# Flea Treatment



## kenny1991 (Dec 30, 2012)

Hey guys,

I just have a few questions. Currently, my 20 week old pup is on interceptor for his worming. However, I had decided not to give him a spot on flea treatment because I had heard bad things about them (leading to increased risk of epilepsy and also skin problems etc).

So I bought some fido's flea shampoo and I was washing him in it whenever he had been out with other dogs.

However, lately he has been going to the park more and going to dog parks and playing with other dogs in the river and bush.

So I have decided, for his safety I should put him on a flea treatment (preferably with tick protection too).

So I originally was going to put Astro on Panoramis (called Trifexis in America - I live in Australia). This product does worms, fleas and everything but I have heard it can be really bad for the dog and can lead to long term problems. So I then just decided to go for the interceptor for his worms.

But now I need to give him a flea treatment. So here are my options:

1. Frontline Plus (I know this one does ticks aswell).
2. Advantage.
3. Advantix.
4. Sentinel (this was my other choice when I chose interceptor, but sentinel still doesn't kill live fleas, just breaks down the internal life cycle).

Or is there any other suggestions. Obviously, I would love to stay clear of the spot on treatments, but I guess its probably the best and only way to protect him now? It's just I am scared with meeting and playing with all these new dogs at the river, he might get some fleas, and possibly some ticks when he goes into the bush. 

Thanks


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## kenny1991 (Dec 30, 2012)

Or even should I try him on comfortis for his fleas? And keep using the interceptor for his worms?


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## Rapunzel (May 10, 2013)

I previously used all of the topical flea medicine on my dogs and they never worked. We ended up with a serious flea problem. I finally started using Comfortis a few years ago and it is the best. My dogs never had fleas again and we never had issues with the fleas. 

I'm getting a puppy in August and if Comfortis is safe for a puppy, that's what our V will get.


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## kenny1991 (Dec 30, 2012)

Yeah im thinking comfortis and interceptor.

But then when I think about it like that, should I just go with the panoramis which does both of things that the two above products do in one?

decisions, decisions!!


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## WillowyndRanch (Apr 3, 2012)

Free Professional advice removed by Author.


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## CrazyCash (Jul 12, 2012)

I agree with Ken - I have never had my dogs on flea prevention and I've never had a flea issue. Obviously if your dog has an issue with fleas you'll need something to correct the problem, but I think that if your dog currently does not have fleas, then I would not worry about it until if/when it becomes a problem.


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## lyra (Nov 2, 2012)

Check out http://www.vizslaforums.com/index.php/topic,7557.0.html

Flea treatments are really nasty chemicals. I would only consider them if my dog got infected.


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## WillowyndRanch (Apr 3, 2012)

Free Professional advice removed by Author.


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## Rapunzel (May 10, 2013)

Thanks for the info! I never considered not giving flea prevention until now. I guess it's just something I thought I always had to give my dog. I'll definitely try it.


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## kenny1991 (Dec 30, 2012)

Yeah, I was with you guys 110% because I thought what the ****, if he has no fleas, then why should he have those chemicals in his body. 

But we are taking him to the park and river ALOT now, every few days, and he often comes back dirty, so we wash him in fido's flea wash.

So we should we just keep doing this? I am scared that he might get fleas off other dogs down there, or even ticks because it is very bushy.. but if you guys did have a choice between spot on (advantage) vs tablet (comfortis), what would you recommend? because, surely washing him all the time in fleas shampoo isn't the best thing for his coat!

Thanks


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## WillowyndRanch (Apr 3, 2012)

Free Professional advice removed by Author.


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

I don't treat for fleas unless I see fleas. The chemicals in those flea preventives are nasty. 

The dog I had right before Willie came from the dog pound too, and when I brought her home I found that she was crawling with fleas. I treated her ONCE with Revolution (this was back in 2001), and never saw another flea on her for the rest of her life.

I adopted Willie from the dog pound in the dead of winter in 2009, and have never seen a flea on him, either. Not once.


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## kenny1991 (Dec 30, 2012)

Hey guys, 

Hope you are all well. So I had taken all your advice with the flea and tick problem, and went with the notion that if he has no fleas then I shouldn't treat. And then I will just take action if I see a load of fleas on him, and I will check him every day after the park for ticks.

However, I am going away in 3 weeks (for 1 week) and he is going into boarding (well house sitting, with a small dog minding company in my area). And the guy owns 3 other vizsla's, 1 GSP, and one GSP cross boxer, so its safe to say Astro is going to have a great time. He said that he plans each day of the stay around exercising and socialising the dogs, ie, going to the park, going to the beach, bush walks, etc.

And a requirement for his stay is that he is up to date with his vaccinations, worms, fleas and ticks. So he is fine with his vaccinations and worms (give him interceptor), but I still am not doing anything for fleas and ticks.

So what should I do for this now? Should I just give him advantage or advantix (just for the week long stay) and then when he gets back, just go back to the way it was.. ie, no topical flea protection unless I see a colony of fleas on him.

So like I said I currently give Astro interceptor, so would advantix be suffice for fleas/ticks. Or should I go frontline/revolution/advantage/conformtis?

So many options grrrr


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## Rudy (Oct 12, 2012)

All of these products take as well as kill fleas 

core blood and cell level pains 

and the vets get love $ for supporting them :

there toxins poison and junk and fastes process into any living being

through the skin 

facts

42 degree salt water swims none cold clear remote ;D


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

Savannah gets Frontline about every 90 days except for winter time. The label says Frontline is good for up to 90 days for fleas and up to 30 days for ticks. As a disclaimer, the Frontline website says 30 days for fleas and ticks, so the information is a bit inconsistent. 

I time the doses to coincide roughly when we go for hikes in thick brush or she's going to be spending time in close quarters with other dogs. That way we get the benefit of tick protection when she needs it most, sort of coast with the flea protection for the remainder of the 90 days, and keep the chemicals to a minimum.

Not sure if that kind of protocol would work for you, but it's another option for you to consider.


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## kenny1991 (Dec 30, 2012)

So is that frontline plus you use?

And why did you chose frontline over say for example, advantage or advantix?


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## Carolina Blue (Sep 20, 2012)

Throwing another idea to the pot. As mentioned frontline, etc have nasty chemicals in them. I use natural oils for prevention.. Check out Sentry Natural Defense. They have the monthly squeeze on tubes like the chemical stuff. No fleas here!


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

Yes, I use Frontline Plus. I can't remember all the details of my decision of frontline over advantage or advantix, but it seems like one of them is more about fleas than tics and the other says every 30 days for both fleas and tics. 

Basically, I talked first to my vet who said that one of the most common vectors locally for worms are fleas that are eaten while grooming. Most fleas in my area live in barkdust so they either hitchhike on dogs directly or on clothes when people walk through barkdust, which I do. A topical applied to my dog also protects my indoor cat since Savannah moves through the entire house acting as a flea vacuum cleaner. Savannah can tolerate the topicals, but my cat gets physically ill from them. After the vet, I went to each website then went to Petco and read each of the boxes - in detail - then questioned a few of the sales people until I found one who could answer my questions.

I'm still on the lookout for a better answer, so if you find one, please share. I hate the mess, but Frontline meets all my other requirements better than anything else I have seen currently on the market.


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