Fleas
By Cindy WolffApril 2nd, 2008
Is anyone else experiencing an amazing amount of fleas this year? Nothing seems to help. I usually keep Frontline on my dogs monthly but they are getting fleas again. I haven't seen fleas on them in years. The packaging on Frontline says it kills fleas for up to 3 months and ticks for up to 1 month, but I'm not getting that and I used to. Could the buggers be used to Frontline? What has been your experience?
April 3rd, 2008 at 10:42 am
YES. It's the first year I've had to use Frontline in the winter. I thought it was supposed to kill fleas for 1 month and ticks for 3?
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:58 pm
definitely fleas for 3 and ticks for 1.
heard some complaints last fall at the vet's office that some people were not getting as good of results as they used to with Frontline. have not had any flea problems in my neighborhood despite the feral cat population. maybe it's because my yard floods regularly and drowns them all.
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:58 pm
drowns the fleas. not the feral cats.
April 7th, 2008 at 1:00 am
Last summer I noticed that Frontline wasn't working as long as usual and my veterinarian suggested alternating Frontline with Advantage. I've been doing that, applying one or the other every six weeks during the winter and every 4 weeks during spring and summer. The day I apply it I place the little stickers that come in the box on my calendar so I'll remember which one I used the last time. So far that has worked.
Advantage with tick protection is called Advantix but you can't use that on cats.
April 17th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Treat your yard with Ortho granules (can't remember the name right now)--BIFENTHRIN is the active ingredient-- twice yearly. FOllow directions on the bag. Available at Lowe's; Home Depot. Comes in a big orange/red shiny bag. May be called Bug B Gone Max...but BIFENTHRIN the key. Follow directions for letting animals touch it. Have to spread then moisten. I like to spread it right after rain.
Additionally, use lime (yard lime white or pelletized) against your home foundation/near doorways. It's organic, good for soil, kills fleas. Won't kill you or critters.
Fleas can reproduce faster than topicals can work.
Promeris is a new product, but haven't used it.
Also, Revolution is an alternate-combo heartworm/flea/tick thing.
August 2nd, 2008 at 8:24 am
I have flea problems with my dog, but not the cat. I read somewhere that it is possible for fleas to develop an immunity to flea prevention, so changing to advantix might be an option.