# Flea and tick control?



## greyshadows (Jan 30, 2012)

Do most of you use flea and tick control? It seems like putting lawn insecticide on my dogs back but I don't want fleas. Other than walks, we stay in our fenced in yard. Would it be necessary?


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## Zeus&Slim09 (Jan 13, 2012)

I don't usually use anything. I treat as needed. Usually with just a capstar if I see a flea. The only thing I'm super religious with is heartworm preventative. I don't want to give the dogs anything more than they absolutely need. And since I don't have a problem with fleas I don't use anything for it.


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## Jacksons Mom (Jun 13, 2010)

I give heartworm preventative monthly; don't mess with that. When it comes to flea/ticks - they are treatable. I try not to use them every month. I tend to give K9 Advantix topically on his back once every 2-3 months, sometimes more in the summer. We don't have a flea problem ever though, mainly ticks that I watch out for.


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

No need for heart worm meds up here.

As far as flea and tick I use DE(diatomaceous earth, human/food grade.) I dust it on dogs and cats and around the house/grounds, put it in the carpet then vacuum a half hour or so later and also feed once per month.


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## Maxy24 (Mar 5, 2011)

We do use heartworm meds monthly except in winter. Don't use flea/tick stuff here. Tucker had two ticks this year, one had bitten, one had not yet. both found within the same day he got them (after visits to the park and woods). I got one too. He got fleas once, again we found them probably the day after he got them (another park trip, lots of dogs) and there were only a couple we could find. Used flea stuff on him, he started acting really lethargic, wouldn't eat, got diarrhea, acted down. This continued for a good week. fleas did go away, cats didn't get them thank God. We'd like to avoid having to use it again though, we didn't like how he behaved. I've heard a bath in dawn dish soap will kill them...not sure if it gets the eggs though. I've heard about DE too, but have heard that it can wreak havoc on them if they inhale it (I feel like my cats would sniff him really hard after being dusted).


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

Maxy24 said:


> We do use heartworm meds monthly except in winter. Don't use flea/tick stuff here. Tucker had two ticks this year, one had bitten, one had not yet. both found within the same day he got them (after visits to the park and woods). I got one too. He got fleas once, again we found them probably the day after he got them (another park trip, lots of dogs) and there were only a couple we could find. Used flea stuff on him, he started acting really lethargic, wouldn't eat, got diarrhea, acted down. This continued for a good week. fleas did go away, cats didn't get them thank God. We'd like to avoid having to use it again though, we didn't like how he behaved. I've heard a bath in dawn dish soap will kill them...not sure if it gets the eggs though. I've heard about DE too, but have heard that it can wreak havoc on them if they inhale it (I feel like my cats would sniff him really hard after being dusted).


I put it on them outside....cant say that Ive even had anyone sneeze let alone react any other way(unlike say when we are walking and a dust cloud kicks up....)

I would rather use it then get the fleas that we had from stray cats and then have to use actual poison on them....

And like I said, Ive never had any of them react to it!:smile:


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

No fleas in this area. But the ticks are bad. I check the dogs over after walks and use a tick twister. I do get them vaccinated for Lyme disease.

Dozer tested positive for Lyme but they told me it was an old infection of it. We treated it with antibiotics. No way of knowing if he got it before or after we got him. Regardless, this area is bad for ticks but I hate insecticides. If only there was a natural way. I have tried citronella sprays and they didn't work for us. I was looking forward to winter so I wouldn't have to worry about ticks for a little while and it was almost 50 degrees today....in February! ugh.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

I never use any flea prevention either. I, or rather, Mol and Wind haven't had any flea problems at all. During summer I'll run over them with a flea comb every few days, and I might catch one a month, but so far so good as I don't want to use flea meds at all if I can help it.
But, now with Windy (the cat), I'm between a rock and a hard place. From all accounts heartworm is getting more prolific round here with cats. I've just had her tested (she was a stray when picked up by the animal control) and she is negative, but going forward I think I will have to use something. I've got $113 of Advantage Frontline sitting here and I guess I've don't have a choice really, I'd die if she caught heartworm. There's no way I'm going near those teeth and forcing her to eat a Heartgard pill, so Advantage it probably has to be.
It probably goes without mentioning that Mol gets a Heartgard chew religiously every 5 weeks or so, year round. Not messing with that.


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## swolek (Mar 31, 2011)

I'm in literally THE most common area for Lyme disease so I do use flea/tick prevention in warmer parts of the year (usually just a few times a year total)...specifically for the ticks, although it's nice that it kills fleas too. We get fleas outside because the house next to mine is abandoned, over-run with tall grass (yay fleas AND ticks? sigh), and home to cats...which bring their fleas. Ugh. But it's really the ticks that bother me. Not only have I had Lyme disease (not fun and potentially very dangerous...my mom just got it last year and was so sick she had to quit a new job) but Sophie, one of my dogs, got it too .


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

I do heartguard but I've not had to do any flea stuff in the 17 years we lived in Indiana - now that i am back in Texas it all comes back to me, how we have been infested with fleas. So I guess I'll have to prepare for it.

My mother and I went to a garage sale once in a downtown building in my little town - there was an apartment on the top floor. I'll never forget how we left, got into the car, and I looked over and saw her white pants were pretty much solid with fleas. They were all over both of us. We couldn't really strip nekkid because we were right in the middle of town, but oh my the urge was strong.

We've had them in the house here too - dogs, people. We used to bathe our dogs in something I forget now. Probably some horrible chemical. I think maybe I'll try that diatomaceous earth - where do you get it Abi?

And I'm still going to use Sevin dust, if I can get it. I've used it forever and I think it's pretty benign unless they breathe or swallow it. And it does run off the fleas.


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## Cliffdog (Dec 30, 2010)

Since they cut down our woods we haven't had much flea/tick trouble but we use citronella spray for skeeters. I know some folks with hunting hounds who use Termidor SC for fleas and ticks because it's the same thing as frontline (albeit a tiny bit weaker) but cheaper.


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## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

I don't really do anything for fleas. My dogs get raw ACV (Apple Cider Vinager) in their water. They also get a spritz of "calogne" (water with a bit of citrus juice) every now and then. They get baths in Neem shampoo once a month. I've never had a flea problem for 5+ years. I also do not give anything for heartworm. They do get regular heartworm tests.


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## bridget246 (Oct 26, 2011)

Makovach said:


> I don't really do anything for fleas. My dogs get raw ACV (Apple Cider Vinager) in their water. They also get a spritz of "calogne" (water with a bit of citrus juice) every now and then. They get baths in Neem shampoo once a month. I've never had a flea problem for 5+ years. I also do not give anything for heartworm. They do get regular heartworm tests.


I'd still consider getting the heartworm prevention. The cure for heartworm and the damage it does are not things to take lightly.


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## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

bridget246 said:


> I'd still consider getting the heartworm prevention. The cure for heartworm and the damage it does are not things to take lightly.


My older female has problems with ivermectin (the med to prevent heartworms). So she can not be on it at all. So she has to get heartworm tests usually 2-3 times a year. I've been looking for a more natural prevention that is not ivermectin based, but i cant find anything. I also take extra precautions like teatree or eucalyptis oils rubbed lightly trough her coat when outside hikeing or something (what my vet reccomended because she said the scent deturs them like citranella). And i keep her indoors when misquitos are bad.


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## bridget246 (Oct 26, 2011)

Makovach said:


> My older female has problems with ivermectin (the med to prevent heartworms). So she can not be on it at all. So she has to get heartworm tests usually 2-3 times a year. I've been looking for a more natural prevention that is not ivermectin based, but i cant find anything. I also take extra precautions like teatree or eucalyptis oils rubbed lightly trough her coat when outside hikeing or something (what my vet reccomended because she said the scent deturs them like citranella). And i keep her indoors when misquitos are bad.


Oh wow. I didn't know your situation. Thanks for the info on the eucalyptis oils.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

When we first moved to Indiana (next door to Ohio), it seemed like such a cold weather place compared to Texas I just quit giving my dog heartworm meds for about five years until I saw the light and started up again. 

He never got heartworms. I just have to wonder if the mosquitoes up there are really heavy with the worms like they are in Texas. I'm pretty sure there's no way a dog in Texas could go five years without protection who wouldn't get heartworms.

I also wonder why dogs weren't all dying by the time they were three years old before ivermectin was invented. Makes me wonder if this is another marketing thing. I wouldn't not give my dogs heartworm meds, but dang - when I was young I never gave my dogs heartworm meds and I don't remember any of them getting heartworm.


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## Cliffdog (Dec 30, 2010)

I feel like a healthy raw-fed dog with a good immune system should be able to fend off heartworms but I don't want to risk it. My grandpa told me once how his dogs never got any kind of medications or treatments as a kid but those dogs were pure natural selection, they were working mutts, they gave birth in a doghouse and the weak pups died off, only the strong survived. Nowadays most dogs aren't working bred dogs and never have to prove their strengths to survive, I'm not saying that's a BAD thing but the old way did promote a certain hardiness that dogs probably don't have so much today which leaves them more vulnerable, not to mention terribly unnatural diets and dangerous vaccines.


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## sozzle (May 18, 2011)

Well we don't have heartworm in NZ, in fact I just had to look it up as I didn't know what it was. We got our dog a year ago and he was flea treated then but I haven't treated him since. Luckily in his very short and thin coat you can see fleas easily. If you have cats visiting your property dogs can pick up as they are more prone to fleas (so I've been told). We don't own a cat but we do get them 'stupidly' coming into our garden even though Stanley would probably eat them for breakfast. I don't want to use the 'lawn fertiliser' type preventative that someone mentioned either for the same reasons. If he gets fleas I will treat them with a comb, neem soap and neem oil treatment that I have at the ready, a bit like when my kids had head lice, I just combed out the fleas and eggs every couple of days until they went. Pain in the arse to do but worth it in the end.


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## 1605 (May 27, 2009)

Unfortunately, down here in FL fleas & ticks are a year-round thing, esp since our guys are in the woods, long grass, etc. every other day. So we use K9 Advantix II.

In fact, almost every time we run them with a friend's dog, THAT dog comes back with tons of ticks that they have to pick out of his fur. (I don't know if they use anything on him.) I guess that's one of the good things about having German SHORTHAIRED Pointers...any ticks that try to attach themselves are easily found. 

Also, we use a "heartguard plus" generic for heartworm every month.


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## MissusMac (Jan 6, 2011)

Another Texan here... heartworms and fleas are a big problem year round. I give heartworm preventative monthly, but I do cut the pills in half because a little goes a long way. 

I treat fleas as needed, and if I see any I rub DE into his coat and dust it around the outside doors. I've never seen a flea in our house, though.


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## Cliffdog (Dec 30, 2010)

Oh yeah, for heartworms we use Ivomec (or Promec) 1% Injectable Solution for cattle. Figure up the dose for your dog and squirt it down their neck once a month, _waaay_ cheaper than Heartgard. Unlike Heartgard Plus that doesn't give your dog pyrantel so some folks think you should worm regularly but Ivermectin takes care of most things so I don't usually worm unless I see signs of worms, which so far I have not. If you ask hunters or other folks who have 10+ dogs they will usually have a lot of good tested and true methods of saving money while not cutting corners on your animal's healthcare and wellbeing.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

I use only this product called omni-trol as needed during the summer which ends up being once or twice for the whole year. I also use D-earth for mild cases and this essential oil based bug spray for horses when we go on hikes to keep flies, ticks and mosquitos away. 

Amazon.com: Farnam Natures Defense: Pet Supplies

Heartworm pills, he gets thoes 6 months out of the year (spring/summer)


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## ShanniBella (Jul 1, 2011)

greyshadows said:


> Do most of you use flea and tick control? It seems like putting lawn insecticide on my dogs back but I don't want fleas. Other than walks, we stay in our fenced in yard. Would it be necessary?



No, I don't think its necessary if your dogs aren't laying around in your yard all day. I don't use poison in or on my dog. Those flea and tick preventatives are full of neurotoxins and pesticides. I think they are killing our dogs and giving them cancer. I can't use heartworm meds because my dog has horrible allergies so its all natural preventatives here! Read this  http://dogfoodchat.com/forum/general-dog-discussion/10212-tis-season-poison-our-dogs.html


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