My dog got fleas 2 mnths ago. Im using advantage. 2 mnths later she still has a few fleas!! help me?

Question

2 mnths ago, she got fleas, first i used hartz control, the vet said to wash it off as it could kill my dog. I bought advantage from them. It has slowed them down but today i pulled 3 off her. I know they are still in the house, but how the heck do i get rid of them. does advantage really work or does it just keep them under control without killing them off period. I want them off my dog(sophie) the vet told me that shampoos and dog collars dont work. I dont want to keep soph on advantage forever as i hate chemicals, and this stuff is pumped out by her liver once its absorbed by the skin. Please advise. Sophie is a lhasa/shitzu cross, very cute and scratchy.

This is the first time she ever got fleas, surely i can get rid of them and then discontinue treatment

My dog is white, I see no flea dirt, so maybe i only see ones on her from the house. the vet said advantage would kill all, on pet and house. I have hardwood floors. How do they survive in the house if soph has advantage that kills them, where do they get the blood to breed, can they live on my cockatiel?Do i have to disinfect my house then, what is bombing?Whats up with the mist stuff someone said, this is so new to me.

sorry about all the xtra details, but i do take care of her, and i wont give her to someone else. maybe i need to clarify that i do apply it once a month, i got an 8 mnth supply and i just applied the 3rd month to her

Answer 1

Probably because the flea meds are only effective for about a month..And also because you still have fleas in your house. Yes, you killed the ones on her, but the ones living in the carpet, in cracks and crevices etc, are still alive and jump right back on. The only way to really put a dead stop to it is to use a good flea shampoo-I suggest Zodiac, kills both adult fleas and eggs, then use the top spot, I use Frontline Plus on my four.... then in your house use whats called a fogger (you may need several-one per room) as this will kill all the ones in the house, along with using a house spray to get under beds/couches/ small corners/chairs etc, cause the fogger only gets the tops of stuff. Fleas are a hard thing to get rid of. I live in Washington and the weather we have is mild all year long (no extreme heat or freezing) to wipe them out so for us its a year long problem you have to stay on top of. For some dogs you can also feed them a garlic/brewers yeast tab and it will secret a sent out of the dogs pores to help keep fleas away (humans cant smell it). Make sure all bedding is treated/cleaned. Good job on checking up on the fleas on her though! Many just assume that once they are gone then they are gone for a long time.

Answer 2

Hi. I am a veterinary nurse. Advantage is very effective in killing fleas if used properly. You should no longer have the problem months later. Did you apply it or did your vet? Have you bombed your home? If not, that may be the problem. You can go to any Petsmart or Petco and they will be able to point you in the right direction as far as the bomb goes. It is a pain to do, but that is the only way you will kill fleas living in your home. If you have been able to see live fleas on your pet, that means that there are quite a good number on her. Usually there is only "flea dirt" present on a pet. If there are live fleas then I would highly suggest going back to your vet. With that many fleas, I would keep an eye out in her stool for tapeworms. Tapeworms are caused by a pet ingesting a flea when they itch themselves. They look like rice when they are passed.

Like I said, I would go back to the vet at this point. It is true that those over the counter products do not work. Your vet is the only one who could nip this in the bud for you. I have two Shih Tzus myself and there are the sweetest dogs ever. I hope Sophie feels better soon. I am sure once she does, you will too!

Answer 3

Do you use the proper dosage for your size dog? It takes a few days for the fleas to die....Advantage as well as Frontline is something that you apply monthly....I used to use Advantage but after a year the fleas came back....I switched to frontline and after 2 1/2 years have not had a problem since.....don't forget that you need to apply it arround the same time of the month....If you don't do it within 4-5 weeks after the last time the fleas will start coming back.

Answer 4

Are you applying it every month and to the skin? You've got to push the hair away so get the bare skin and I rub it in some.

Don't be concerned about the chemical issue for not. It shouldn't take long. The fleas need a host and they only host animals, not people. They bite us but jump off because we aren't what they want.

Also, fleas become dormant in the cold weather. Talk to your vet and make sure you get the right dosage ampule.

If you let your dog go outside often, you'll have to continue the advantage while fleas are rampant. I would spray my Yard every 2 weeks with flea killer in those nozzle guns. Make sure the grass is dry before you let your dog out. Email me if more ?'s.

Answer 5

The Best stuff in the world, Borax! you can find it in the laundry isle at the supermarket. sprinkle it on your carpets, under beds, under couch cushions and where the dog sleeps. It will not harm your dog. do not vacuum for about 4 days. It will take about 4 weeks to completley get rid of the fleas but it does work and you will never have fleas again, the Borax dehydrates the fleas and they die.

Answer 6

to get rid of fleas in your house, spread baking powder on your hardwood floor or your carpet. Wait like 10 min. and then vacuum it up. But, after you vacuum, take out the bag. This'll help you prevent fleas the next time you vacuum. If you have a hepa filter, put flea powder on the bottom of your vacuum

Answer 7

I use Frontline. I tried advantix but it didn't seem to work on my dog.
This really worked for me:
1)Frontline applied to the skin.
2)Capstar taken internally (a pill)
3)A flea collar.

Haven't seen a flea since.

Answer 8

go to walmart and get a flea killer for the house, wash the dog with flea shampoo, and then put on a flea coller on from the same store worked for me, vets just want you to buy the expensive stuff, go to lowes or home depot and get the stuff for the yard too

Answer 9

you have to reapply it every month!
give the dog to someone who knows how to take care of it. what does the package say? reapply every month. it doesn't hurt the dog, but the fleas can kill her.

Answer 10

I personally use front line plus for my dogs. Use it monthly or they will keep coming back. Sorry it's not a once in while kind of thing.