Spring is here...time for flea protection...help!

[FoxyWench]

So yesterday we plucked a tick (not bitten) off the spaniel, weve had a bout of lovely weather here in ct and so everything is waking up a little earlier than usual, it was just an adult female deer tick and hadnt bitten, so we were lucky, a through inspection of all dogs cat and humans the occured, and everythings clear, but eitherway there now obviously awake and wanderign round...

Last summer i didnt have dodger, only vixie and she didnt go out much (her choice) so charlie was the only one on flea control, he was on frontline plus and while he stayed flea free he did end up with a couple of ticks, some wandering on him and a couple of attatched over the spring/summer/fall time.
and of course he was on heartguard and always covered in mosquitoe bites...

Well this year vixie has decided outside if fun when shes got dodger to chase...so its time for flea protection for all.
Ive been looking into frontline and advantix...due to the poor performance with ticks im realy interested in anyones experiences with advaintix, which not only supposedly kills fleas and ticks AND mosquitoes...but also repels fleas ticks and mosquitoes...

Frontline only kills fleas and ticks and doesnt repel...(and im questioning the ticks thing too lol)

Also im told that advantix is much safer to use on my 3 and 5lb chis, while frontline isnt advised for under 5lbs?! is this true?

On advantix, since it repels and kills mosquitoes, what about heartguard?! if i go with advantix should i still keep up with the heartguard, (Dodger tends to throw up after the heartguard and vixie gets very lose stool...)

And i understad the advantix is very dangerous for cats? it wouldnt be a worry as the cat avoids the dogs at all costs...

so i guess what im trying to ask is...which is better, advantix or frontline plus.
and especially which is better for a 3lb and a 5lb pair of chihuahuas.

 

[Buddy'sParents]

"Frontline Plus Provides Your Dog or Cat With The Most Complete Spot-on Flea And Tick Protection Available. In Addition To Killing 98-100% Of Adult Fleas On Your Pet Within 24 Hours, Frontline Plus Contains A Special Ingredient That Kills Flea Eggs And Larvae, Too And Keeps All Stages Of Fleas From Developing. By Effectively Stopping The Development Of New Fleas, Frontline Plus Completely Breaks The Flea Life Cycle And, Kills All Stages Of 4 Major Ticks Including Those That May Transmit Lyme Disease And Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Kills chewing lice. It's Completely Waterproof. For Use on Pets 8 Weeks Old or Older."


"K9 Advantix is a once a month topical application used for the prevention and treatment of fleas, mosquitoes and ticks including deer ticks (the major carrier of Lyme disease), American dog ticks, Brown dog ticks and lone star ticks. K9 Advantix Kills 98-100% Of Fleas Within 12 Hours. K9 Advantix Repels And Kills Mosquitoes. K9 Advantix is for use on dogs and puppies 7 weeks of age and older. Do Not Use On Cats."

from the petmeds website.....advantix is supposed to repel and kill mosq. fleas and ticks....frontline plus kills fleas, flea eggs, ticks and chewing lice.
When i worked at the pet store, we always recommended frontline plus, but it didn't always work for everyone. can you get a sample from you vet? my vet gave me a sample for buddy of something and i was glad i didnt pay for it...

 

[FoxyWench]

sample?! my vet, *laughs*...unfrotunatly (and the reason im looking for a new vet) nothing is free...if you want the vet to clip their nails you have to pay full office visit ($45) just for the nails cut!.

our vet also recomends something else which we tired on the spaniel for 6 months and he ended up covered in fleas, told the vet and hes like "well you must have put it on wrong" *shakes head* our locla petco suggests frontline but thats because thats the only brand they carry...the local cockerspaneil club suggests frontline plus, the local chi club suggests advantix...lol, it feels like my heads gonna explode...they cost the same, but after having bad luck with the frontline...but i also dunt have the money to just throw away if the advantix doesnt work...*sigh*
the advantix does seem to cover for more things and im liking the repellant too...
mabe someone who uses it will answer?!

the ticks we have for the most part in our area are deer tick and dog tick, ive never seen a brown tick round here and never heard of a lonestart tick in ct so...the deer tick and the mosquitoes are worse than the fleas...

 

[makenzie71]

Go with frontline...awesome product.

 

[Renee750il]

The Frontline Plus works for us here, but other people have better luck with the Advantage . . . Since the Frontline didn't work for you before, try one vial of the Advantage. If it doesn't work, you can try a vial of the Frontline Plus . . .

 

[filarotten]

Yep it is time. I should have put it on mine last month. Saw a couple of fleas. Time to get the yard sprayed also.

 

[Buddy'sParents]

Wow, I guess I have a good vet then. Since you're more concerned about the ticks, maybe advantix? I'm sure you'll find people that use each product as the day goes on....

 

[lovemelovemydogs]

I use Advantix and Heartguard and I think they work wonderful. I live in the country and the dogs are always outside and as long they have Advantix on I havent had any tick problems

 

[bubbatd]

Advantix here !

 

[Jynx]

Hi Foxy,,I'm in CT as well, Lyme in fact! (lucky me)

First can I suggest that you try Interceptor for your heartworm med. Only because you are saying your dogs either vomit or have stomache upset after giving it, I had a GSD who did the same thing after every dose, it did NOT agree with him, so I switched to Interceptor. My aussies are on Interceptor as well..Maybe your dogs are trying to tell you that isn't agreeing with them.

I don't use topicals/flea meds of any kind on my dogs. I have 4 dogs, 4 cats and they haven't had fleas in almost 10 years.. (my cats are indoor cats)

We don't seem to be as flea infested in the state as we are mosquito infested.

Even tho you only see deer/dog ticks, the lyme tick is so minute you won't see it.

I'd try a Preventic collar, they take care of ticks, your HW med should take care of the hw problem caused by mosquitoes. As for fleas, if you don't have indoor/outdoor cats and / or sandy, damp area you really shouldn't have fleas.

I'd be real careful what you put on/use on your small chi's. My sister has a papillon and doesn't use any stuff on him, the vets think he is too small for those types of chemicals..Certainly up to you tho!

Diane

 

[gerardo]

the canine cabana protects from mosquitos and other flying insects there great for camping and leaving your dog out on a cool evening it is also a great sun protector i recomend to all who uses crates very nicly made
no more westnile for my dog!!!

 

[Barb04]

I use Frontline Plus on all my dogs and have never had a problem.

 

[Debi]

I use Frontline Plus also, and it works well for my pups. my new order should be here tomorrow.....here comes the big flea & tick season again...YUK!

 

[FoxyWench]

yeah, its already so nice here (67 today) and its expected to stay this way for a while, and we had a considerably mild winter, so im expecting it to be bad this year.
We dont crate, but do like to go outside in the evenings (were british so not real good with the summer daytime heat lol)
Im real worried for mosquitoes we had 5 cases of westnile here last year, 3 horses just round the corner from us and 2 birds...
flease dont seem to be a big broblem...but ticks...the frontline doesnt even seem to phase em! last year i pulled live engorged ticks off the spaniel whos on frontline year round. id understand if i pulled engorged dead ticks, or unattatched ticks (since frontline kills em when they bite) but there still alive after biting...

think im gonna give the advantix a try, if i get the 6 month supply itll cover the chis for 3 months each that should be a good trial period...
and i like the fact that advantix's lowest dose is 0-10 lbs wheras frontline is 0-22 that seems like a wide range...i think id have to split the frontline dose to feel safe with it on the chis...

I think i live in the land of the super ticks lol!