Flea Control

Mr. Clean · Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Posts: 708 Location: Garland, Texas

Has anyone resorted to using either the Advantage or K9Advantix products from Bayer?

It is early in the season, and I've already seen plenty of fleas on or she-Boxer. Even with weekly bathings, vacuuming (she's an inside dog 99.9% of the time), hand picking...you know the usual preventatives.

Are there any vets in the membership? What dangers are present through the use of such a product? After last season, I'm determined she won't suffer through another summer like last year.

Mr. Clean · Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Posts: 708 Location: Garland, Texas

While awaiting responses from first hand experiences or knowledge of local testing, I set out to do a little “net” research. I found the following information in the Extension Toxicology Network regarding imidacloprid a principle ingredient in K9 Advantix.

http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles/extoxnet/haloxyfop-methylparathion/imidacloprid-ext.html

I don’t want to endanger the health of our beloved pet, but I do want to end the torment of the fleas which plagued her last season and now again this year. Though I would prefer to rely solely on organic means and methods to not just treat, but eliminate the this problem; the methods I have exercised have been totally ineffective.

What say you?

Mr. Clean · Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Posts: 708 Location: Garland, Texas

I'm really surprised no one has chimed in on this topic. I thought we had a Vet on the board. No one in the pet products industry? I know I'm not the only pet caretaker who is experiencing fleas and wants to alleviate the situation for their friend.

greenacres · Joined: 13 Oct 2003 Posts: 94 Location: houston, tx

Mr. Clean, I can only give my personal experience with beneficial nematodes, as it appears they are of help. It is hard to say for sure they are the reason for the absence of fleas, but we are so far without fleas.

I ordered from a place in Huntsville, TX back a few months ago and applied them twice. - Susan

pridgeon · Joined: 11 Apr 2003 Posts: 85 Location: Franklin

Susan, can you give us the address of the place in Huntsville you got the nematodes from? I haven't been able to find anyplace to order from.
Thanks

greenacres · Joined: 13 Oct 2003 Posts: 94 Location: houston, tx

http://www.gulfcoastbio.com/

I learned after ordering that SW Fertilizer (Bissonnet) carries them here locally. Hope this helps. - Susan

Mr. Clean · Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Posts: 708 Location: Garland, Texas

greenacres, thanks for the reply. I did in fact apply a double dose of BNs last year. There was no pereceived improvement. For the price, I'm not certain of the value. And I question, for those of us who are organic and have been organic, why would the nematodes not be self sustaining?

I have purchased Biorganic spray to try after the rain subsides. Isn't the rain great this year?

pridgeon · Joined: 11 Apr 2003 Posts: 85 Location: Franklin

Thanks for the web site, Susan.
And Mr. "Isn't the rain great this year" Clean, you must not be getting as much in Garland as I am at my house in Robertson County! We have had 15+ inches in June alone. (That's not counting the floods in Hearne and Franklin that dumped 17 inches in one day.) All my drought-tolerant plants are drowning! Just wish we could store some up for August when we'll probably go weeks without a drop.

Mr. Clean · Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Posts: 708 Location: Garland, Texas

pridgeon,

Well, officially we received about 10"+ this month, making it the second wettest June in history. As a native Texan, I've learned anytime you can get a head start on water in the Summer, take it with a smile.

I didn't hear about anyone in the state having to build an Ark. So, I guess you're OK.

Mr. Clean · Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Posts: 708 Location: Garland, Texas

I went to the Vet's Thursday and picked up FrontLine Top Spot (not +) and applied Friday evening. We had to wait the 4+ days after bathing per instructions.

Saturday night as we were performing our "hand picking" ritual we noticed fleas were surfacing and some were even jumping off our sweet pet onto the hard floor which made them easy to dispatch in our bowl of soapy water.

Today, Sunday, NO fleas are visible! Hooray! She just looks so much more contented. What a relief for her and us!

Thanks to a post by antiagingchoices we had added a lemongrass essential oil and distilled water spritz to our other remedies. The spritz though seemingly ineffective for the flea control did provide a pleasant scent to her and her bedding. We had been using CedarCide liquid for the past couple of years for her bedding and as a rinse for her baths, but as noted in another thread I have, at least for the moment, lost my source for the liquid product.

I chose the FrontLine product vs. Bayer's K9 Advantix for a couple of reasons. First it is a product of Merial Limited, who also produces HeartGard the heartworm preventative I have relied on for years. Second it was pointed out that FrontLine Top Spot does not have a disclaimer regarding cats and K9 Advantix does. I am not a cat owner, but I understand that cats are much more sensitive to pesticides. So hopefully this product (fipronil) is less toxic than imidacloprid as used in Advantix.

The instructions are that the product is applied monthly, but it has been reported that people are getting 60-90 days out of a single application. My thoughts are that maybe I can get away with just a single application while we contine our battle to eradicate the population. If this works, we will be extremely happy, and she will be too.

greenacres · Joined: 13 Oct 2003 Posts: 94 Location: houston, tx

Mr. Clean....I am sorry the nematodes didn't work for you as I believe they have worked for me. I can't really say for sure, but I just know that with all the horrific rain and challenges, we are (nervous to even type this) "flea free"....and pretty much "fire ant free."

We had a mama cat dumped on us at our weekend farm and we are the foster parents to three baby kittens. Yesterday we took them in for their first exam and the vet even looked at us curiously about the fact that they did not have any fleas or worms. I truly believe it is because of the organic regimen that we have followed along with the application of nematodes. I think.

I am hopeful that you find relief, as I know how very frustrating it can be dealing with these issues. My best to you and good health to your pets. - Susan

Mr. Clean · Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Posts: 708 Location: Garland, Texas

Susan, Thank you for the good wishes.

We are very pleased thus far with the results. She is far more relaxed as she isn't being tormented by those pests. We went as far as we could with traditional organic controls (hand picking fleas each evening qualifies, IMO), but they proved ineffective in stemming the tide. It was unfair to our dear pet to let her suffer because I wanted to follow an organic approach. We continue down the organic path where we can, but over the last decade plus we have learned that organic controls/methods are no silver bullet.

jalixs · Joined: 22 Sep 2003 Posts: 14 Location: ,

I also recently purchased Frontline (Plus) for my cat as she was totally going wacko. Last year there were no fleas on her. She is doing great. As for additional prevention, I have a 50lb bag of DE to spread around outside in areas where she stays near the house. Hopefully the DE will assist in eliminating these obnoxious fleas.

Dona

HarryGardner · Joined: 03 Nov 2003 Posts: 2 Location: Fredricksburg,TX

For those of you who seem to not have results with the Ben Nemas- you will! This is where the comprehensive organic program, applied correctly, will control fleas. I can give you more detailed experiences if you would like. We had a horrible problem years ago. Now, we still have fleas (remember- for ALL "pests"- your operational term is control, not eliminate) but just a few. I think we should be concentrating on each other's experiences here- where we have just that few to deal with. Any thoughts here? I've had some good experiences with the Espree products and Pet Organics; there are plenty others, they're just difficult to obtain at the typical stores.

Naturally · Joined: 09 Apr 2004 Posts: 17

I go back & forth on the whole flea & heartwrom issue. I want to be as holistic as possible with my dog, but I don't want her infested with fleas or heartworm either. We have her on both preventatives, but we dose every 6 wks not 4. I am also thinking about getting her off the flea preventative come winter. Here's a post on the same subject from another board (Dr.weil.com) that I copied...

"I would shampoo the doggy with Pure Shampoo from Dr. Goodpet. Feed the dog a whole, real food diet. Using great nutrition. Healthy dogs are not attractive to fleas. I would use a small amount of garlic in the food - less than 1/8th teaspoon. There are also herbal collars and sprays. Earthanimal.com and Drgoodpet.com have great holistic products.

I have four dogs - no fleas. My neighbors dogs do have fleas and ticks.
I use Dr. Goodpet yard nematodes outside. Have hardwood floors, vacuum every other day with flea killer in the bags. Dog beds cleaned weekly. Feed them real foods, add small amount of garlic to food. Give them baths in Pure Shampoo. If you have carpet I would really suggest Dr. Goodpets indoor powder. It works!!"