Reviews, opinions on the best flea preventatives?

Question

I dunno if I'm going nuts or what but Advantage and FrontLine Plus for dogs aren't effectively keeping the fleas from jumping on my dogs. What do you use to keep the fleas from your dogs and does it wash off after a bath; how effective has it been for you?

Answer 1

I have had great results with K9 Advantix and Frontline Plus. Personally, I haven't heard too many good things about Advantage - my vet told me it doesn't last the entire month and I also work at Petco and customers have told me the exact same thing.

I currently use K9 Advantix on my dog and haven't seen a flea or tick on her - even after we took her camping with us in the middle of nowhere (the forest was a haven for fleas and ticks). We also wash her about two times a month and still no fleas. Drs. Foster and Smith - a reputable online store for pet products recommends K9 Advantix over Frontline Plus and Advantage. Also, unlike Frontline and Advantage, K9 Advantix kills mosquitos as well.

As a note, BioSpot, Zodiac, Hartz, Adams - all these brands are not as effective as Frontline or K9 Advantix, however, if you cannot afford Frontline or K9 Advantix - BioSpot contains S-methroprene which is one of the same ingredients in Frontline and is used as a growth inhibitor against fleas. Please do keep in mind, you do get what you pay for, so really, these "cheaper" brands are best avoided.

Finally, there are also ingestable pills that are supposed to work good to for fleas that are available through a vet (i.e. Advantatge Multi and others).

Answer 2

Advantage, Frontline and Revolution are all good stuff, but you won't stop seeing fleas if you haven't sprayed your house. Even though Frontline Plus kills flea eggs and larvae, it only does this for your cat, so if fleas are already in your home you NEED to spray your house.

Don't bath the animal less than 48 hours before applying the product, or 48 hours afterwards or it can wash off. If you bath before, you will have washed the natural oils of the dog's skin off that spot-ons require to work.

Keep on with the Frontline Plus or Advantage, or try Revolution if you like, but do make sure this stuff gets on your pet's skin, not fur! And get a decent housespray from the vets.

Chalice

Answer 3

BUY NOTHING FROM A PET STORE OR WAL MART!!!! Those products, including " Bio spot" are DANGEROUS to te animal if not used properly and they rarely work for more than 3-5 days. Advantage & Frontline are the best products out there and well worth the $$$. Here's the deaL....The topical products only work if applied according to specific directions. 48 hrs before or after a bath is KEY. The flea HAS to bite the animal to ingest the poison and die. Therefore, if you do not treat your dogs bedding, your yard, & your house, you will still have fleas living everywhere. You will see them crawling on your pet and your furniture. Treat EVERYTHING and they will slowy diminish. It may take 2 or 3 total treatments to get them gone, depending on how bad the infestation. This happens all the time, so don't feel bad, just get the proper stuff for all the animal's environment and good luck. P.S. Capstar is VERY effective in immediate removal of fleas, it just has no residual. We use it when a loaded dog comes to board and then we apply topical.

Answer 4

Frontline plus, Advantix (is toxic to cats), and Advantage they're all great products. When using them make sure you pet is not bathed 48 hours prior or post application. They are affective for a month.
Now if you have a flea infestation the products can only prevent so many fleas, the fleas will die when they bite but again if you have too many then you need to treat your home, yard and your pet at the same time.
Remember that fleas lay eggs and they will hatch every 3 weeks.
Good Luck!!!

Answer 5

advantage only kills the fleas by making the adults sterile.

frontline plus is better than advantage but unfortunatly in some areas of the country the fleas and ticks have become resistant to it...also because frontline only effects when the fleas bit you will have fleas still jumping on the dog.

my personal favorite is K9 Advantage, (please note if you have a cat that sleeps with or grooms your dogs do NOT use advantage as the active ingredient can be deadly if ingested by a cat)

its a topical just like frontline plus, but also protects against mosquitoes...
AND it is a poisen that is absorbed through the flea and ticks skin too meaning once the flea actually touches the dogs skin it is poisend. i switched from frontline plus to k9 advantix after finding a tick engorged on my parents cocker (the tick SHOULD have died upon biting but it didnt) since switching to k9 advantix we havent had any issues.

Answer 6

My experience with Frontline was less than great, although it seems to work for lots of people. I have used Advantage for years and love it.
You do not bathe for 24 hours after applying it, but after that it cannot "wash off".
If you are having a flea problem in your house of yard, there can still be fleas jumping on the dog. The fleas die when they bite the dog, it does not repel them. And if you are having a really big problem, you may need to apply it every 2 weeks for a month or so.

Advantage last UP TO one month. right in the package insert it reads:
"If re-treatment becomes necessary earlier than four weeks, do not re-treat more than once weekly."

It is NOT dangerous to re-treat before 4 weeks. In severe situations, you may have to re-treat earlier than the 4 weeks.

Answer 7

I cant understand why in the States they dont use Pet programme, than the rather not so effective Frontline.
Pet Programme is great for both cats and dogs. I had to use pet programme once on my cat, simple injection, that was 9 years ago. It is very very affective. I have done this link for you. Hope you find it useful.

PROGRAM PLUS tablets, taken with a meal, can protect your pet, and your family all year round.

If your dog has already got fleas, you can use CAPSTAR tablets to eliminate fleas from your dog in just 24 hours. Then follow up with PROGRAM PLUS to prevent future infestations.


Facts About Capstar.


Is a flea treatment for cats and dogs which begins killing fleas within 15 mins.
It kills 100% of fleas on your pet within 24 hours.
Is administered as a small tablet.
Does not leave any residue on your pet, or in your home.
Information taken from Novartis Animal Health UK Ltd, makers of Program and Capstar (www.fleafree.co.uk)



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Answer 8

I agree that you have a severe flea infestation.

Have a professional treat your yard and under your house, if your house has a crawl space under it.

Take your dogs to the vet and groomer, and have them dipped. Then board them while you treat your house.

Wash everything that's washable, and liberally sprinkle Borax on your carpet and furniture. Vacuum after about 20 minutes, and keep vacuuming every day for about 2 weeks to make sure you get any newly-hatched fleas and flea eggs. That should kill the infestation.

After you bring your dogs home after the first vacuuming, you might want to try another flea product like Revolution, if you're not impressed with Front Line.

Good luck!

Answer 9

Wash your pet with a good flea shampoo. Wait 3 days and apply frontline. Frontline needs the natural oils on the skin to work effectivley. You also need to treat your yard and house. After you vacuum your house throw away the bag it you have one. The larva can hatch in there. Wash all bedding in the hottest water possible. Frontline works well, but it has to be used correctly and the environment has to be treated also. Good luck.

Answer 10

I use Biospot from Petsmart on my dog and have had no trouble. Frontline/Advantage were all way too expensive for my large breed dog. Biospot is around $13 dollars for 4 months of treatment. We have woods in our backyard and I've never had a problem with fleas/ticks using the Biospot. During the summer months when fleas are at their worst I would treat the dog every 3 weeks instead of 4.. I also give my dog a good brush/bath with regular dog shampoo before application and I vacuum my home like mad everyday. .So, I don't have a flea problem. Also, if you have carpeting mixing baking soda/iodized salt which can be purchased at the wholesale club for around $5 for 12 lbs. of baking soda and $3 for the salt has not only kept the fleas away but, it freshens the carpets and picks up any loose dirt.. So, I apply baking soda/salt to the carpets every month or so. Leave on overnight and vacuum the next day ! Good luck