Thread: FLEA CONTROL PRODUCTS for dogs

hth someone that is not sure of which product to buy for their dog.
Here is some info i found on Advantage & Frontline

CAN'T DECIDE ? . . . HERE IS A QUICK SUMMARY:

Use Frontline for basic flea and tick control regardless of baths or rain. Then consider keeping around one of the other products for flea outbreaks or in case you missed an application date. These products have an indefinite shelf life despite any 'expiration date'.

Use Frontline Plus for improved flea control under difficult conditions and if you are concerned about ticks and your pet often gets wet.

Use Advantage if you want the best flea control and don't care about ticks and if your pet rarely gets wet.

Use Advantix if you want the best flea, tick and mosquito control and if your pet rarely gets wet.

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*Frontline applicators are colored blue - Frontline Plus applicators are colored green.

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**CAUTION: CATS MAY DIE IF THEY LICK A DOG TREATED WITH ADVANTIX - do not use Advantix on dogs that come in contact with cats. Advantix is not available or safe for cats.

***Manufacturer says FRONTLINE PLUS may be used on dogs under 11 lbs only outside

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Each applicator contains a small amount of pre-mixed, pre-measured liquid that provides at least one month of flea protection. This liquid is applied to your pet's skin at the back of the neck and kills fleas within 24-hours, regardless of whether they land on your pet or hatch from eggs. Advantix, Frontline and Frontline Plus will also provide protection from ticks, regular Advantage does not. Frontline Plus contains an additional ingredient which kills flea eggs before they hatch - making it more effective than Frontline for flea outbreaks. Advantage is even more effective against fleas and also kills young fleas and eggs in bedding materials. Advantix provides these same advantages plus it kills and repels fleas, ticks and mosquitoes before they bite. However, both Advantage and Advantix are not fully waterproof if your pet gets wet too often. Frontline users may want to keep some Advantage/Advantix on hand to more quickly get flea outbreaks under control if a timely application was missed and your pet has become badly infested. Please note that Advantix is not available for cats because the extra ingredient that it contains is not safe for cats.

Full usefullness of these products depends on a on-going monthly application schedule, preferably on a year round basis, and also on flea control in the surrounding environment. Advantage is preferred to get a full blown flea outbreak quickly under control. Advantix is preferred to prevent tick bites in highly tick-infested areas where new ticks are picked up as fast as the old ones are killed.

When Frontline was first sold it was tested and shown to be safe on 12-week old kittens and 10-week old puppies. Later, the original Frontline was combined with another ingredient to produce Frontline Plus and was tested on 8-week old kittens and 8-week old puppies and again found to be safe. Advantage can be used on kittens and puppies over 8 weeks old - but is not needed untill they are weaned (treatment of mother also protects the pups/kittens). Advantix, which includes the same ingredient as Advantage, has now been shown safe for pups at 7-weeks old.

To apply these products you remove an applicator from it’s sealed package and hold it upright while tapping to make sure all the liquid is in the bottom of the applicator. Then snap/twist open the tip of the applicator while holding it upright and pointing away from your face. For Advantage/Advantix, the cap is then reversed and used to open the tube seal. Finally, part your pet's hair at the back of the head and neck and apply all the liquid on the skin. Avoid applying too much in one spot to prevent it from running down the sides (apply excess along back if needed).

You can still shampoo and wash your pet without reducing the effectiveness of a Frontline/Frontline Plus treatment, however, it is recommended that you not wash them for one hour before or 48-hours after treatment. Advantage/Advantix will tend to wash out if your pet gets soaked or washed too often - so do not use it just prior to bathing them.

Our vet recommended using Frontline, and that's all we've ever used. Although we don't have a tick issue here & Zoe isn't left outside.

Those things are good but I still prefer using brewer's yeast tablets and garlic tablets/pills.

The fleas do not like the taste of the yeast when it gets into the animals' bloodstream and the ticks do not like the garlic.