over the counter flea control

[Mona]

I would consult your vet for products, mine carries them for spraying.
Mona

[DragonFlyGirl18]

Did you know there were over 960 fatal cases due to Hartz flea medication just last year? That's horrible. I can't believe they are still in business.

We use Advantage.

[Susan and the girls]

Hey Jason -

I realize that your post has been here for a while, but I wanted to put in my 2 cents...

I've had the best luck with Advantage. I've tried Frontline, which supposedly takes care of fleas and ticks, but when I tried it, I didn't think it worked as well or as quickly as Advantage. (Advantage says it only gets the fleas.)

I did use the Frontline spray once (on Belle, who had gotten into a tick bed and was covered with a zillion tiny, tiny ticks), and it was great - worked like a charm.

Advantage is also cheaper by several dollars per tube or multi-package at my vet's office. (I buy the "six month's supply" pack for something like $60-something dollars. Of course, with four cats, it's not really a six month's supply....)

I have been getting email after email about that Hartz lawsuit. I even got a letter about it. They want folks to be in on it and aware of it. But, like Traci said, the only changes were product re-labels, which don't help at all to warn folks of the dangers....

[kiwichik]

Just wanted to add, I have also been told by my vet that over the counter flea products are actually toxic to your cat.
I strongly recommend ADVANTAGE as well, have been using it for some years now and it is great, has no adverse effects on the cats and works like a dream, its only available at the veterinary clinic.

[Brandon]

Kate, it's legal but not preferrable. In your particular case, there shouldn't be a problem because it is locally available and your vet obviously doesn't want to match the price. However, exams and a veterinary/client/patient bond are important when considering frequent use of any such products.

For reference, and this isn't limited to Frontline or Advantage, but a few reasons buying elsewhere or online are not preferred: no garantee of the product; potential mislabelling; for heartworm products, if you don't get it through your vet, the company will not offer reimbursement should your dog/cat develop heartworm (vet testing is required before preventative is prescribed); no product garantees if it fails; no emergency guideline/customer service should a product fail or cause an adverse reaction if you didn't get it from your vet; certain state laws regarding dispensing online; the list goes on.

So it's legal for pet shops to sell advantage?

[Traci]

Kate, it's legal but not preferrable. In your particular case, there shouldn't be a problem because it is locally available and your vet obviously doesn't want to match the price. However, exams and a veterinary/client/patient bond are important when considering frequent use of any such products.

For reference, and this isn't limited to Frontline or Advantage, but a few reasons buying elsewhere or online are not preferred: no garantee of the product; potential mislabelling; for heartworm products, if you don't get it through your vet, the company will not offer reimbursement should your dog/cat develop heartworm (vet testing is required before preventative is prescribed); no product garantees if it fails; no emergency guideline/customer service should a product fail or cause an adverse reaction if you didn't get it from your vet; certain state laws regarding dispensing online; the list goes on.

So it's legal for pet shops to sell advantage?

Brandon, if the manufacturer sells or distributes the product to a pet store, then it is legal for that pet store to sell the product (in most cases, to a degree anyway). Ideally, Advantage and Frontline, heartworm medications, etc were designed and packaged for veterinary prescription use only...however, some markets presume they can make more money by selling to the middle-man. The problem with this: reasons stated above, can't gaurantee the product, no veterinary/client/patient relationship, no remimbursement from the manufacturer if the product fails or causes an adverse reaction and was not sold by veterinarian only, etc. It's much too easy for pet owners to save what, an entire $1-3 dollars (consider shipping and handling costs if buying online), then take risks of product failure, and then try to put blame on anyone but themselves. Sorry, that's my opinion.