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Flea Treatments


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I've concocted this list of the common flea treatments and their claims so people can compare at a glance.

Product (application) - ACTIVE CHEMICAL (treats) - effect on fleas

FLEA ONLY

Advantage (Spot-on) - IMIDACLOPRID (fleas, lice) - kills fleas and flea larvae

Frontline Plus (Spot-on) - FIPRONIL + METHOPRENE (fleas) - kills fleas, prevents eggs hatching

Capstar (Oral) - NITENPYRAM (fleas) - when flea bites kills instantly

Program (Oral) - LUFENURON (fleas) - when flea bites prevents eggs hatching

FLEA + OTHER

Advantix (Spot-on) - IMIDACLOPRID + PERMETHRIN (fleas, ticks, lice) - kills fleas and flea larvae

Advocate (Spot-on) - IMIDACLOPRID + MOXIDECTIN (fleas, mites, lice, heartworm, worms) - kills fleas and flea larvae

Revolution (Spot-on) - SELAMECTIN (fleas, mites, heartworm) - kills fleas and flea larvae, prevents eggs hatching

Sentinel Spectrum (Oral) - LUFENURON + MILBEMYCIN OXIME + PRAZIQUANTEL (fleas, heartworm, worms) - when flea bites prevents eggs hatching

The basic differences between the products from the same manufacturers:

Advantix is Advantage+ticks.

Advocate is Advantage+worms.

Sentinel Spectrum is Program+worms.

WARNING: The Permethrin in Advantix is highly toxic to cats.

Edited by anthony mazzeri
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Great post Anthony.

Frontline - Fipronil (stimulates fleas nervous system causing paralysis and death)

Frontline Plus - Fipronil & Methprene (as above as well as killing juveniles)

Preventic Tick collar - Amitraz (not for use on cats!!!) - can be used in combination with Advantix

Kiltix collar - Flumethrin & Propoxur (not for use on cats!!!) - do NOT use in combination with Advantix

Proban - Cythioate - Tablets given every 2 days - not to be used with organophosphates (ie. frontline)

Duoguard Line On - Pyriproxyfen, Permethrin (kills all stages of the fleas life cycle) - used in combination with a preventic collar

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  • 2 weeks later...

do you guys feel that all treatments work equally well? I never had so much trouble with fleas as this year, and Archie the puppy seems to be their favourite target. In the past my white persian used to be the primary victim (and it was quite easy to pick up on her!!!) but Archie seems to be suffering from them big time. He's getting a spot-on treatment every 2 weeks and a capstar almost every day and this seem to be doing nothing.

And yes, the house is vacuumed regularly and I spray the carpeted areas with Fido's flea spray. I am at my wits ends...

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do you guys feel that all treatments work equally well?
No, they don't.

You also have to give the fleas time to die. A slowly moving flea that is easy to spot is usually a sick, dying flea that has already been poisoned. It's not an indication to apply more product to the dog or the environment.

We use advocate and advantage and are very happy with them. You won't see an immediate end to the fleas, you will see a dramatic decline in numbers over days or weeks.

If the environment has a a lot of flea eggs in it due to past infestation, you may need to treat that as well. A flea bomb for inside or a special spray for outside that is designed for that use. Spraying the carpet may not catch all the fleas that are hatching in dark corners.

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Incidentally, I think people should be aware that if you use one of those flea treatments that also do worms, the dogs excrete nasty chemicals that kill earthworms ALL MONTH until the treatment wears off. Apparently I'm freaked out about this and no one else is, but I think it's worth thinking about considering earthworms are our friends and I'm just inherently leery of the idea that my dog's poo could be even more toxic than it would be normally!

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June here ...

After wasting a shit load of money on Revolution I wouldn't use a spoton again on Ivy .. unless seriously required. Would much rather use essentials oils and a good flea wash.

Rev never worked on Ivy, seemed to make her more itchy and act quite strange. Too many chemicals for my likings!!

I've also used a spoton on my kitten before and she licked around and got a tiny amount, wow she wasn't happy. foaming at the mouth for about two hours.

:rofl: to the earth worms and worm farms.

Edited by ~CHEWBACCA~
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Revolution's not working for me either. Makes me question its heartworm and worm coverage as well. I'm going to try the flea-only options now. Advantage first, then Frontline. If neither of those work, it's Program oral.

Wouldn't standard all-wormers do the same thing as well? Maybe just for a day or two I suppose.

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