# Advantix



## Kritter

I haven't posted in a while, but the clerk at Petsmart annoyed me so I wanted some other opinions. I used to treat my dogs with Advantix each month in the warmer months, every 30 days and then I bumped it to every 45 days. It worked great but one of my dogs hates it, and I hate using chemicals. They are 25 and 30 lbs and they were each getting a tube of the 21-55lb product. 

So they eat mostly raw and seem to be in good health and I read that B Complex vitamins could deter fleas and ticks. So I decided to try splitting a tube of the 21-55lb Advantix between the two of them and feed them B Complex every day. I started that about 6 weeks ago and so far so good. BUT, they've both been a little itchy, one has a few bald spots on her leg and belly (she is a chihuahua/whippet so I think this might be a breed thing). I started feeding them less chicken a while back, which I honestly attribute the itchiness to so I've added it back in with some fish oils. 

Anyway, the clerk at Petsmart says a partial Advantix dose is "Nothing" and insisted they would have fleas. I bought a flea comb, tried it, don't see fleas, and am now paraniod wondering if I should just give them a full dose of the poison. Thoughts, if any, are appreciated as well as any alternative ideas to help prevent fleas and ticks.


----------



## MollyWoppy

Don't forget the Petsmart clerk know as much or, probably, much less than what you know. They are only spouting what the sales reps tell them, they aren't pet experts, just people who applied for a job. I live in FL and used chemical flea stuff on my dog once, when she was young. She ran around snapping at her back, so I washed it off with Dawn and the next day all her back blistered and the hair fell out. So never again. So for the past 8 years, I just wash her and use the flea comb if I have the slightest suspicion there may be fleas/ticks. And, we've traveled all over the States, including spending months in Illinois and haven't had a problem. Except once when she went in a flea ridden apartment and then I just flea combed her 6 times daily for the next few days until they were gone. 
Make sure the dogs are getting enough fat in their diet as well. Whilst I think of it, there is also a product called Wondercide, which I've bought (just in case) but have never needed to use. I've heard its marvellous for fleas and it's all natural, of course. Whatever you do, do NOT use Trifexis or those other heartworm/flea combination pills. I can tell you awful stories about a friends dog that was on Trifexis.


----------



## Kritter

Thanks for the boost of confidence I have looked up Wondercide in the past. Think I'll check it out again. You are more ambitious than I am. We always give a full dose of Advantix before we go on a road trip, in the spring and fall. I can't imagine being on the road, in hotels and rentals, and having to worry about fleas, etc. But I really wanted to taper down their chemical exposure the rest of the year, hence the partial dose and B Vitamins.


----------



## 1605

Kritter said:


> I haven't posted in a while, but the clerk at Petsmart annoyed me so I wanted some other opinions. I used to treat my dogs with Advantix each month in the warmer months, every 30 days and then I bumped it to every 45 days. It worked great but one of my dogs hates it, and I hate using chemicals. They are 25 and 30 lbs and they were each getting a tube of the 21-55lb product.
> 
> So they eat mostly raw and seem to be in good health and I read that B Complex vitamins could deter fleas and ticks. So I decided to try splitting a tube of the 21-55lb Advantix between the two of them and feed them B Complex every day. I started that about 6 weeks ago and so far so good. BUT, they've both been a little itchy, one has a few bald spots on her leg and belly (she is a chihuahua/whippet so I think this might be a breed thing). I started feeding them less chicken a while back, which I honestly attribute the itchiness to so I've added it back in with some fish oils.
> 
> Anyway, the clerk at Petsmart says a partial Advantix dose is "Nothing" and insisted they would have fleas. I bought a flea comb, tried it, don't see fleas, and am now paraniod wondering if I should just give them a full dose of the poison. Thoughts, if any, are appreciated as well as any alternative ideas to help prevent fleas and ticks.


Firstly, we live in FL. Our GSPs live in the house with us. In fact I think they get to be on our bed more often than we do. So we have to use something on them year 'round because they are field/hunting dogs that are out running almost every day where there are fleas, ticks, mosquitoes and other nasties. If we didn't use Advantix II on our dogs we would have major issues.

EVERYTHING that you talk about using or have used for your dogs are chemicals, regardless of whether or not they are labelled "natural" or "synthetic". Nothing "natural" you feed your dog is going to repel fleas or ticks (or combat heartworm). There are specific, targeted chemical treatments that you can either use topically on your dog's skin, or give them as a pill (combination with other meds to prevent heartworms).

My apologies if this comes across as somewhat harsh, but the "natural" and "organic" vs "poison" argument is just ridiculous.


----------



## naturalfeddogs

I have used Advantix, it didn't work. Used Frontline, which seemed to work for about two weeks, and had bad chemical/pesticide reactions in two of my dogs. That was about two months ago, and decided then I am done messing with all that chemical junk. I have been ordering garlic tablets from Springtime Inc., and bam. Fleas are gone. Ticks too. In fact, I haven't even seen knats, flies or mosquitos anywhere around them at all.


----------



## InkedMarie

Hi Kritter,
I purchased holistic flea/tick collars this year from HolisticFamilyandPets dot com (google if that is incorrect). They're in MA. I'm very impressed; no fleas, no ticks. I also use Bug Off garlic as well.


----------



## Kritter

SubMariner said:


> Firstly, we live in FL. Our GSPs live in the house with us. In fact I think they get to be on our bed more often than we do. So we have to use something on them year 'round because they are field/hunting dogs that are out running almost every day where there are fleas, ticks, mosquitoes and other nasties. If we didn't use Advantix II on our dogs we would have major issues.
> 
> EVERYTHING that you talk about using or have used for your dogs are chemicals, regardless of whether or not they are labelled "natural" or "synthetic". Nothing "natural" you feed your dog is going to repel fleas or ticks (or combat heartworm). There are specific, targeted chemical treatments that you can either use topically on your dog's skin, or give them as a pill (combination with other meds to prevent heartworms).
> 
> My apologies if this comes across as somewhat harsh, but the "natural" and "organic" vs "poison" argument is just ridiculous.


Thank you. You clearly live in a different environment than I do. The Advantix has worked very well for us over the past several years. But I do believe, depending upon where and how you live, that there are other alternatives out there for flea and tick repellent. We live in CT and do give oral heartworm treatment 8-9 months out of the year. I do believe that Advantix is more "poisonous" than the B vitamins, but since I feed raw they also get B vitamins from liver and that is natural. As I said, it's been 6 weeks on the partial dose of Advantix plus the B vitamins. Our dogs sleep in our bed too, one on each side of me They haven't had one tick this summer and we are pretty confident they don't have fleas at this point.


----------



## Kritter

naturalfeddogs said:


> I have used Advantix, it didn't work. Used Frontline, which seemed to work for about two weeks, and had bad chemical/pesticide reactions in two of my dogs. That was about two months ago, and decided then I am done messing with all that chemical junk. I have been ordering garlic tablets from Springtime Inc., and bam. Fleas are gone. Ticks too. In fact, I haven't even seen knats, flies or mosquitos anywhere around them at all.



That's great. I'll check out the garlic tabs. The Advantix has worked great for us, I just want to get away from it.


----------



## Kritter

InkedMarie said:


> Hi Kritter,
> I purchased holistic flea/tick collars this year from HolisticFamilyandPets dot com (google if that is incorrect). They're in MA. I'm very impressed; no fleas, no ticks. I also use Bug Off garlic as well.


I'll check it out. Thanks Marie.


----------



## naturalfeddogs

Kritter said:


> Thank you. You clearly live in a different environment than I do. The Advantix has worked very well for us over the past several years. But I do believe, depending upon where and how you live, that there are other alternatives out there for flea and tick repellent. We live in CT and do give oral heartworm treatment 8-9 months out of the year. I do believe that Advantix is more "poisonous" than the B vitamins, but since I feed raw they also get B vitamins from liver and that is natural. As I said, it's been 6 weeks on the partial dose of Advantix plus the B vitamins. Our dogs sleep in our bed too, one on each side of me They haven't had one tick this summer and we are pretty confident they don't have fleas at this point.


Advantix, and all spot on flea treatments are poisonous. They are pesticides that are controlled by the EPA. I just have a hard time allowing pesticides to soak into by body, especially after the side affects we had from them. In fact, our vet agreed that is what caused them when he saw what had happened, and advised we bathe them all to get it off as best we can. I don't blame you one bit for wanting to move away from them, even if you haven't had any visual side affects. Regardless, it's poison soaking into their body no matter how you look at it.


----------



## meggels

Hi Kritter!

I own a pet food & supply store in CT, and we have very good feedback on the Wondercide products. I have a friend in Vermont that I ship 6 bottles to at a time because she raves about how well it works, kills the fleas on contact. That would be my recommendation


----------



## Kritter

Thanks Meggels. I revisited the Wondercide product and remember why I did not try it. I would never keep up with a topical that has to be applied regularly, and I prefer a more pro-active approach than reactive. Unfortunately, I don't think we'll be getting away from the Advantix anytime soon, even a partial dose plus B vitamins and making sure they get enough liver in their diet. We travel a couple times per year for several weeks plus camp in the summer so my dogs are exposed to a lot of places, and other dogs. Can't take the risk for any of us. I will, however, keep Wondercide on my list should we travel less and they become more homebodies


----------



## Kritter

Just an update to anyone interested. Although I love the idea of going natural, I seem to only sustain that by feeding raw. Right now, since we live in the woods in CT, a half dose of Advantix every 6 weeks plus some B Complex each day is keeping the ticks and fleas non existent. This is our 2nd season with 2 dogs on this approach, seems to be working!


----------



## naturalfeddogs

We have just begun using the wondercide products, and they have been wonderful. I am only having to spray them every two or three days, and it kills and repels. 

We are also using the repellent for people as well with great success. It all is so much better than pesticide poisons.


----------



## 1605

naturalfeddogs said:


> We have just begun using the wondercide products, and they have been wonderful. I am only having to spray them every two or three days, and it kills and repels.
> 
> We are also using the repellent for people as well with great success. It all is so much better than pesticide poisons.


We are out in the field almost every day running our GSPs and it's much easier to put on a topical once a month than have "to spray them every two or three days". 

BTW, it's still chemicals, natural or not.


----------



## naturalfeddogs

SubMariner said:


> We are out in the field almost every day running our GSPs and it's much easier to put on a topical once a month than have "to spray them every two or three days".
> 
> BTW, it's still chemicals, natural or not.


If that's easier for you, that's fine. Its just not my preference.

Wondercide is not chemical pestiside in any way. All it is is cedar oil and hydrated sylica. No chemicals, no pesticides, no poisons.http://Wondercide. Com


----------



## 1605

naturalfeddogs said:


> If that's easier for you, that's fine. Its just not my preference.
> 
> Wondercide is not chemical pestiside in any way. All it is is cedar oil and hydrated sylica. No chemicals, no pesticides, no poisons.http://Wondercide. Com


EVERYTHING is chemicals. It doesn't matter whether it's "natural" or "manufactured", it is still made up of chemicals. BTW, you can be poisoned by cedar oil. It's actually in the the FDA's Poisonous Plant Database.


----------



## naturalfeddogs

Dogs and people both can have sensitivities to cedar, yes. A poison no. Cedar oil is considered an essential oil, which the FDA doesn't regulate. 
(Or the EPA)
Did you look at the link I posted?


----------

