Fleas!!

[Kusanar]

According to the FDA.....chewable flea meds cause neurological problems in dogs and some cats. It has effected thousands of dogs, resulting in 100s a deaths. These drugs work by attacking the nervous system of fleas and ticks, it does the same to some dogs which is not a surprise.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/heal...-cause-nerve-reactions-pets-fda-warns-n911536
https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/bravecto-nexgard-simparica-oral-flea-tick-preventives-safe/

Obviously there are thousands of dogs without issues using these products. If you choose to use it that is your choice, I know I just don't want my dogs to end up being ones that have the bad reactions.

Our friend was singing the praises of seresto to us so we were going to try it then the bad news about seresto came out. So skipping that too.

Cats also have bad reactions to the topical flea treatment and flea collars. When you walk in the house and your skin is instantly covered with fleas to the point that you turn black and the cats are screaming and licking their fur off (one even had white gums due to being drained dry constantly), you do something. I don't keep my cats on flea meds all the time, it took maybe 3-4 months to get rid of all fleas using the Comfortis and they are now off of the flea meds. There is also a much milder OTC version that you can buy that only lasts 1 day that we will use if we see some fleas and that will knock it back down when it isn't BAD yet.

 

[Beekissed]

According to the FDA.....chewable flea meds cause neurological problems in dogs and some cats. It has effected thousands of dogs, resulting in 100s a deaths. These drugs work by attacking the nervous system of fleas and ticks, it does the same to some dogs which is not a surprise.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/heal...-cause-nerve-reactions-pets-fda-warns-n911536
https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/bravecto-nexgard-simparica-oral-flea-tick-preventives-safe/

Obviously there are thousands of dogs without issues using these products. If you choose to use it that is your choice, I know I just don't want my dogs to end up being ones that have the bad reactions.

Our friend was singing the praises of seresto to us so we were going to try it then the bad news about seresto came out. So skipping that too.

Years ago I stopped using the drop on flea meds when I noticed my dogs HATED them and would do anything to get away from me when I applied them, their skin would actually flinch when it was applied....and these are dogs that loved any and all attention and had never tried to avoid my applying things to their skin before. To me that spoke volumes....here's this oil that has no odor or color, but was apparently something the dogs thought was either uncomfortable to them or was outright hurting them upon contact.

This past year, I bought the Hartz flea collars for the Anatolians down in the paddocks....they broke the dog's neck out on contact and THAT had never happened before and I had used those in the distant past without any ill effects~made me wonder what had changed in the chemicals they were using. I cut the collars into pieces and just zip tied them to the dogs' regular collar and that seemed to be sufficient. Now I'm just using Wondercide on them....they hate the smell, but lemongrass EO isn't known to be harmful to dogs or humans, so I don't mind trying it out.

The only dewormer I've ever used on the dogs was pyrantel pamoate and only once or twice a year, if that....usually they just get garlic and then ACV in their water. If I had to give anything stronger it would likely be castor oil, which they LOVE....will lick it off my hands eagerly if I've been using it on another animal.

 

[misfitmorgan]

Cats also have bad reactions to the topical flea treatment and flea collars. When you walk in the house and your skin is instantly covered with fleas to the point that you turn black and the cats are screaming and licking their fur off (one even had white gums due to being drained dry constantly), you do something. I don't keep my cats on flea meds all the time, it took maybe 3-4 months to get rid of all fleas using the Comfortis and they are now off of the flea meds. There is also a much milder OTC version that you can buy that only lasts 1 day that we will use if we see some fleas and that will knock it back down when it isn't BAD yet.

I'm not judging whatever anyone uses, there is a time and a place for things. I'm saying I would not use chewables for regular flea prevention on my own animals. What people choose to do is up to them, I'm just not willing to risk it. Same reason I don't use hartz products on my pets or feed them food that had recalls.

If my pets had fleas to that degree yes I might try chewables but I've never had pets that bad or seen it that bad. Living in the north has it's benefits.

 

[deena1365]

what i thenk is like a livstock defleaer. it should work with chickens, horses, cows, ect.

Thanks

I spread sweet lime in the yard, concentrating where the dogs lounge the most, in early spring and early fall. It really works! Found that out many years ago when I moved to a home that had a yard full of fleas...we couldn't walk in it without having our legs black with baby fleas. I haven't used the traditional flea meds for years for either the dogs or the cat.

I'm experimenting with Wondercide (lemongrass scented) this year for the dogs in the pasture far from home. Seems to be working well for fleas, flies and ticks.

Thanks!

 

[deena1365]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone I’ll definitely be looking into some of these options and see if I can get the fleas under control.

 

[Kusanar]

If my pets had fleas to that degree yes I might try chewables but I've never had pets that bad or seen it that bad. Living in the north has it's benefits.

Yeah... That's what happens when you bring in pregnant ferals and can't use flea treatments on them due to pregnancy and can't treat any of them until the kittens are old enough to be treated. Those babies were practically born with fleas and weren't able to be treated until they were old enough to be vaccinated and spayed / neutered.

They also got a LOT of baths to try to wash off the fleas as well but that only goes so far and you don't want to chill already anemic kittens.

 

[misfitmorgan]

Yeah... That's what happens when you bring in pregnant ferals and can't use flea treatments on them due to pregnancy and can't treat any of them until the kittens are old enough to be treated. Those babies were practically born with fleas and weren't able to be treated until they were old enough to be vaccinated and spayed / neutered.

They also got a LOT of baths to try to wash off the fleas as well but that only goes so far and you don't want to chill already anemic kittens.

Even ferals here dont normally have fleas to that degree because the fleas die off when it gets cold outside and even the numbers on the animals are much lower in winter. We have had probly a dozen feral cats we ended up keeping and most of them had no fleas or very few. Similar benefits with heartworms, only need to treat once a year. It extends to livestock parasites since they die or go dormant in the cold months.

 

[BaBaaHMonica]

I think too it helps to do an all out approach and not just treat the dog and cat, but also your house, their resting area, the yard and then once you regain control, keep them from coming back. If you see a flea, surely it is not the only one around and finding the main areas where they come from is super important.

 

[Beekissed]

I think too it helps to do an all out approach and not just treat the dog and cat, but also your house, their resting area, the yard and then once you regain control, keep them from coming back. If you see a flea, surely it is not the only one around and finding the main areas where they come from is super important.

I agree! An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Treating the lawn with sweet lime when you know you'll have a few dry days helps to eliminate fleas and their eggs in areas where dogs lounge the most. Then, stay on top of them on the dog's body....I've found that placing ACV in their water seems to help prevent fleas, though I cannot imagine just why. It just seems to do so.

At the first sign of a scratch, I examine their bodies....could be fleas, could just be dry skin, but I jump on it anyway and apply something that will help~sweet lime, sulfur dust, a flea collar zip tied to their regular collar but not touching their bodies, garlic in the food, or, here lately, spray infused with lemongrass essential oils. I'm going to try peppermint next. Any number of treatments but rarely the same one twice....I'm not interested in breeding fleas that are immune to everything and can survive anything.

I haven't had a flea infestation here for many a long year...the last time I had one was when a stray that was dropped off out in the country, stopped here for a play session with my Lab/BC dog. The stray was literally crawling with fleas....you could see his fur moving!!! We battled fleas in the yard and on our dog for two seasons after that, but finally got them eradicated. I haven't seen an actual flea on a cat or dog for some years now, but I don't wait until I do...I am proactive when it comes to that.

 

[deena1365]

I think too it helps to do an all out approach and not just treat the dog and cat, but also your house, their resting area, the yard and then once you regain control, keep them from coming back. If you see a flea, surely it is not the only one around and finding the main areas where they come from is super important.

I’m definitely going to be treating all areas and go into prevention mode once I get them under control. Do you think that spaying/treating around my home is beneficial even though we have woods surrounding us? I’m a little overwhelmed at the thought of everywhere they could potentially be