Flea Control

[DAVERI]

I have just go a new dog after a few years of being dog less after my girl passed away.

I have two cats and can't for the life of me remember the safe flea control to us on dogs that are around cats. im talking about the stuff you put on the back of the neck once a month. the stuff you us on cats is ok around dogs but not all brands you us on dogs are safe around the cats. and i hate flea collars. any one know the brand and is it any good for tick control too. thanks guys.

[Ben and Jerry]

frontline and advantage are fine around cats but advantix is toxic.

[Ben and Jerry]

also fairly certain frontline is your only option for tick control thats safe aeound cats. I could be wrong but thats the only product besides collars and advantix we sell here at work

[RiverStar-Aura]

For fleas I've made the switch to Comfortis -- it's a tablet and works like a charm!!

For ticks I use Frontline Plus, which is cat safe.

[Guest Ams]

You can use Advantix on your dogs if you have cats but you need to be careful that it is dry before your cats get to be around your dogs. It only take a couple of hours to dry on the dogs coats. I live in a high tick area and find that Frontline is not as effective so with up to 17 dogs and 13 cats I still use Advantix and have not had a single cat be affected yet. Spot on is put on in the morning and dogs put outside, only allowed back in after a couple of hours.

Yes I have seen what happens to cats that have Advantix applied and it is not pretty but I have also had dogs go down with tick paralysis so I will continue to use Advantix.

[sandgrubber]

Read the label!!!!

Beware of pyretherins. I almost lost an old girl (bitch) to them. She licked the spot-on application off a puppy. Awful cluster seizures.

[Cooling Coats]

has anyone used diamataceous (sp?) earth? My groomer said this is natural, and works better than any chemical treatments. Yet to use it myself, I am still using Frontline Plus.

[DAVERI]

one of my cats over dosed with a flea collar. she had a seizure and was very sick she also lost all her hair. my vet said that its real common with both dogs and cats to OD on flea collars and warns everyone not to use them.

[Rebanne]

For fleas I've made the switch to Comfortis -- it's a tablet and works like a charm!!

just be aware the paperwork inside the box says the safe use of comfortis in breeding males has not be evaluated, as well as consult your vet if using on pregnant or lactating dogs and in dogs with pre exisitng epilepsy.

[Poppy's mum]

has anyone used diamataceous (sp?) earth? My groomer said this is natural, and works better than any chemical treatments. Yet to use it myself, I am still using Frontline Plus.

I bought some kitty litter that was diametaceous (?) earth. I use it to dry out wardrobes like damp rid. How does it kill fleas?

I'm told you cant use flea collars on greyhounds because they are sensitive to the ingredients - in fact, I probably learnt it on here. Also some of the tick treatments (thanks Snippet for that info).

[RiverStar-Aura]

For fleas I've made the switch to Comfortis -- it's a tablet and works like a charm!!

just be aware the paperwork inside the box says the safe use of comfortis in breeding males has not be evaluated, as well as consult your vet if using on pregnant or lactating dogs and in dogs with pre exisitng epilepsy.

Thanks for that. Even though both my boy and girl ate desexed I'll remember it for if I ever have an entire dog. I do recall reading something like that but dismissed it as I havs desexed animals. Will keep an eye out for seizures though -- this is a worry.

I only use the Comfortis as a last result too as I'm not having too much trouble with fleas just now. Am currently looking into either Advocate or Advantix (Advocate for mites and fleas or Advantix for ticks and fleas).

[Cooling Coats]

has anyone used diamataceous (sp?) earth? My groomer said this is natural, and works better than any chemical treatments. Yet to use it myself, I am still using Frontline Plus.

I bought some kitty litter that was diametaceous (?) earth. I use it to dry out wardrobes like damp rid. How does it kill fleas?

I'm told you cant use flea collars on greyhounds because they are sensitive to the ingredients - in fact, I probably learnt it on here. Also some of the tick treatments (thanks Snippet for that info).

I think she said you can buy it in a powder form and you dust it on your dog's coat, and sprinkle it on carpets, bedding etc, leave it for a bit then vacuum it up. I haven't used it myself yet, would like to hear from anyone who has used it though and was the results were

[kosmology]

Has anyone tried 'Wormwood' Artemisia absinthium? It is a plant common to many gardens, and has many uses. I was told about this natural flea control method about 20 years ago - "Grab a handlful of the leaves and make an infusion of it in boiling water. After the water cools down, saturate your dog in it". I did, it worked. It smells nice too.

From 'Gardening Australia' online:

Artemisia or wormwood, is a fantastic plant in a Mediterranean garden. They are drought-tolerant, and were once planted in chook sheds because they deterred tics from the chooks and that stopped them getting worms. But in a garden there are many dwarf forms that make fantastic accent plants. ‘Powis Castle’ has lovely, lacy fine silver foliage and looks fantastic as a single specimen, border or hedge. It naturally grows to about a metre if you don't prune it and it loves full sun.

As for Paralysis ticks, my experience (and from what I've read on DOL) is there is nothing that ensures 100% effectiveness, except to live somewhere they don't occur.