[bellasmomok]

Originally Posted by Desiree1027

Okay, I only know what I've been told and it came from two separate vets.

My first experience: I used ADVANTIX - it is the flea and tick treatment from Bayer (maker of Advantage too). I have a dog that just happened to be allergic to the tick prevention chemical in it.

I was told to switch to Advantage because it didn't have the tick preventor in it, it's just for fleas. I chose this product because my girl didn't really go outside so I wasn't as concerned about ticks then.

It was explained to me that the fleas/ticks only have to come in contact with the dog treated by Advantage or Advantix, they don't have to be bitten. Unlike Frontline, where they have to be actually bitten to die .

It was my belief that if a tick was found on my dog and was biting, I would be encouraged to treat for lyme anyway, or at least I think I would want to.

So what good would it be to use Frontline?

I felt it was better to kill fleas before they came inside since if they jumped on Dezi, they would be affected immediately.

Now, to make things more complicated, I have another puppy that is very active and I think I'd better reconsider the tick subject since it has gotten worse in the last 6 years. And I have a new vet as well. They don't even carry Advantage, since it doesn't have tick prevention.

They are recommending Frontline since it controls both fleas and ticks. Although it has a different chemical that doesn't have the incidence of allergic reactions. Since I don't know anyone who used it, I am in the same predicament since I don't know what to do now.

Fall temperatures are upon us in the northeast which is when the fleas start to be uncontrollable. So I need to decide!

I chose to not use Frontline so now I feel like I would be making a choice base on the fact that nothing else has been recommended.

I think you may be mistaken. Frontline also kills fleas and ticks on contact. I have been told this by multiple vets, but when I tried to find those exact words on their website I couldn't....however, given that it kills not only the adult flea but also the flea larvae and eggs as well, I can conclude that the flea doesn't have to bite to die (because larvae and eggs don't bite). As for ticks, I'm pretty certain it works in the same way, but since they don't say it in those exact words on their website, I can't support that statement. Advantage also kills on contact, just as you said, and just as any other drop type treatment does. I did not realize that Advantix was made by Advantage and that it controlled ticks as well--that's great! I still think Frontline has a better track record, but it's good to know that there is more than one choice out there!! Yay!! (Advantage kills flea adults and larvae but it doesn't kill flea eggs, however, like Frontline does, so I'm assuming that Advantix doesn't as well?? I'd have to check that out...still a pretty good alternative though.)

Originally Posted by omega

I personally do not like putting chemicals on my dogs cause they go into the bloodstream and can cause very serious problems.

I use FleaTreats for flea and tick preventative. It's a natural tablet, given once a day, just like a treat or training aide. No harmful chemicals and we have not had a flea and only one tick since April.

The site is flea treats, natural flea control for dogs and cats.
Another site is Deer Repellent and other Natural Animal Repellents from Liquid Fence - they sell natural insect repellants for humans and animals and products for the yard that won't hurt the animals.

I understand why you wouldn't want to use chemicals on your pet. Something that might be worth knowing is that the Frontline Spray was originally marketed to treat head lice on children. Reassuring to me, at least, to know that the product was safe on humans before it was ever used on pets. I wonder how the natural tablet you use works?? Maybe it works as a sort of repellant....like I know that garlic repels a lot of things. The pill form flea medications (like Sentinel, which is for heartworms too) work by sterilizing adult fleas that bite the dog--those adults eventually die having not reproduced, but an adult flea can live as long as a year!! I'm assuming, though, that the tablet you're using is more of a repellant than a "insecticide" since it's natural. I wish I had the guts to do that....I had fleas in my house a couple of times (before I had a dog, just inside only cats, but it had rained so much it was pretty much flooded and they were driven indoors according to my vet), and I absolutely HATE them!! It was so aweful, I'm scared to do something I'm not sure will work because I do NOT want a repeat. Plus, Murphy's Law definitely applies to me....I swear, if it weren't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all!!