Our two Bichons have been on Advantage faithfully for the past three months. We have hardwood floors, vacuum the furniture A LOT, empty the vacuum after every use, and we still have fleas. Baby fleas, adolescent fleas, adult fleas.
Because of the concern about lawn pesticides etc and canine bladder cancers, and because of the use of chemicals in the house and their effects on people and dogs, we have been avoiding using those things. We use soap and water, vinegar, and diluted bleach for cleaning.
One of our babies is VERY sensitive to everything. He has a reaction when he gets a rabies vaccine (listless, then a lot of muzzle rubbing that lasts 4 to 5 hours). He has a reaction every time we put on Advantage--listless, very low energy for about 6 hours.
I'm at my wits end with the fleas! WHERE are they coming from? Don't the fleas have to eat every two hours or die? We have no feral cats, our dogs are indoor dogs except when they go outside to do their business. Our dog that is most sensitive to medications now has hot spots from the itching caused by flea bites, and is on a second regimen of prednosone (we're at the point where we're now giving one-half a tablet every other day).
Does anyone have any positives or negatives about the use and effectiveness of Comfortis? The brochure, of course, makes it look as good as the invention of sliced bread, but I need to know real people's experiences, not just the company line that wants you to spend your money on their product.
Any help or input is much appreciated! Thanks!
Advantage not working. Wondering about Comfortis...
Re: Advantage not working. Wondering about Comfortis...
First, what is your vet telling you?
Have you actually seen the fleas on the body and/or in the home?
Did you purchase the Advantage from your vet?
Have you considered using Frontline instead?
Did the vet ever consider discussing allergy testing? (to rule out other offenders).
Have you actually seen the fleas on the body and/or in the home?
Did you purchase the Advantage from your vet?
Have you considered using Frontline instead?
Did the vet ever consider discussing allergy testing? (to rule out other offenders).
..........Traci
Traci asks some very important questions. If fleas are your problem (you should see the nasty critters or their feces (flea "dirt) on the dog - I've been there and I feel your pain. Getting control of an out-of-control flea problem takes a concentrated effort of treating multiple items, including the dog, all at the same time.
Some things I can recommend:
Wash everything that can be washed and put it through the dryer (dog toys, throw rugs, throw pillows, bedspreads, etc). Any eggs that aren't washed away will be killed by the heat of the dryer.
If you have any wall-to-wall carpet, vacuum your carpet and then sprinkle it with 20 Mule Team Borax (NOT Boraxo)-it should be found in the laundry section of your supermarket, usually with the powdered bleach products like Clorox 2. Work the borax into the carpet and leave it there for a few days then vacuum it up. I used to do this when we were leaving town for a few days. The Borax dehydrates the flea eggs so they don't hatch. This should also work on furniture, but I've not tried it myself. You may want to keep the dog off thetreated areas during this time because it will get on his feet and he might lick them. Borax is a mineral (a rock) and is completely natural, but I don't think it's a good idea for a dog to ingest it.
If you really don't want to spray your yard or contract with a pest control company to do it for you, investigate the use of beneficial nematodes for flea control in the yard. I personally have not used them, but a co-worker of mine has and she was pleased with the results. Unlike chemicals, which are effective immediately, they take awhile to work, but they are very safe and natural.
Some things I can recommend:
Wash everything that can be washed and put it through the dryer (dog toys, throw rugs, throw pillows, bedspreads, etc). Any eggs that aren't washed away will be killed by the heat of the dryer.
If you have any wall-to-wall carpet, vacuum your carpet and then sprinkle it with 20 Mule Team Borax (NOT Boraxo)-it should be found in the laundry section of your supermarket, usually with the powdered bleach products like Clorox 2. Work the borax into the carpet and leave it there for a few days then vacuum it up. I used to do this when we were leaving town for a few days. The Borax dehydrates the flea eggs so they don't hatch. This should also work on furniture, but I've not tried it myself. You may want to keep the dog off thetreated areas during this time because it will get on his feet and he might lick them. Borax is a mineral (a rock) and is completely natural, but I don't think it's a good idea for a dog to ingest it.
If you really don't want to spray your yard or contract with a pest control company to do it for you, investigate the use of beneficial nematodes for flea control in the yard. I personally have not used them, but a co-worker of mine has and she was pleased with the results. Unlike chemicals, which are effective immediately, they take awhile to work, but they are very safe and natural.
"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself." ~ Josh Billings.
Re: Advantage not working. Wondering about Comfortis...
Hi, Traci & Karen,
The vet recommended trying Comfortis. After more reading about it late last night, and knowing the sensitivity of my one little guy to vaccines and Advantage, I thought there might be a better way unless someone with the same issues had a good experience with it.
We do get the Advantage from our vet. We do not have ticks, so anything that would kill fleas AND ticks is really not warranted IMHO.
Yes, we have seen the fleas on the dogs and in our home on their bedding.
This is the first time Advantage has not worked. Our one pooch scratched and bit until he got a hot spot (or a hot-spot looking area).
I've read about 20 Mule Team Borax and also about diatometaceous earth (food grade) for flea control and will research more about both choices and their application to furniture in addition to vacuuming.
So far, we've been using the "spot kill" of finding/seeing the fleas, using a q-tip dipped in olive oil, and spot applying it onto the flea. The flea is immobile, we lift it out because it's stuck on the end of the q-tip, and place it in a small bowl that has more olive oil in it. I guess any oil would work, but we have EVOO. Aside from crushing the fleas between our fingernails, that's the safest thing we can think of to use. We also use a flea comb and drop the nasties in soapy water.
Thank you for your help and input!
The vet recommended trying Comfortis. After more reading about it late last night, and knowing the sensitivity of my one little guy to vaccines and Advantage, I thought there might be a better way unless someone with the same issues had a good experience with it.
We do get the Advantage from our vet. We do not have ticks, so anything that would kill fleas AND ticks is really not warranted IMHO.
Yes, we have seen the fleas on the dogs and in our home on their bedding.
This is the first time Advantage has not worked. Our one pooch scratched and bit until he got a hot spot (or a hot-spot looking area).
I've read about 20 Mule Team Borax and also about diatometaceous earth (food grade) for flea control and will research more about both choices and their application to furniture in addition to vacuuming.
So far, we've been using the "spot kill" of finding/seeing the fleas, using a q-tip dipped in olive oil, and spot applying it onto the flea. The flea is immobile, we lift it out because it's stuck on the end of the q-tip, and place it in a small bowl that has more olive oil in it. I guess any oil would work, but we have EVOO. Aside from crushing the fleas between our fingernails, that's the safest thing we can think of to use. We also use a flea comb and drop the nasties in soapy water.
Thank you for your help and input!
Re: Advantage not working. Wondering about Comfortis...
My question(s) would be, where are you located and how long have you lived in your present house? Have you discussed the problem with neighbors and/or other pet owners in your area?
I resided in the sub tropics before the days of Frontline or Advantage, and remember well the infestations of fleas outdoors. And yes, fleas are quite able to thrive without animal hosts ("sand fleas" are just plain old fleas living outside LOL.)
My suggestion would be to talk with reliable pest control companies - of course you do not want your property saturated with harmful chemicals, but there are procedures which are quite safe when properly applied. Then consistent use of Frontline or Advantage (but no Hartz Mountain products!) at regular intervals should cure the problem permanently.
Meanwhile, the flea comb is good, but try rubbing alcohol mixed with clear water instead of the soapy water... not soaking the dog's coat, but quick wrist action technique: comb through fur, dip comb in solution, wipe excess liquid on towel; repeat.
Also, you might ask vet about small doses of Benadryl for the doggie with allergy issues.
I resided in the sub tropics before the days of Frontline or Advantage, and remember well the infestations of fleas outdoors. And yes, fleas are quite able to thrive without animal hosts ("sand fleas" are just plain old fleas living outside LOL.)
My suggestion would be to talk with reliable pest control companies - of course you do not want your property saturated with harmful chemicals, but there are procedures which are quite safe when properly applied. Then consistent use of Frontline or Advantage (but no Hartz Mountain products!) at regular intervals should cure the problem permanently.
Meanwhile, the flea comb is good, but try rubbing alcohol mixed with clear water instead of the soapy water... not soaking the dog's coat, but quick wrist action technique: comb through fur, dip comb in solution, wipe excess liquid on towel; repeat.
Also, you might ask vet about small doses of Benadryl for the doggie with allergy issues.
Re: Advantage not working. Wondering about Comfortis...
Ask your vet about trying Frontline before trying Comfortis.
Frontline is generally more successful against fleas than Advantage.
Trying Frontline before trying Comfortis might be better in terms of safety, since Comfortis has a lot of unwanted side effects in a percentage of dogs. Granted, it's ability to seemingly purport success in those dogs most susceptible to flea allergy dermatitis might be a great factor, but you don't know if your dog is going to be among those with a bad side effect. Having said that, not every dog is going to have a bad reaction, ALL flea and tick products carry some risk. IF you decide to use Comfortis at some point, at least talk to your vet about the following first:
Get a general health profile done on your dogs (bloodwork), pay attention to liver enzymes. After one or two months on Comfortis, recheck the liver enzymes (vet can break this down to one or two enzyme tests, rather than a whole panel). Studies in dogs using Comfortis often had liver enzyme fluctuations and it isn't known exactly why. Not knowing why is to me, cause for some caution.
Consider having your dog(s) stay at the vet for one day when given administration of Comfortis, to monitor for any sudden unwanted effect. Your vet would be able to treat such effect promptly and accordingly.
Not trying to scare you, just want you to be sure you understand that Comfortis has only been on the market for a few years, and while many vets love using it, the side effects to some dogs may not be worth it.
As for using olive oil for every flea you find, this isn't truly effective for the larger problem. There are larvae you need to be concerned about, both on your dogs and in their environment. The cycle of the flea is a long and nasty one, so use a good proven product, and take a multi approach to the environment. (treat the dog successfully, treat the environment). You might even have to consider a flea-bath product - please ask your vet for a recommendation, and do NOT use any topical flea product AND a flea bath product in combination - your vet can direct and guide you per your dog's individual needs and safety.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to address the outdoor environment without some use of chemicals. I'm personally not confident in diatometaceous earth or any other similar product and this too is not without risk to your dogs or any other critter who might be in your yard - while it might target some of the fleas, it's doubtful it will be a long-term effect, and if your dogs ingest or inhale it somehow or a large amount, think ingesting/inhaling thousands of tiny, shards of glass). Ask your vet about recommendations for yard products, or a trusted lawn/garden/landscaping company who have eco-minded pet-owning clientele. Remember, most lawn applications must be allowed to dry for 24-48 hours before allowing the pets access to it.
Frontline is generally more successful against fleas than Advantage.
Trying Frontline before trying Comfortis might be better in terms of safety, since Comfortis has a lot of unwanted side effects in a percentage of dogs. Granted, it's ability to seemingly purport success in those dogs most susceptible to flea allergy dermatitis might be a great factor, but you don't know if your dog is going to be among those with a bad side effect. Having said that, not every dog is going to have a bad reaction, ALL flea and tick products carry some risk. IF you decide to use Comfortis at some point, at least talk to your vet about the following first:
Get a general health profile done on your dogs (bloodwork), pay attention to liver enzymes. After one or two months on Comfortis, recheck the liver enzymes (vet can break this down to one or two enzyme tests, rather than a whole panel). Studies in dogs using Comfortis often had liver enzyme fluctuations and it isn't known exactly why. Not knowing why is to me, cause for some caution.
Consider having your dog(s) stay at the vet for one day when given administration of Comfortis, to monitor for any sudden unwanted effect. Your vet would be able to treat such effect promptly and accordingly.
Not trying to scare you, just want you to be sure you understand that Comfortis has only been on the market for a few years, and while many vets love using it, the side effects to some dogs may not be worth it.
As for using olive oil for every flea you find, this isn't truly effective for the larger problem. There are larvae you need to be concerned about, both on your dogs and in their environment. The cycle of the flea is a long and nasty one, so use a good proven product, and take a multi approach to the environment. (treat the dog successfully, treat the environment). You might even have to consider a flea-bath product - please ask your vet for a recommendation, and do NOT use any topical flea product AND a flea bath product in combination - your vet can direct and guide you per your dog's individual needs and safety.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to address the outdoor environment without some use of chemicals. I'm personally not confident in diatometaceous earth or any other similar product and this too is not without risk to your dogs or any other critter who might be in your yard - while it might target some of the fleas, it's doubtful it will be a long-term effect, and if your dogs ingest or inhale it somehow or a large amount, think ingesting/inhaling thousands of tiny, shards of glass). Ask your vet about recommendations for yard products, or a trusted lawn/garden/landscaping company who have eco-minded pet-owning clientele. Remember, most lawn applications must be allowed to dry for 24-48 hours before allowing the pets access to it.
..........Traci