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War On Fleas


Guest mcsheltie

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Guest mcsheltie

Flea medications that have ceased to work are a frequent topic of discussion on every pet board. Today while doing some research I ran across this -

 

It is important to note that with the advent of popular top-spot treatments for fleas, special attention should be paid to the development of resistance to these products. Experience with other insects tells us that resistance can develop in 12 to 15 generations. In order to preserve these new insecticides, it is important to consider what is called integrated pest management. What this means is that insecticides should be rotated or combined with insect development inhibitors such as lufenuron or insect growth regulators like methoprene. Fleas that are resistant to the top-spot treatments must not be allowed to pass on their genes for resistance. Lufenuron (Program) ideally should be used in combination with any of the popular effective topicals. Program does not interact with other medications. Program is therefore compatible with all other treatments.

 

As fast as fleas reproduce it would not take long to reach 12 generations. If you decide to use an IGR instead of Program, spray your house before the start of flea season, or twice per year in climates such as Florida. IGR spray is non-toxic to mammals. Archer is a brand of IGR that is photostable. Other brands will quickly break down in sunlight. Archer is also effective outdoors.

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Guest Energy11

A lot of the fleas are becoming resistant. Not that is is a perfect treatment, by any means, but the old Adams Flea and Tick Mist works, for the most part. Seems, the fleas haven't become resistant, or as resistant to it. One version of it does contain the IGR, as well.

 

My DD has dogs and cats, and is using the Adams Spot-on, and sprayed the carpets and bedding with the spray Adams. She tells me, she no longer has fleas. If, indeed, she doesn't (*lives in S. Fla.,) that is a testimonial to the Adams products. She WAS using Frontline, to no avail.

 

**I don't work for Adams ...:-) ... just some FYI. I, myself, use the Adams Flea and Tick Mist (*no IGR), and haven't seen a flea, and maybe two or three ticks. I, too, used to use Frontline.

 

Good Luck to everyone with this ever-changing problem!

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest GreyFan09

Just came across this topic while researching fleas and its very interesting.

 

Comet has been on Frontline since March (in the Chicagoland area), and I started finding a few fleas on him about 2 months ago. Called the Vet and they said the fleas would die within 24 hours of being on him with the Frontline application. Well, they didn't die and I continued to find them on him. Not a lot, but 3-4 a few times a week. I gave him a bath with a Flea shampoo that is supposed to work for 30 days, and a week later found a few more on him. Went out and got some Adams Flea mist (recommended in the Greyhounds for Dummy's book) and gave him a good application of it. So far it's been 2 weeks of checking him daily and I haven't seen one flea on him yet. In addition to washing his bedding and vacuming regularly, I sprayed his bedding and the carpet areas where he likes to lay with Adams as well. Oh ya, and no more laying in the grass out in the yard! I'm thinking about printing out this information and showing it to my Vet!

 

Now I need to find a good replacement for the Frontline. Suggestions from people who have something that really works?

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Guest FastDogsOwnMe

Frontline has not worked on my dogs for five years or so now. Does not work at all. Advantage stopped working about two years ago. Thankfully, we have Comfortis, which is the only thing that still works here.

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Guest mcsheltie

Comfortis. Revolution still works up north.

 

The reason I posted this was, if everyone started adding IGR to their flea regimen we could stop Comfortis from loosing it's efficacy. And the need to keep coming up with another flea control.

 

Nematodes in the yard will get rid of that outside problem. I have used Fleabusters with greyt success.

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Guest FastDogsOwnMe

You may not have the problems we have here, though. Florida sucks for fleas! ALL year.

 

Now if they had a magic tick treatment... ugh. No matter WHAT anyone does the ticks are a pain in the ass. There are ticks just walking around in the road and up the sidewalks at Derby Lane. It's impossible no matter how dedicated a person is to keep them at bay. Winter can't come soon enough.

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Guest aeroangie

What happens to me....I have a totally hairless Chinese Crested that carries these F#$-er's on his head hairs, and no treatments of any kind stops this from happening. I also have two cats. The CC gets very frequent baths (as required for his type of skin!) So, short of throwing them all in my pool (or the ocean....which the Siamese would not like too much) this time of year, I cannot think of a good solution!

 

I live on the Southern Outer Banks of NC so there probably isn't much hope. I hope better flea/tick solutions are coming real soon. My Siamese can lie right on my face (normal) and I am like UGH...A LUMP....UGH....A TICK! Then I have to pull it off while he is on top of me sleeping. NASTY!!!!! OMG!

 

(It's probably NOT Otis my Siamese keeps running from!)

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Guest FastDogsOwnMe

Give the CC Comfortis. It works. Give the cats Program- it isn't instant but it also works and cleared our cats of fleas in 60 days. Just my dogs having Comfortis may have been enough to handle the cats' fleas too.

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Frontline Plus includes an IGR. I haven't had any problems with it.

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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