Fighting Fleas

[GABBA]

I currently have a 5 month old dog who has fleas. I have tried several things such as the spot-on liquids that go on their skin and fidos flea shampoo.

I'm wondering is there a more effective method to getting rid of fleas, is there any tablets or an injection that I can give him?

Of course I wash all bedding etc after treating him.

Ps: keeping him inside is not an option, he is an "outside dog"

[jadesamara]

I currently have a 5 month old dog who has fleas. I have tried several things such as the spot-on liquids that go on their skin and fidos flea shampoo.

I'm wondering is there a more effective method to getting rid of fleas, is there any tablets or an injection that I can give him?

Of course I wash all bedding etc after treating him.

Ps: keeping him inside is not an option, he is an "outside dog"

I have found a pill called Comfortis works for us. My dog is 14wks, and I spray his bedding and sleeping area in Malawash spray, and give him Comfortis pill once a month. I also used Malawash to bathe him in once a week for 2 weeks to get them eliminated. I'm sure others will have a million other ideas, so good luck. I thought we would never get rid of them...persevere, and you'll get there...it just takes time.

[Clyde]

I thought Comfortis was for dogs 16wks plus?

[jadesamara]

I thought Comfortis was for dogs 16wks plus?

Just checked the box. "Not recommended for puppies under 14 weeks"

The vet knows he is on it, and it's for 9.1kg +, which Benson falls into. Phew! Had me worried then.

Edited after I checked Benson's DOB. He's 15wk, not 14.

Edited May 15, 2010 by jadesamara

[GABBA]

I want to look at a tablet or an injection of some sort, as these shampoos and spot-on liquids only work for a week max.

[Mim]

I don't think there's an injection for fleas and if there was I personally would not use it.

We had a flea invasion recently. Have never found a live flea but there was lots of flea dirt and scratching so they were there. We were using frontline plus but it is totally useless. Now we are using comfortis and fidos flea rinse and I think we've seen the last of the fleas. I soak them with the flea rinse (different to flea shampoos) and then every few days after that I dab a bit onto the areas that seemed to attract the most flea dirt.

Comfortis is a tablet, beef flavour I think. Lasts a month and my dogs eat them willingly which is nice. It really is effective.

ETA When we are flea free (I think they will be gone for good very soon) I won't be dabbing the rinse on, just dipping them when they are bathed.

This is the cheapest place I have found to buy comfortis http://www.pricelesspets.com.au/products/comfortis Very good site and delivery is quick.

Don't remember where I got the flea rinse from (online) but I think that without it, the dogs wouldn't have been comfortable again so quickly

Edited May 15, 2010 by Mim

[Greytmate]

I want to look at a tablet or an injection of some sort, as these shampoos and spot-on liquids only work for a week max.

Some of the spot on liquids will last for about a month, but if there are fleas in the environment, it will take a while before you stop seeing them.

You may have to spray the soil, and wash the beds on the one day, and give the dog a Capstar tablet that will immediately kill any fleas on the dog. Then give an Advantage spot treatment each month, and eventually you will have a flea-free environment. You need to keep using the Advantage to prevent fleas. If you stop using it and wait until you do see some fleas on the dog, by then the environment will be infested again. The fleas on the dog are only the tip of the iceberg of the flea population in a dog's environment.

If you have cats they must be treated too, as cats carry fleas around and leave them everywhere, but you rarely see a flea on a cat.

[animalia]

I had a MASSIVE flea problem at my new house, you would see them jumping every where. I got an exterminator to come out and spray every where outside and I haven't seen a flea since. The only down side is that you can't actually have any animals around the area sprayed for around two weeks as they can die (my dog had a 2 week sleep over at a relatives), but I found it was worth it.

[Clyde]

Phew! Had me worried then.

Sorry!

[jadesamara]

Phew! Had me worried then.

Sorry!

It's ok. I only gave him his first one last week, so my stomach dropped when I read your post, and literally ran out into the dog drawer to check the box!

[corvus]

The first summer we were here the spot on treatments only worked for about a week if they worked at all. The vets said most of them weren't working. Last summer we got hold of Comfortis and 3 months later our dogs were completely flea free. In that time the flea burden on the dogs was low. Another 3 months and we are no longer treating them at all. We'll see what happens come spring.

I love Comfortis. I swear it saved our lives! It is nasty stuff, though. Safe, but it took a few months for them to be able to take it without side effects on the first day.

[Mim]

It is nasty stuff, though. Safe, but it took a few months for them to be able to take it without side effects on the first day.

What side effects were they having? Mine are fine taking them.

[openarms]

I just looked it up because i'm interested in flea prevention and stuff but holy crap the side effects sound scary

**Important Safety Information**

The most common adverse reaction reported is vomiting.

Other adverse reactions reported in decreasing order of frequency are: depression/lethargy, decreased appetite, incoordination, diarrhea, itching, trembling, excessive salivation and seizures.

Following concomitant extra label use of ivermectin with Comfortis®, some dogs have experienced the following clinical signs: trembling/twitching, salivation /drooling, seizures, incoordination, excessive dilation of pupils, blindness and disorientation.

Post approval experience continues to support the safety of Comfortis when used concurrently with heartworm preventatives according to label directions.

Click here for full product label including

[corvus]

Kivi experienced vomiting, lethargy and decreased appetite and Erik just the latter two the first time. We gave them with food as experiences shared on here were that if not given with food the dogs would most likely vomit. It wasn't scary vomit, just once, mostly saliva. The second time was similar, but not as bad for Kivi and no real side effects for Erik - maybe he was an itsy bit down. The third time Kivi didn't vomit and was only mildly depressed and Erik was fine. After that there were no discernable side effects in either.

I don't regret it for a second. Our flea infestation was something out of a nightmare. Poor little Erik was waking us up in the night because he was so itchy he couldn't sleep.