Comfortis

[lrayburn]

I just switched my gang to Comfortis in an effort to stamp out Frontline resistant fleas. Has anybody used it? I like the idea that it is not on their skin (it's a chewable tablet) but it does kind of freak me out that its a pill that makes my dogs toxic to fleas. I'm prepared to use it for two months and then reevaluate but I'd appreciate anybody's input.

Thanks,

Lisa

[juliepoudrier]

Lisa,

Back before the advent of Frontline and Advantage, there was Program, and it was a lifesaver for those of us struggling with fleas. All I had then were cats, but I used it once a month (in their food) and the flea problem was eradicated in no time. I've used Capstar even on puppies. So in principal I wouldn't worry overmuch about an oral medication vs. a topical one. I've not used Comfortis and I don't know anyone who has, so you may be our guinea pig here....

 

Of course, my real problem is ticks and I don't guess Comfortis works for that.

 

J.

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

All mine are BACK on Program, which I used many years ago in the couple of years or so between the days of dip and sprays and flea combing, and the advent of Frontline.

 

I've got to get this problem under control, and then I'll go back to more natural methods. I was doing well with DE and garlic combined but I left out the garlic from their food a couple of weeks and ka-BOOM, suddenly I had fleas again.

 

I also left off the aromatic oils I usually use in the kitchen and on some of the floors and I think that's part of it. I've also had a problem with those grain moths and wee flies suddenly, again.

[1sheepdoggal]

I too am looking for a product to help combat the frontline resistant fleas, and hadnt checked out the comfortis yet, I'll be interested to hear how you like it, and how the dogs do on it.

[Little Bo Boop]

I use frontline on all mine, and have not seen a single flea in I don't know how long, and have never seen a tick. That being said, I did encounter a period of time when the Frontline didn't seem to be working (this was a few years ago) I switched to Advantage for about 6 months (and I only apply every 2 somtimes 3 months) then I switched back to the Frontline and I'm now (and have been for a while) back to flea free. Oddly enough I have cats as well (one mostly indoor cat) and one outside...and I don't use any flea prevent. on them, yet they seem to be flea free.

[DTrain]

I am looking for new treatment. We took all of the dog of Revolution yesterday because of a number of other problems the dogs have. We don't know if Revolution is part of the problem but it has been removed as part of an effort to detox the dogs.

[1sheepdoggal]

Alright Boop! Quit rubbing it in!

 

Darci (in flea INFESTED NC)

[Little Bo Boop]

Alright Boop! Quit rubbing it in!

 

Darci (in flea INFESTED NC)

 

 

Sorry ! BUt you'd think I'd be up to my eyeballs in fleas. I'm in the sand (we're talking beach) heat, humidity... a flea paradise no? I'm just glad we don't have any, I HATE them.

[1sheepdoggal]

Awe, Im just a bit sensitive about fleas right now, seeing as one of the little buggars got in my bed last night, and I woke up with over 40 flea bites all over my body! Worst part is, I dont even allow the dogs on my bed! We live in the sand out here too, double whammy of sand fleas and dog fleas.

 

Darci (who is going back to finish shampooing her carpets and flea spraying EVERYTHING)

[PSmitty]

This year has been the worst for fleas in like, ever. Mosquitoes, too. I hate those bastards! But, I digress, back to Comfortis. A friend is using it and said she's happy with the results so far. I'm just nervous about trying something new to the market, though. I'm using Advantage, Frontline did nothing for fleas when I used it.

[Little Bo Boop]

Have any of you tried Beneficial Nematodes? I've never used them, but there are people around here that swear by them. I also have a friend who uses the little pred. wasps to kill flies with, and she says they work great. Here's just a random link, talking about the BN's...see what you think.

 

 

http://www.marchbiological.com/L/beneficial_nematodes.html

[lrayburn]

Thanks for all the input. It sounds like most people haven't used it yet. John has a puppy who was treated with Capstar then Frontline a month ago but still has fleas and the fleas are spreading the rest of the crew (total of six). So we needed something with quick knockdown and that I could use with the Preventix collars. It seems to be working so far - it killed all the live fleas the evening we gave it to them. I didn't have any vomitting or diarrhea which were the potential side effects. I'll let everyone know how it goes down the line. Pip Squeak gets dermatitis from a single flea bite so I'm hoping that the Comfortis will have a reduced amount of contact time before the fleas are killed.

 

Your right Julie, Comfortis does not treat ticks. I have a huge problem with ticks and Ben is a tick magnet so the Preventix collar is a life-saver for us. Since I have to use the collars even with Frontline, I don't find that to be a big drawback. I wouldn't hesistate to recommend the collars though. They aren't cheap (about $15) but they last for three months and I haven't found a tick on Ben when I'm using the collars. And since he's already had Lyme disease once...

 

Thanks again,

Lisa and the (slightly less scratchy) gang

[jrid]

I used Comfortis 1 time back last fall when I all the sudden I had a flea problem. It worked and if it were not sooo expensive I would use it again, but with 6 dogs it is cost prohibitive for me. I am going to put my dogs back on generic version of Program called Profen.

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

Hey! Where do you get generic Program? It looks like I'll be on Program for a while. It's not too bad as I get the big size and split the tabs in two.

 

Darci, you need the three-step program:

 

Treat the dogs - kill adults plus make sure they are on a growth cycle regulator that works

Clean the snot out of everything, vacuum with a flea collar with Nylar in the bag/canister, wash bedclothes and dog beds and throw pillows and everything you can. During the next month, vacuum daily and change everything a couple times a week.

Spray - treat carpets directly with the up-side-down spray (Adams is my favorite), plus every crack in the floor, walls, etc. To get everything else, bomb. Make sure both bomb and spray have IGR. You can use the upside-down spray to treat dog beds that can't be washed, too.

 

The three step program should include a fourth step - patience. It will take three to four weeks for all the nasties to go away, unfortunately. When you have an outbreak every four to five days during that time, you've just got to trust that you are doing the right thing. About once a week go over all the cracks with the Chemicals of Death again. Hold steady. Treat any itchy dogs with daily flea combing and an oatmeal bath - I use straight Aveeno in the bath, no messing with shampoos.

 

This year Gus has been our canary in the coal mine - he surprised us with a major flea allergy. Ben, who normally becomes very ill during flea outbreaks, has just been a little itchy and unhappy. We're on the "patience" part of the three-step program.

 

Don't make the mistake I did, and start getting desperate because I wasn't seeing instant results. I went and got some stuff at Walmart and I'm still paying the price. I may have permanently hyper-sensitized Ted to fleas, argggh.

[jrid]

I just did a quick price check, and if you half the Program tabs it is cheaper to do that than to purchase the Profen. I am changing my plan and will use Program instead.

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

Yes, I was surprised when I figured that out. Six dogs, five of them in the "middle box" range which goes from 12-46 (I think). Cord weighed from 46 to 47 so I would have given him a full tablet, but you know where he is now!

 

Zhi weighs about nine pounds, but I figure for just a few doses, the higher dose won't kill her. She occasionally porks into the 11 pound range anyway. I imagine that for a product that ranges from 12 to 46 pounds it's not hugely dependent on weight for effectiveness or safety.

[jrid]

Rebecca, off topic, but Cord is known as "best dog ever"

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

I'll have to drop Lena a line and let her know he's doing a good job.

[SoloRiver]

For some reason I have lived in flea-infested areas for years and never had a flea problem. My dogs are nominally on Frontline, but I forget to Frontline them for months at a time (well, now that I live where there are hardly any ticks and hardly any Lyme disease) and we still never get fleas. Even in the middle of San Francisco which is apparently Flea Hell (according to the other dog owners at the park) I never saw a single flea. For years in Philadephia, I picked plenty of ticks off the dogs but nary a flea. Are we just lucky?

[Lenajo]

I don't know Melanie - maybe you drank the water here. We haven't had more than an occasional flea in years. And supposably they are uncontrollable in the southeast.

[lrayburn]

It's not too bad as I get the big size and split the tabs in two.

 

Does anyone know if this is safe? Is the Program/Profen manufactured differently than Comfortis? (Comfortis is a pressed tablet.) I asked the vet if I could split the Comfortis and she said no because the product may not be evenly distributed within the tab. I don't know if this is true or just something they say to prevent people from splitting (and not buying as much of the expensive stuff). I always bought the largest Frontline and split it amongst the crew. Comfortis would be a lot more affordable if I split it.

 

Where do you guys get the Profen? I might try that after next month. I can't spend $60/month on the Comfortis - especially on top of the Interceptor and Preventix collars.

 

Thanks again,

Lisa

[Sue R]

I know that Mark has posted previously that splitting tablets is not a good idea for the very reason that Lisa mentions, uneven distribution of the chemical in the tablet. And Mark doesn't have a financial stake in anyone buying fewer or more tablets.

 

I have had flea issues this year for the first time in over ten years. I think it's partly due to the mild winter we experienced last year and also some Frontline resistence in fleas. We had a problem over ten years ago. Children's dogs brought fleas into our home. One child had a bad infestation in her home to the point that we kept some of her animals here and she had to bomb and leave her home temporarily.

 

I can't tell you just how much money I wasted on pet store remedies but it was over $200. Then I found a vet that would sell me Advantage without my having to bring in all seven affected animals (dogs, cats, and rabbits) at $30 each for the office visit alone. I brought the Advantage home and - bingo - no fleas in no time at all.

 

Sometime later, I switched to Frontline Plus as my new vets sold that and because I'd understood that Advantage-resistance was happening (if not here, then further South in real flea territory). We would go down to NC to visit relatives, I would take dogs to VA, and so on - no problems. Until this year. The relatives had Frontline-resistant fleas (which we were not aware of before going) and we had a resident flea population here. Frontline Plus was not doing the job, even applied more frequently. It would seem to knock them back for a day or two, and then you couldn't tell it had been used.

 

Finally, in desperation, I got Advantage (which I was using on the rabbit, because you can't use Frontline on rabbits) for the cats and dogs and, thank goodness, it did the job. Within the first few days, I found a couple of dead and dying fleas on one dog and, since then, one live flea and greatly reduced itching. After all, they have to bite in order to get a fatal dose.

 

Which leads me to wonder - should you rotate flea control meds monthly, every few months, yearly, whatever, to avoid resistance?

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

I wouldn't do this with something like Interceptor where my dog's life/health depended on the effectiveness of the med, but the Program has a huge spread between weights intended for the tabs and the worst that will happen is I'll end up chucking good money after bad. It seems to work just fine though. At the moment what I am seeing is a live flea outbreak every week or so and then they'll be gone, and fewer will show up the next round. Last time I did this they all went away in a month.

[Sue R]

Ah! Based on that and your success, then maybe this is a safe and effective way to reduce cost while controlling fleas. That's a good idea to share with the rest of us. Thanks, Becca!

[jrid]

Lisa,

Profen can be purchased from the Pets Megastore in Australia. They have a toll free # and the shipping is usually free. I used to get my Interceptor from them until Novartis would no longer let them sell it to Americans.