Flea Treatment

elissa

Well-Known Member
Every month I give Chewie frontline combi flea and mosquito repellent... but I was just wondering, the monthly thing... Does anybody know how accurate it is? If she's a few days over will she suddenly get fleas? And if you can go a few days over, is there a danger we're using it too often?

Just a random thought after a few glasses of vino!
 

elissa

Well-Known Member
How long usually before they return? She doesn't go out to many places where she's likely to get fleas, so I don't want to over medicate her for no reason!
 

running_dog

Honored Member
Every month I give Chewie frontline combi flea and mosquito repellent... but I was just wondering, the monthly thing... Does anybody know how accurate it is? If she's a few days over will she suddenly get fleas? And if you can go a few days over, is there a danger we're using it too often?

Just a random thought after a few glasses of vino!
I frontline 6 weekly at most. I think it is ticks that you need to frontline 4 weekly for. Usually I forget to frontline until I get bitten or until Zac catches a squirrel or something else that is alive with biting crawling things.
 

MaryK

Honored Member
We have a massive problem with fleas here, worst I've ever struck, so I do it every four weeks. But am looking into a natural flea protection product, which so far I've only seen in the States. Am going to check with customs here to see if it's allowed into the country.

But I've never had to use flea protection so regularly until now, so I suggest waiting a little longer before re-treating as it is a chemical that's going onto the dog's body.
 

Ripleygirl

Experienced Member
I agree with the above, I aim to use Advocate 4 weekly but I always end up leaving it a few extra days until I see Ripley bothered slightly or notice a flea or two... It is kinda hard with Ripley in the summer months as she is more scratchy because she has a pollen allergy so even sniffing grass or running through it can make her itchy so I kind of rely on seeing a flea or two before defleaing her. I am more regular with her antihistamines as that is what bothers her more in the summer months. I do get worried about ticks though and tend to stay spot on with her worming too.
 

southerngirl

Honored Member
We have a massive problem with fleas here, worst I've ever struck, so I do it every four weeks. But am looking into a natural flea protection product, which so far I've only seen in the States. Am going to check with customs here to see if it's allowed into the country.

But I've never had to use flea protection so regularly until now, so I suggest waiting a little longer before re-treating as it is a chemical that's going onto the dog's body.
I've tried a natural spray and it only works for mild cases. I have yet to find anything natural that works for the worse cases.
 

MaryK

Honored Member
I've tried a natural spray and it only works for mild cases. I have yet to find anything natural that works for the worse cases.
Thank you Danielle:) My dogs don't get a heavy infestation with fleas, mainly I think due to the fact I'm very vigilant on protection. But, we're run alive with rats in this area and of course they carry fleas, so I do need strong protection to keep my guys free. Zeus is highly allergic to fleas too, so I wouldn't want to risk his allergy breaking out, it's ghastly for the poor chap, so itchy!:(

I could well be wasting time money and putting the dogs (and the cats) through misery by using the natural flea protection. As the one I was looking at comes from the States, it's more than likely you've tried it.
 

Evie

Experienced Member
I haven't used a flea treatment on Evie for at least a year. She doenst have fleas. Nor do my cats. I used it on her as a puppy when I noticed fleas on her - I asked my vet which one I should use as some are more effective in some areas than others due to the fleas building up a resistance.

I have no intentions on using it on her or the cats again until I notice fleas on any of them again :) Can't see the point in spending the money if there's no fleas to be seen :p
 

MaryK

Honored Member
I haven't used a flea treatment on Evie for at least a year. She doenst have fleas. Nor do my cats. I used it on her as a puppy when I noticed fleas on her - I asked my vet which one I should use as some are more effective in some areas than others due to the fleas building up a resistance.

I have no intentions on using it on her or the cats again until I notice fleas on any of them again :) Can't see the point in spending the money if there's no fleas to be seen :p
You're so lucky! :) I hate using chemicals on my dogs and cats, never did in Melbourne, but since I've lived in Adelaide have had to - other wise we'd be run out of house and home with fleas!:eek:

And yes, it's darned expensive. Have to buy for two dogs, both different weights and two cats! :(
 

southerngirl

Honored Member
Personally I don't put the flea treatments on my cats, because I've been told that they can be really dangerous for cats. My vets recommend not to use the treatment on them. I just buy flea shampoo for them, and use natural stuff, which actually works for the cats. But my current cat doesn't have fleas yet the dogs do.:confused: The best natural flea stuff I've found somewhat works is Vet's + Best
 

MaryK

Honored Member
Thank you Danielle. I use one specifically for cats, but don't really like using it. Will see if Vets+Best is available here, or if I can buy online from the USA, though so much stuff now you cannot get through customs.

How are you're cats with bathing? Mine are absolutely terrible!:eek: They think it's Dark Age Torture!!!!:eek:
 

southerngirl

Honored Member
How are you're cats with bathing? Mine are absolutely terrible!:eek: They think it's Dark Age Torture!!!!:eek:
Most of cats hated it but I had one before who was fine with it. My current one hates them, but I don't have to worry about getting scratched because her previous owner declawed her.
 

MaryK

Honored Member
I'm not in favor of declawing cats but can see the advantage at bath time - not that that would make me have a cat declawed which I think is illegal here not sure though.

One of my cats is so bad that, when I lived in Melbourne, my lovely, elderly neighbor heard her 'screams' for HELP and rang me, thinking she had been injured and offering help! And there was a decent space between the two houses too! Her screams where truly horrendous!

The only things which needed help were, one pair of bathroom curtains totally demolished as she attempted to climb away from the basin, one fly screen wrecked same reason and one human (me) looking like I'd been pulled through a thicket of bramble bushes several times over!!!!!!!!!:eek:

Now my partner has the dubious 'honor' of bathing the cats! His hands are stronger than mine and he can manage to keep a good, safe grip on them with one hand, whilst bathing them with his other hand. I retreat to a friend's house, take the dogs for a walk anywhere but staying in the house when the cats are bathed!
 

southerngirl

Honored Member
I don't like declawing either, but Sophie does well without them. She is an outdoor/indoor cat, and she manages to catch and kill small animals.
:ROFLMAO:That's too funny your cats sound like little horrors during bath time. None of mine have been that bad, there either just trying to escape from the bath by climbing out or to horrified to do anything.
 

MaryK

Honored Member
I don't like declawing either, but Sophie does well without them. She is an outdoor/indoor cat, and she manages to catch and kill small animals.
:ROFLMAO:That's too funny your cats sound like little horrors during bath time. None of mine have been that bad, there either just trying to escape from the bath by climbing out or to horrified to do anything.
Glad Sophie does so well without her claws, able to catch small animals, like a cat with claws. But can she climb? I've never had any experience with a declawed cat, so pardon the question.

LOL little horrors is the nicest thing to say about my two at bath time! They're MONSTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Normally two nice old ladies, well HRH does bite quite hard too but we're all used to that, until bath time! Dr. Jekylle and Mr. Hyde weren't nearly as bad as my two cats!!!!!!!!!!:eek::eek::eek:
 

southerngirl

Honored Member
Glad Sophie does so well without her claws, able to catch small animals, like a cat with claws. But can she climb? I've never had any experience with a declawed cat, so pardon the question.

LOL little horrors is the nicest thing to say about my two at bath time! They're MONSTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Normally two nice old ladies, well HRH does bite quite hard too but we're all used to that, until bath time! Dr. Jekylle and Mr. Hyde weren't nearly as bad as my two cats!!!!!!!!!!:eek::eek::eek:
No she can't climb trees, but she's creative. We have a shed that my dad has his tools and everything in, it has a top area to it. Sophie used some shelving that's against it to get inside the top of it.
 

MaryK

Honored Member
I did see, when re-searching tapeworms which Zeus doesn't have, that giving a dog one Brewer's Yeast tablet a day will keep away fleas. Has anyone tried this? Or know if it works? As I would much rather give natural products than chemicals. But don't want to take chances as fleas are a real problem here, worst I've ever had anywhere. One day over the due date and they will very quickly appear!
 
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