Flea Treatments

[Lindaloo]

I just wanted to warn my fellow animal lovers on the dangers of Frontline Plus. If you are using it you need to stop. The end result will be bad for your pet!! My Pomeranian is having to have a blood transfusion because she was exposed to "chemicals or toxins" After carefully determining that there was nothing in my house that could have poisoned her, I thought about the flea treatment.

Frontline Plus is highly toxic and oil based. If there is an open wound when it is given it can get into the blood stream and attack red blood cells which is life threatening. Bio-Spot is also toxic and that new K-9 Advantix. It even says if given to cats it will kill them.

If you have cats I suggest you use the Advantage. For dogs, I would use the Revolution. This protects against heartworms too. They are both alcohol based and non toxic.

Just something for you all to ponder. For I hope you never have to go through what I am going through right now!!

[Stephanie]

Linda - I hope poor Roxie will be okay. You know she's in my prayers!

We always use Advantage, mainly because it is good for ticks too.

Thanks for the warning!

[streetsoldier]

Annabelle (she be a ho') has been taking a pill for fleas/ticks, which also takes care of heartworms...what the brand name is, I can't say.

We tried the "behind the shoulders" application stuff, but it burned her skin...Quoth the Daddy, "NEVERMORE!"

She also dosn't react well to puppy perfumes like "Miss Claybone", etc; she smells just fine as she comes to me!

[azsnowman]

Thanks for the info Lindaloo! I'll pass this info along to our K9 unit. That's one thing about Pinetop, we don't have fleas, too high, too cold for 'em we do however have a problem with ticks, deer ticks to be specific....the carriers of Lime Disease!

Dennis

[opera ghost]

Frontline Plus is highly toxic and oil based. If there is an open wound when it is given it can get into the blood stream and attack red blood cells which is life threatening. Bio-Spot is also toxic and that new K-9 Advantix. It even says if given to cats it will kill them.

Any dog flea treatment that is given to cats can kill them. They use completly different treatments for cats- and you should *never* use any dog products on your furry feline.

All flea treatments are toxic. They are there to kill the fleas. It should (and usually is) noted on the packaging that it should never be applied to broken or inflamed skin. (Just like you wouldn't pour mesquito repellant onto an open wound!)

As with all medications- instructions should be followed to the letter and if you have any questions- address them to your vet before you leave the office. It's usually a good idea to let them show you the first application of *any* medication in the office so that you have thier lead to follow.

They don't release drugs that kill when you follow the directions guys. Sometimes something unavoidable happens- a cut in the area applied before it settles into the fur- that's when you should do just what linda did- and take your pet to the vet. All flea killers are pestacides. All medications should be carefully monitored.

That being SAID. I don't care for the oil based applications because it makes Sebastian's fur oily and that's just ~nasty~ to pet... it also drives him nuts because he hates the feeling of being wet and can't lick it clean.

I'm saying a prayer for your pom Linda!

[Amanzi]

Linda, I pray Roxy will make a full recovery and full of bounce soon!

Thanks for the warning though... I have been very fortunate with my kitty, he never has fleas!

Give Roxy a cuddle for me!

[Lindaloo]

opera... it does not say on FrontLine Plus that it can kill cats. It does say on the K-9 Advantix that it will kill cats. Second... not all flea treatments are toxic. Advantage and Revolution are non-toxic and are alcohol based.

I have been told if I had not used the Frontline Plus she would be fine. And cats nor dogs should be able to lick the treatment off their necks if applied correctly. Pomeranians are very furry and it is very hard to see even the slightest scrape. And thanks for making me feel like this is all my fault!!

[opera ghost]

opera... it does not say on FrontLine Plus that it can kill cats. It does say on the K-9 Advantix that it will kill cats. Second... not all flea treatments are toxic. Advantage and Revolution are non-toxic and are alcohol based.

I have been told if I had not used the Frontline Plus she would be fine. And cats nor dogs should be able to lick the treatment off their necks if applied correctly. Pomeranians are very furry and it is very hard to see even the slightest scrape. And thanks for making me feel like this is all my fault!!

"Sometimes something unavoidable happens" I'm well aware how furry Poms are (My parents next door neighbor have 3 and they're all great adorable dogs *smiles*) Which is why I used the word unavoidable and still say that you did *exactly* what you should have. In fact I applaud you for noticing- truth be told a LOT of pet owners wouldn't notice that there was something seriously wrong- especially with as furry as Poms are and as much trouble as some pets give thier people over getting flea treatments in general.

I'm know it's very stressing to have a pet very ill (Sebastian was often ill when he was smaller we could just never seem to get him over a cold before fleas would happen then worms, then another cold... it was a never ending nightmare for about 6 months) and I'm sorry for not making it totally clear that I really don't think you're at fault at all and that I think you're a GREAT pet owner. Many many people wouldn't get blood transfusions or would wonder why thier pet had died surprisingly and just burry it without another trip to the vet. People like you and I are exceptions to a general rule.

A vet *should* be well aware of the problems with cross-species medications of any sort and *should* keep careful track of it. (I believe there is one flea treatment that's ok for cats and dogs but I can't remember which. I'll have to ask the vet the next time I'm up there) Including explaining the dangers to owners of both cats and dogs (since they have been known to groom eachother).

About toxicity- they ARE all toxic. (Toxic being a poison no matter how mild. Pestacides are toxic. They're on our fresh foods more often than not and they do no harm to us! But taken in greater quantities they can kill.) They may not be toxic to the animal you put them on- but they are toxic and as with any toxic substance there's some mild danger in using them. When weighing that danger most people decide that flea bites are a more serious danger (and most of the time they are 100% correct!) Especially since it's unlikely that your cat will go licking flea stuff off a dog that you don't own

And honestly- following the directions should be enough for the vast majority of users of flea medications. Accidents and ~unavoidable~ things happen... but 99% of the time there isn't going to be a problem.

My post was information. A pet owner who had been using frontline should not be made to feel bad and to quit immediatly if they have a short furred dog and have never had a problem with it. The dangers should be given (and you gave them) but the flip side of that should also be given- frontline isn't just a pet killer in disguise. They're not out to murder your pets and it's possible to use it without incident. It's something to think about (exactly as you said) but when making an educated decision- both sides should be considered.

Please accept my sincerest apologies for any indication that I thought it was your fault. The LAST thing you need when dealing with a sick pet is guilt- This should NOT have happened to you. There's nothing you could have done to change it except pick a different flea medication. And you know what? When they're presented by a vet most people choose what the vet reccommends. We trust our vets to make the best decisions for our pets... and sometimes they goof it up... and there's nothing we can do.

I will be praying for your Pom Linda- I really hope she gets better and is back to herself. Pets are such joys to have and love.

[Rainband]

Praying!!!!!!!!!! for your furry family member Lindaloo!!!! God Speed.
(((HUGS))))

[Miss Mary]

Linda - oh so sorry to hear this. Praying for you sweet little Pom too.

I give Hope heart worm/flea pills once a month, Sentinel. But over the summer I up the flea treatment, especially when going to the kennel. We use Advantage.

Thanks for the warning.

Hugs.

Mary

[Lindaloo]

Thanks everybody!! Roxie is doing a little bit better this morning. Dr. McCoy is going to do a test on her this morning to see if her immune system is stable enough to be given the Prednisone. The test is about the red blood cells. He is going to see if they are still being attacked. If they are still being attacked she will then undergo a blood transfusion. She has been given a transfusion of OxyGlobin and is breathing better. Her gums are more pink too. They were a greyish-white. But was told they will look jaundice (yellow) before it is all said and done.

[j]

I'm sick of trying to deal with the flea problem with collars and behind the neck treatments. We bathe the cat and the dog every week now, and are trying to break the cycle. I hate fleas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The dog is the worst, and I think they jump off him and get on the cat. The cat stays inside. The dog is a Scottish Terrier, and being only a few inches from the ground, he might as well open up a flea hotel.

[Lindaloo]

j... there is a quick and safe remedy for the flea situation. You can bathe them in Dawn dishwashing liquid. It kills the fleas on the spot and you do not have to worry about Toxic flea treatments. Dr. McCoy told me about that on Monday. He told me this morning that Roxie was not to get anymore flea treatments.

[j]

thanks for that tip....dawn it is!

[ColdFront77]

Linda and j, good luck with your pets.

My two Siamese cats don't have flea problems; they are shorthaired cats, which helps. I remember hearing that someone with shorthaired cats had fleas, but I am not sure.

[Guest]

Here is a tip for fleas in your yard. Use Rock Salt or Ice Cream Salt - I have an acre of land and bought 4 boxes - came to $3.98 - spread it around in my yard. My cats are in and out cats - put them outside - bombed the house - all the rooms with carpet. Bathe the cats with Dawn like Lindaloo said and I haven't had a flea problem since and this was back in April. I reapplied the rock salt about four weeks ago - just for grins.

Sure beats the hell out of spending $$$$$ for all those high dollar products that only last a couple of weeks.

Patricia

[furluvcats]

Linda, I can relate to your problem, and back up what you're telling us to do. As you know, I breed persian cats...talk about long hair! In the cat show/breeder circle, Dawn is always used on the show cats. It doesn't dry their skin, and it DOES indeed kill fleas. As to topical flea REMEDY, I SWEAR by Advantage. Fleas make it into your house, whether you have outside pets or not, and when I have a new litter of kittens, and I see the first fleas, I treat them, as young as a day old, with Advantage. An old cat breeder friend advised me of this many many years ago, and it was either let the kittens become anemic and die from the fleas, or give it a try, so I tried the Advantage and have been securely using it on every litter since then. It may not be advised to do so on the lable, but my vet confers that it can be safely done, with the proper amount. FYI...Dog Advantage can be used on cats as well as the cat Advantage. Thats primarily what I use, bc you it goes alot further.

Good luck with you pup Linda...our new pup was just hospitalized also, and we know what you're going through...its not fun...but being a responsible pet owner is rewarding in being able to notice the problem, get them to the vet and healed up!

Our vet used Frontline on our new pup, and two weeks later the pup was swimming AND AN AWFUL oily RESIDUE covered the top of the lake water...I am assumeing that this was the Frontline, coming off in the lake, bc he's had fleas ever since.

You can self treat your home against fleas with SPECTRACIDE Flea and Tick spray, found at Lowes.

Living in the South brings many unwanted creatures...fleas being one of them!

[Lindaloo]

I did not know that about the rock salt ticka!! I am going to buy some this evening and treat my yard. What about when it rains? Do you re-apply it? Do you know if it kills ticks? I lime the yard in the summer, but I have to keep the dogs out for 48 hours. When you have BIG dogs, this is hard to do. lol. I give my dogs that stay outside Advantage and Sentinel. When I was giving them the FrontLine Plus they would just mope around or sleep the entire day. Hmmmmm...

I know Shannon. It is an awful situation. But Roxie is middle aged, which makes it worse for her. I will keep your pup in my prayers. And you are right about the FrontLine being on the top of the lake. Just imagine what it is doing to your pets skin. Dr. McCoy also told me that while on FrontLine you are not supposed to bathe your pet. That was enough said for me. He and I have been arguing about this for over a week now. He is finally coming to his senses about it.

I appreciate the kind words Tom. You are very lucky that your pets do not have flea problems.

[opera ghost]

Linda and j, good luck with your pets.

My two Siamese cats don't have flea problems; they are shorthaired cats, which helps. I remember hearing that someone with shorthaired cats had fleas, but I am not sure.

Shorthaired cats are less likely to get fleas/go unnoticed with fleas- but only because there's nowhere to hide and the cats can pick them off more easily *grins* But after a year long battle with the flea- it's safe to say that short haired cats *can* get fleas... and they can get them badly. Thankfully we got out of the flea infested apartment (no amount of bombing could clear it!) and Sebastian is much less itchy.

Sebastian being my little red point siamese

I hadn't heard the dawn trick- that's one I might have to try if fleas come back (we've been blissfully flea free without any care for going on a year and a half)

Linda- glad to hear that Roxie is doing better!

[ColdFront77]

Interesting, opera ghost. My Siamese cats names are Simon Sebastian (seal point) and Samson Ulysses (lilac point).

So, I was right on both accounts, really... shorthaired cats can get fleas, but not as easily as longhaired cats.

Linda, I am glad to hear that Roxy is doing better, as well.