well as the other 2 dogs in the house (my boyfriends parents dogs) on Comfortis. It's been about 4 months and no fleas to be seen. The dogs as well as humans are very happy!

animalcraze

But the Advantix never ended up working. We put her as well as the other 2 dogs in the house (my boyfriends parents dogs) on Comfortis. It's been about 4 months and no fleas to be seen. The dogs as well as humans are very happy!

Comfortis is systemic -- that means the pesticide stays in the dog's system to continue "killing" the fleas.  (Also apparently the flea has to bite the dog to die - which is another problem I see.)

You can't use it well with ivermectin -- meaning if you are using HeartGuard or any ivermectin-based heartworm prevention that can cause problems (all that from the label). 

I just don't use anything systemic on mine -- and I'm near Orlando, so trust me -- I feel your pain.  I'm having the same ratty year with fleas you are.   But I'm just not comfortable with the risks associated with a systemic med like that.   My biggest concern is that you have no real guarantee that the med is GONE in a month.  Part of the problem with the systemic stuff is that you can wind up dosing things one on top of another if there is still chemical left in the body.

 I understand where you are coming from. And honestly since we put our 3 dogs on the Comfortis we haven't seen any fleas, so I don't believe they have to bite the dogs to die. Different things work for different dogs, and people have different opinions on what they prefer to use. Our dogs are on Heartguard, they all do perfectly fine. But like it has been said, different dogs react differently to different things (I think I said different to much...). We just happen to be lucky enough to have 3 dogs that do good with this stuff. It's not for everyone but it is for us. I was just giving my opinion on what finally worked for us. I do know the risks. We did major research before putting the dogs on this stuff, and had major convincing to do with my bfs dad (the other 2 dogs belong to him). He is extremely weary about what he puts into his dogs, as am I. We have not had any problems, so we are sticking with this. I wish fleas weren't so bad though.

I've been using Comfortis for almost a year with no ill effects.  All flea control carries a certain risk to some animals.  I've been happy with the product and the results.  I quit using Frontline which I had used for many years because Twister was having skin reactions at the site of application.  I hate using any type of insecticide on my pets but in some areas it's unavoidable. 

I, too, have started to use Comfortis.  This is the first year that I've been seeing fleas in, like, 10 years!  I am a diligent user of Frontline Plus.  My vet is really happy with it.  I hated to give them a tablet for flea protection but they seem fine and the fleas are gone.  My vet recommends alternating flea control to prevent resistance.  We may go back to Frontline during the colder months. 

calliecritturs

Sunshinegirl

Are some dogs more succepable (sp) to fleas than others??????

Yes -- definitely.  Some dogs have far less predisposition to having problems with fleas.  And some years are worse than others.

Callie, are certain "breeds" less predisposed to having flee problems or is that some individual dogs don't seem to attract them the same way?  I have a friend who swore that his dog never gets fleas and he never uses anything on her. She's a Dobie/Rottie X and I know that both breeds are equally susceptable to fleas.

I took Bob off Program last winter because he has to take the Pancreas-V Powder three times a day and I don't like giving him too many chemicals.  I keep stuff on hand just in case, but so far we haven't had any problems and we just went through a really hot summer.

I think I'm still kind of reeling from losing my Bullmastiff to lung cancer at the age of 8.  I worry about too many shots and too many flea pills.