Flea and Tick Meds
 

I've read a bunch of you having problems with fleas, but I'm considering stopping the Frontline Plus for the winter. I live in the city, so even in the warm weather when we go outside, I feel like there isn't much exposure to fleas and ticks? Chewy's had ticks on her before, when I took her down the Cape, but I've never seen a flea, though I've only been a dog owner for 4 years. Do you think it's okay to skip the Frontline for the colder months, but start back up again in the Spring?

That is what i did when i had my siberian husky. Once it starts to get cold here..i dont give the frontline.

Im in the city also. When I used to use flea preventative I didnt use it in the Winter and I never had any problems. Now I dont use it at all. I just treat my yard and mine are never out of our yard. I didnt treat it in the fall and chachi did get a flea but I just bathed him in dawn.

i stopped also. september was the last month i gave it to lexi..
i will start back up probably in april.

Using these pesticides on your pet as little as possible is a good idea....

These products have great potential to damage your pets liver, kidneys and thyroid.....

What did you use to treat your yard?

I was wondering the same thing too...my vet said to use it year-round but that seems like a lot of chemical to put on my furbaby!

Really?!! My vet insists I should use them each month. It's so expensive, having 2 dogs, with the heartguard... And I'm not positive, but I think a few times I put the Frontline on them they threw up? I use the kind for puppies and dogs under 22 lbs or whatever, but maybe that's still too much for a little 7 lb dog? I'd love to just stop all together, but thought that'd be bad... If they go in the grass in the summer, should I keep using the Frontline in the summer?

Its something from Ortho. I get it at Lowes

We use a once a month pill "Comfortis" and we have seen no fleas since we started. We used to have bad fleas and the topicals were useless. I would recomend everyone to try the comfortis. It really is worth it. Ask your vet about it.

Vets are a business just like any other business, to make money...they are no different than any other business.......

Here's a link about flea killers......Fipronil is in Frontline.....

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/fipronil.pdf

Personally I just don't feel comfortable using these things on my yorkies when there ARE safer ways to go......Some people use garlic and yeast tablets, some people use apple cider vinegar in their drinking water, and there are lots of sprays with oils in them to deter the fleas away, like these.....

Only Natural Pet Herbal Defense Spray for Dogs & Cats

Happytails Flea the Scene Insect Spray with Sunscreen: PL50029_Happytails_Spa_Flea_The_Scene Paw Luxury


If mine do get fleas I use Neem Oil shampoo that I get from my health food store, much safer than the flea shampoo in the pet stores with chemicals in them.....

The same for heartworm treatments, I just can't justify using a poison on my yorkies every month, year in and year out, hoping ( to justify the use of this) that a mosquito might bite and this one mosquito might be carrying heartworm.....I know it is possible to come across one but I just don't want to give this treatment knowing it is a poison and knowing I'm risking liver and kidney problems in return.....I don't worry about me getting West Nile or bird flue and I'm not going to worry about heartworm.....If I am worried I can just have a heartworm test done at the vets also......For now I'll just use the alternatives, much, much safer .......

A lot of people will take their animals off flea/tick preventative when the winter comes, with how the fleas have been this year, i'm keeping my animals on it year round! I have been battling with fleas for about a month now, and i think we finally have it under control, but i found another flea on fiona this morning, and she is getting spayed on tuesday so im hoping we will be fine to take her to the vet.

I gave Max another dose of K9 Advantix yesterday. It has been warm this week in MD.
Not sure when or if I should stop. :confused: