What Type of Flea/Tick Medication Do You Buy?

What Type of Flea/Tick Medication Do You Buy?

  • Total voters
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The Quahog said:
For what its worth, for Skye I use the Preventic collar for ticks and am switching this year from Frontline to Comfortis for fleas. - Dr. Mac
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I called my vets last night and again was told that they feel Advantix is too toxic. Instead they recommended either the Preventic collar or a tick spray that lasts for 7 days.

I haven't decided which to try yet. I've been leaning toward the spray but maybe I should try the collar, since I know they're going to hate the spray. I accidentally traumatized Sadie with Nature's Guardian all natural spot on (she hated the smell) and I'm worried about doing that to her again.
 
Maybe it's just me, or where we live that ticks are so prevalent, but the one time I tried the Preventic collar in an effort to get away from the topicals, I actually found a tick UNDER the collar on the dog's neck. Needless to say, I didn't find that very effective.... :no:
 
Ann said:
Maybe it's just me, or where we live that ticks are so prevalent, but the one time I tried the Preventic collar in an effort to get away from the topicals, I actually found a tick UNDER the collar on the dog's neck. Needless to say, I didn't find that very effective.... :no:
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Thanks, good to know.

I didn't find the Nature's Guardian helped with ticks much either.
 
The Quahog said:
For what its worth, for Skye I use the Preventic collar for ticks and am switching this year from Frontline to Comfortis for fleas. - Dr. Mac
Click to expand...

SheltieChe said:
Dr.Mac,
could you please clarify if dog has to wear it all the time or just when going into the woods? Also how do you apply it tightly to the skin, when shelties have their ruff and hair? I am much liking collar idea as Che REALLY does not like any topicals so collar could be lesser evil specially if one does not have to wear it all the time- we are suburban dogs so ticks are only a possibility when we have an outing and I am not worried about fleas until August:yes:
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I am wondering the same thing. Which collar do you use? How effective is it and do they have be worn all the time? I live in the city and there's hardly any grass, so I would assume there aren't many ticks here. However, sometimes we go to the park and she is around other dogs, so I would like some sort of tick and flea repellent, but she doesn't really need one every day. Currently, I use k9 Advantix, but I really hate putting that stuff on her.
 
Sentinel

I just noticed that Sentinel is an option in the poll.

I give Sentinel AND Frontline Plus. Am I over-medicating?

Sentinel says that it works on this: heartworms, adult roundworms, adult hookworms and whipworms, and prevents the development of flea eggs.

Frontline Plus: Frontline Plus kills 100% of adult fleas on your pet within 18 hours and 100% of all ticks and chewing lice within 48 hours. Frontline Plus contains an insect growth regulator, S-methoprene, which kills flea eggs and larvae. It’s effective against all stages of the brown dog tick, the American dog tick, the lone star tick and the deer tick.

I guess the difference is that Frontline works on live fleas and ticks, and Sentinel only works to prevent flea eggs.

Seems to me that if you used Sentinel you'd have to use something else...right?
 
corbinam said:
I just noticed that Sentinel is an option in the poll.

I give Sentinel AND Frontline Plus. Am I over-medicating?

Sentinel says that it works on this: heartworms, adult roundworms, adult hookworms and whipworms, and prevents the development of flea eggs.

Frontline Plus: Frontline Plus kills 100% of adult fleas on your pet within 18 hours and 100% of all ticks and chewing lice within 48 hours. Frontline Plus contains an insect growth regulator, S-methoprene, which kills flea eggs and larvae. It’s effective against all stages of the brown dog tick, the American dog tick, the lone star tick and the deer tick.

I guess the difference is that Frontline works on live fleas and ticks, and Sentinel only works to prevent flea eggs.

Seems to me that if you used Sentinel you'd have to use something else...right?
Click to expand...

When I first got Bailey, she was on Sentinel and k9 Advantix. I felt I was over medicating her for fleas. K9 Advantix was already taking care of potential fleas, so I felt she didn't need the extra flea medicine in Sentinel. I switched her to Interceptor, which is cheaper than Sentinel and has the same heartworm medication.

If your area is known for fleas then it might be worth it to give both sentinel and topical flea treatment. If not, then I think the topical stuff should be good enough.
 
SheltieChe said:
Dr.Mac,
could you please clarify if dog has to wear it all the time or just when going into the woods? Also how do you apply it tightly to the skin, when shelties have their ruff and hair? I am much liking collar idea as Che REALLY does not like any topicals so collar could be lesser evil specially if one does not have to wear it all the time- we are suburban dogs so ticks are only a possibility when we have an outing and I am not worried about fleas until August:yes:
Click to expand...

Our position :
Frontline- great for fleas, 'of some value' for ticks.
Preventic Collar- useless for fleas, 'pretty good' for ticks.
Nothing is a good for ticks as Frontline is for fleas. If a dog on Frontline is infested with fleas that is a puzzle and we have to figure out why. But we make it very clear to our clients- 'Don't call me and say 'Yer dang collar didn't work- I found a tick on my dog.'
For Skye, who spends a lot of time in horribly tick infested woods this time of year - with nothing, half a dozen ticks a day. With Frontline, a couple every couple of days, with the collar, a couple each week. This is not only my view, it is the opinion of most veterinarians I know.

Seasons - (Rhode Island perspective)
Ticks- can have problems throughout year - November was big this year, january if no snow cover. However the real 'tick season ' is April May.
Fleas - primarily Aug - Nov (as you say.) Fleas arrive like clockwork on Aug 10. However, given right temp/humidity they can be around earlier. I saw a little Yorkie 2 days ago loaded with fleas.

So - bottom line - Frontline June through November. If you have mild tick exposure start your Frontline in April. If you have heavy tick exposure, collar march through mid June, then start Frontline.
I am tending to switch from Frontline to Comfortis (which claims zero tick protection), though client complaince will make the switch take awhile. For Skye I am switching this year.

Skye's cpllar stays on. She has a rather epic ruff...
PTMsheet1011.jpg

and I just place it deep within the ruff, against the skin, loosely around the neck. You can't even see it.
Anyway, that's our practice position and my personal choice. It is certainly not the only 'correct' choice. Hope that helps. - Dr. Mac
 
Thanks very much for this information, Dr. Mac! Perhaps the Preventic collar has improved since I tried it some years ago. Would you think it's safe for a dog who's had seizures, or would you rate it the same as the chemical repellants like Frontline/Advantix?

Next, would you also use a Frontline-type product with the collar to protect against fleas, or is it either/or?

Thanks again for your advice and information!
 
Thank you for the info Dr. Mac. If you don't mind answering, I have a few more questions.

-How does the Preventic Tick Collar work? Is it like Frontline/k9 Adavntix, which absorbs into the dog's skin?
-Is it safer than topical preventatives?
-And can you take it off and put it on your dog as needed? Like if she's not going to a park for a week, can I store it in a ziploc bag?
 
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