Hello,

I'd like to hear how you all prevent your dogs from getting fleas.  I've always used Frontline, on the recommendation of my vet - never really questioned its safety as he told me he used it on his kids when their classmates had nits, and they'd never caught it themselves!!!  Anyway, it smells truly vile and it's a right pain trying to keep them dry for 48 hours after applying.  I don't know if it works, but I've treated them every 3 months (or thereabouts), and never seen a flea. 

I've heard a few people mention using garlic to prevent fleas?  I think CSJ do a supplement too.  So what would you all recommend?  I'd prefer to use something less harsh (and cheaper would be nice too), but would rather never encounter a flea if possible!  I also thought Frontline was a tick preventative, do these alternative treatments ward off ticks too?

I think I'll keep a supply of fronline in, but wondered if it'd be best to use it as a treatment should the need ever arise, rather than a preventative. 

Looking forward to hearing everyone's suggestions

Clare

>it's a right pain trying to keep them dry for 48 hours after applying.

It's only that they mustn't be allowed to swim in watercourses for two days after applying, so that they don't contaminate the wildlife in the water. They don't have to be 'kept dry' per se.

Really?  I was under the impression that getting wet in the rain would make the treatment ineffective.... which makes timing difficult!  But if it's an environmental issue, I can easily keep them from swimming... well I never

As long as the coat has dried (are you using spot-on or spray?) from the treatment they're okay to go out in the rain afterwards. If you apply it last thing at night, say (as long as they don't share your bed), then they'll be fine for normal activity the next morning, whatever the weather.

Frontline information.

Thank you, that is certainly more convenient than I thought.  Does this mean you are an advocate of Frontline Jeangenie?  

Not in particular - I have a bottle of Frontline spray to use on the occasional tick, but I work at a vet's practice and have picked up a fair amount of information about various products.

I use garlic every day , but we live in the city I think if you live rural then it may be  a different story

Thanks, fresh or capsules?  And how much!??  I've seen some garlic capsules, but they're 'odor free' so I don't know if it'd still do the trick.

I get them from Holland and Barrett 1000mg a day. It also wards off any infections ..I have a vet who wont dish out antibiotics he gives homeopathic advice although he is a vet .

(my girl just had a water infection he upped he dose to two a day for 7 days, it cleared up the infection naturally ..its amazing stuff.)
I also have beardies with long thick double coats not one flea last year just one tick ffrom a day out in the country. LOL

yes garlic capsules.they are on offer at the moment in H&B

I use garlic capsules once a week and have not seen a flea for many years.

I have used Garlic for the last 8 years, both fresh and capsules .. by from H&B when on a BOGOFF or 3 for 2.. never had fleas (nor have my dogs ) Ollie was the only one I noticed a few ticks on, but never attached.  I think because he was yellow, it was easier to see the little beggars scurrying across coat before burrowing... We are knee deep in sheep country and only have normal sheep fencing between the dogs and sheep...

I used to use American 11 month flea collars but for 15 years have only used a garlic tablet most days and haven't seen a flea at all even with flea ridden dogs in the grooming parlour and my dogs hanging in the open window!

I have a tub of horse garlic and sprinkle a little on their dinner every day - never had fleas in over 10 years

Daisy

I hardly ever need to use flea treatments, if I do, I use Frontline spot-on treatment on my dogs.  I feed a raw natural diet with fresh garlic in the blended veg which they have every other day or so.  I do not believe in giving them the flea treatment routinely anymore.  I will treat the dogs and the house as and when they get fleas.  If they have a tick which hasnt happened for years, I would remove it with a hook or smother it in vaseline.
I try not to add more chemicals to them unless I have to and am a great believer in a good natural defence ie: garlic in a natural diet.

Frontline, hmmm. What the manufacturer's don't tell you is that any animal should be kept out of water for at least 5 days, within that time the Frontline still gets into the water system and kills off water life!  I used to use Frontline until I met a dog that got epilepsy as a direct result of Frontline entering the blood system - this happens to around 5% of dogs that it's used on.  OK, small numbers, but when you meet one of the few that's got it it's enough of a deterrent in my books.

If using Frontline to prevent ticks then it needs to be applied on a monthly basis ... who wants to pour that much chemical into their dogs' body?

I've been using CSJ Billy No Mates for the last couple of years. The dogs haven't had fleas and it's something I'm happy to use on a regular basis. Ticks have attached themselves to the dogs, but they have never held on very well!  I know people who use garlic tablets as a deterrent with great success ... I tried that with my old dog but she used to spit the garlic capsule out unbeknown to me ... normally to be squashed by me making a mucky mess on the carpet!! Just a scoop on their dinner at night.

I tend to start using the Billy No Mates around now, until November time.  It apparently takes 6 weeks to become effective.  Think tubs are around £12, and I think we normally get through a tub every 3 months ... that's for 4 dogs.

Thanks, it was Billy No Mates that I was most interested in.  Think I will give it a go..

> this happens to around 5% of dogs that it's used on.  OK, small numbers, but when you meet one of the few that's got it it's enough of a deterrent in my books.

I'd say that was a very large number, 5% of all dogs that have Frontline applied?!  I don't doubt it can be harmful, but that sounds extremely dangerous!!

Yes, it's reckoned about 5% of all dogs receiving an application of Frontline get it into the bloodstream. It's meant to spread through the skin layers, but ...

BNM is certainly worth a try, but don't forget, you need to allow 6 weeks for it to start being effective, so now's probably the time to be starting in. You can use it all year without any problems, but I tend to lay off it over the winter months. You will still find that ticks will attach (but then they do when you apply Frontline) but they don't stay attached for long, and are not very strongly attached - in my experience. I regularly go onto the mountains in Scotland and wont even use Frontline then, even though there is a big deer tick problem in places. I'd rather stick with the non-harmful stuff and make sure I inspect my dogs after a day out in tick country and use a tick remover tool if necessary. Hope you get on ok with it.

I use garlic each day and also brewers yeast. The mere fact that frontline and advocate and other chemical flea treatments can contaminate  water that the dog swims in and is harmful to fish etc is enough to set the alarm bells ringing !

Many thanks to all of you, I have used Frontline combo but have had reservations about how far it gets into a dogs system - Garlic or Billy no mates, will give them ago. Again thanks