Flea Preventatives - what do you use?

[myrocky]

Rocky's healthy diet means we don't have to use chemical preventatives either :D He also gets lots of garlic in his veggies. Garlic is part of the onion family however it isn't as concentrated as the onion. It is safe to give because one would have to give serious amounts of garlic in order for there to be any ill effects. I am talking like an entire bulb (not clove but the whole thing) twice a day for days at a time. The health benefits of garlic are amazing which is enough reason for me to still feed it Also as Julie has pointed out before in other threads, there is usually garlic powder added to most kibble to help entice the dog/cat to eat it

If we are going hiking or it is really hot outside I use a mixture of ACV and water that I spray on Rocks. That also keeps the ticks away. On occasion I have also used an all natural spray that contains no deet on him as well.

 

[Tulsa-Dan]

I used to use the drops on my girls, but I kept finding fleas and ticks on them. When I called the company, they told me that they don't PREVENT fleas and ticks, but only kill them ONCE THEY'VE BITTEN YOUR DOG! ????? :confused:

Frankly, I don't want them biting or even ON my dogs. What good are they if they don't work until AFTER the dog is possibily infected with heartworm or something?

I went to flea/tick collars on my girls. Also because those drops made Susie flinch and I could tell it burned her skin when applied. And, it gets all over my furniture until it spreads down onto the entire dog. I'm sorry, not for me.

Since using the flea/tick collars, I have not found one single flea or tick on either of my dogs. No mess, no fuss and best of all, they are a LOT cheaper than those drops.

 

[Jaelle]

I've red that flea collars are a lot more toxic than drops... For my two, I give garlic too. With the new products, like Revolution, if they get fleas, I just have to treat them at the moment, and in one or two day they won't have any parasites, so I don't think it worth the money and I don't like giving insecticide each month to my dogs, when it's so easy to treat when it happens.

 

[Boxer_21]

As of right now, we use Frontline on all of our pets. They haven't had any problems at all since using it. However, with me researching BARF, I'll probably be switching over to a more natural preventative when the time comes.

 

[adeinert]

Wow, to live a place where fleas don't terrorize your dog! In Florida we have bugs year round. Must be the 80 degrees out today that helps them stay healthy and mean!
Does anyone live in an environment like this that can use only garlic? Like I said, you can't use Frontline down here and not have fleas. Only Advantage works. I am very happy with it, but natural would be awesome.
Ashlie

 

[JulieM]

I know several people in the Southeastern US that don't use flea drops/sprays/chemicals, and never have a problem. They feed a species-appropriate raw diet, though, and do the various other things to promote optimal health in their dogs. Most of them use garlic, and often brewer's yeast, on a regular basis.

The thing to remember is that parasites do not feed off of a healthy host. Many supremely healthy dogs probably don't even need garlic - they just wouldn't be attractive to fleas. Just like two people who eat the same things can sit in the same yard, and one will be swarmed by mosquitoes and one won't.

 

[buddy'smom]

The thing to remember is that parasites do not feed off of a healthy host. Many supremely healthy dogs probably don't even need garlic - they just wouldn't be attractive to fleas.

Well this is great news to me! When we first adopted Kailee, she was loaded with fleas. The vet gave me an oil to treat her with (Not sure if that is Advantage or Frontline) but anyway that was the only time she ever had fleas living with us. She was cleaned up after just two doses, and has never had a flea issue since <knocking on wood> We have had 2 summers with her now without an issue. I do however add garlic and brewers yeast into her treats that I bake, so perhaps that is helping her. Buddy however had flea issues most of his life, so hearing that a healthy dog does not host fleas, makes me feel great!! I have always said Kailee is "healthy as a horse" So here is hoping I haven't jinxed her for this coming spring/summer season.

Jean

 

[layla'smommy]

I don't use any flea drops or collars on Layla. She is on Sentinel as a heartworm preventative, and it also controls fleas, hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms. I have only had her for 6 months (I adopted her in August), but have never found a single flea on her! I don't know if it is the Sentinel, or because I live in a very non-buggy environment (in San Jose, CA-the middle of Silicon Valley)! Either way, I'm thankful she doesn't have fleas. If it becomes a problem this summer, I will ask the vet if its ok to use one of the drops along with the Sentinel, but hopefully, that won't be an issue!

Jenni & Layla

 

[Scrapper's Mom]

We use Advantage here. We've found that Frontline just doesn't work as well and my vet told me he has heard others say the same - that the fleas are developing an immunity towards it. This area is just naturally attractive to fleas - we even have a street called "Alameda de las Pulgas" or Street of the Fleas - they afflicted the early Spanish here as well. Our climate is so moderate that the fleas thrive despite our best efforts and good nutrition. I don't use a flea collar, just the Advantage.

 

[clara's parents]

I use Frontline on Clara and my cat. Probably because I think it's the only kind the vet carries. I tried shampoos and Hartz and everything from Walmart but nothing worked. I heard collars didn't work either? but maybe I'll try those to see since they're definitely cheaper.

Jessica & Clara