Fleas! Yuk

[bcnewe2]

Is the brand a "smart collar" or??

[beachdogz]

this?

 

http://www.thesmartcollar.com/web/

 

 

This from a site that sells them:

 

The Smart Collar

This innovative collar uses ionic technology to reduce your dog's shedding by promoting healthier circulation and increased blood flow, keeping hair follicles alive longer. Safe, comfortable and environmentally friendly, it's embedded with ion magnetic chips throughout the underpadding. Nylon webbing with contoured quick-release buckle. Colors: Green, Black or Red. Sizes: S (8"-12"), M (12"-16"), L (17"-22"), XL (22"-28"). **** Item #: D13335 Price: $39.95

[maggiesmommy]

Nope, it's this: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=25802&cmpid=01csepg&ref=3475&subref=AA&CA_6C15C=1821201883

The brand is Seresto. Much safer and much more effective than ordinary flea collars. I'm trying not to sound too much like a commercial. XD

[geonni banner]

I used Frontline Plus and Advantix alternately for ten years, never saw a flea. Suddenly they're here. Flea-comb the dog and cat both, twice a day and come up with 2 to 8 each time on the dog and 1 to 4 on the cat. This after applying Diatomaceous Earth to the rugs, floors and bedding of both animals 10 days ago. My upstairs roommate used Bio-spot house spray, but it says on the bottle that it's toxic to cats. SInce I put down the DE the animals don't scratch much at all, but I'm still coming up with fleas twice a day when I comb them. I ordered Advantix 2 for the dog, but can't put it on yet, as she had a Frontline treatment 10 days ago.

 

I read some scary stuff about Bio-spot both the house spray and the topical. So I'm not eager to try it.

 

I too am spoiled with the flea-less years of Advantage and Frontline. My cat doesn't go outside at all any more (we moved from the place with the enclosed cat run), so I know it's the dog bringing them in. Long ago I used to dust both dogs and house with Sevin, but now I have reservations about toxicity - especially for the cat. Any opinions on that?

[rlwzgd]

I've read that Sevin dust is terrible - I think it's a carcinogenic in CA (along with everything else in the world). Have you checked with your vet? We had to switch to Parastar, not sure if the active ingredients in Frontline changed or if a resistance is building...

[Alchemist]

I used Frontline Plus and Advantix alternately for ten years, never saw a flea. Suddenly they're here. Flea-comb the dog and cat both, twice a day and come up with 2 to 8 each time on the dog and 1 to 4 on the cat. This after applying Diatomaceous Earth to the rugs, floors and bedding of both animals 10 days ago. My upstairs roommate used Bio-spot house spray, but it says on the bottle that it's toxic to cats. SInce I put down the DE the animals don't scratch much at all, but I'm still coming up with fleas twice a day when I comb them. I ordered Advantix 2 for the dog, but can't put it on yet, as she had a Frontline treatment 10 days ago.

 

I read some scary stuff about Bio-spot both the house spray and the topical. So I'm not eager to try it.

 

I too am spoiled with the flea-less years of Advantage and Frontline. My cat doesn't go outside at all any more (we moved from the place with the enclosed cat run), so I know it's the dog bringing them in. Long ago I used to dust both dogs and house with Sevin, but now I have reservations about toxicity - especially for the cat. Any opinions on that?

 

I haven't had fleas on a dog in years (touch wood!), since the days when I lived in California. I've been using Sentinel on the dogs (mostly for heartworm control - flea control is an added bonus). I use Frontline on both dogs (mainly for tick control - we live in Tick Central) but it does have some added flea control. I also use a Preventic tick collar on Duncan (but not on Ross; the active ingredient in Preventic is very toxic to cats, and Ross and the cat roughhouse together regularly. I could take the collar off when Ross comes indoors, but I'm still worried about residues on Ross's neck. Am thinking of changing to the Seresto collars for both dogs because (1) it's not supposed to be toxic to cats and (2) it doesn't have the problem the Preventic collar has if the dogs get wet (they both love to swim). But perhaps a collar is overkill for Sugarfoot if you're only worried about fleas? Lyme disease (among other tick-borne diseases) is SO bad where we live that a full-blown chemical arsenal (much as I hate to use it) is really for the better - I've known far too many dogs (and humans!) with lingering problems from Lyme.

 

Anyway, this article describes some alternatives for flea control in pets. Among other things, it says Sevin is for outdoor use. I would worry about using it indoors - it's viewed as a possible human carcinogen. I'd probably talk to my vet if I had an issue with fleas - they'd know what products are working well locally (vs which ones are useless as fleas seem to have built up a tolerance). (Sevin is also, incidentally, the product responsible for the Bhopal disaster - not that this is of direct relevance, as it was a precursor, methyl isocyanate, that leaked and caused the deaths, not Sevin itself).

[Tommy Coyote]

I am using Trifexis. 3 dogs that play outside in the grass a lot and no fleas.

 

It's also good for heartworm, stomach parasites - the usual.

[gcv-border]

Am thinking of changing to the Seresto collars for both dogs because (1) it's not supposed to be toxic to cats and (2) it doesn't have the problem the Preventic collar has if the dogs get wet (they both love to swim). But perhaps a collar is overkill for Sugarfoot if you're only worried about fleas? Lyme disease (among other tick-borne diseases) is SO bad where we live that a full-blown chemical arsenal (much as I hate to use it) is really for the better - I've known far too many dogs (and humans!) with lingering problems from Lyme.

I have tried the Seresto collar and am not so happy - may not go back to it. I am referring to tick control so this is a bit off topic. For the first 14-21 days I was pulling live ticks (both new and extremely engorged) off my dog. I also found several engorged ticks on the floor. YEee-uckk! [i do not examine my dog for ticks daily because I expect the product to work.] Then, about 5-6 weeks after very carefully (according to directions) putting on the collar, the fri**ing collar falls off. Now I have to figure out how to put it back on since they couldn't make the fastening system easy and use a simple 'slip buckle' similar to those used on the Preventic collars. If the collar gets wet a lot. plan on replacing the Seresto collar at least one month earlier.

 

Jovi

[GentleLake]

Thanks for that review of the Seresto collar, Jovi. My vet recommended it to me this year, as I've had a huge tick problem in my yard in the past and one of my dogs ended up with Lyme Disease at her spring check up. It would have been a pretty expensive flub for 3 dogs if it hadn't worked.

 

Fortunately, for some reason my usually tick infested yard doesn't seem to have produced any this year. Go figure. Not that I'm complaining . . .

 

I've used the Preventic collar in the past, but the slip buckle was so tight I had to use pliers to get them on the dogs and there was no way I could remove it for the one that swims, and who is also a therapy dog that I don't want wearing a tick collar when he visits nursing homes. His I had to leave loose enough that I could slip it over his head.

[Alchemist]

I spent some of time today reading Amazon reviews today for the Seresto collar. (I'm really only interested in tick control). I did notice a lot of people who initially gave it poor reviews who changed their minds - said after an initial "break-in" time it worked remarkably well for tick control.

 

Not an expert in pharmacokinetics, but don't most topical tick products/collars function by having the active ingredient absorbed through the skin and then distributed through the bloodstream? If I'm correct, then any tick control product that you only use part time (because you have to take it off when dogs are swimming or wet, or you're concerned about their playing with the cat so want it off whenever they're indoors) will only lead to an accumulation of the active ingredient to a fraction of the desired level within the dog. That could easily mean (1): ticks aren't getting the dose needed to kill them; (2) ticks getting a sublethal dose are encountering selective pressure that enhances their development of resistance to the active ingredient. Neither one of these is good news.

 

Having two dogs who swim, and who also play with the cat - I'm giving the Seresto product careful consideration. But I think I'd like to start to use it a good month *before* tick season begins for the year. What I'd love to know is whether I can use Frontline as well as the Seresto collar, at least during early phases. The simple fact of different active ingredients doesn't convince me it's OK (a lot depends on whether the active ingredients are metabolized by the same enzyme system - if so, one active ingredient could serve as a competitive inhibitor of the metabolism of the other, leading levels of the other to accumulate to levels potentially harmful). I've asked a couple of vets but so far haven't gotten an answer.

 

If it worked, and I could keep my dogs free of ticks, while allowing them to swim and play with the cat - heck, I wouldn't mind if it only lasted seven months instead of the advertised eight!

 

Those of you who are lucky enough that you don't live in Tick Country - count yourselves fortunate!

[gcv-border]

I am going from memory, but I thought that the Seresto collar was supposed to start 'working' in about 48 hours. I had previously used the Scalibor collar - which seemed to work for my 2 dogs from Nov,'12 through March,'13. (Yes, I have to use year-round tick control as some years we may see ticks even in the winter.) Again, from memory, the literature indicated that the Scalibor collar required a 2 week? period before the protection was full strength. The more rapid protection was one reason why I wanted to use the Seresto collar. Plus I had read the good reviews. I have an agility friend with Flat Coats that ran into the same problem I did - several weeks of finding ticks (live and engorged) on her dogs. I haven't checked back with her to find out if the Seresto collar finally started working after a few weeks. Maybe it just takes longer to be effective than reported.

 

Regarding the collar fit: These flea/tick collars(Preventic, Scalibor & Seresto) work best when fairly tight on the neck since they have to make skin contact for the chemical to migrate over the body. I know that some sites recommended cutting away the skin in the neck area where the collar will fit (for long-haired dogs).

 

I was happy with the Scalibor collars (because I didn't see any ticks on my dogs), but when I put the 2nd collar on each dog, one dog was free of ticks and my BC had ticks all over him. Defective collar. I called KV Vet (where I bought it), and they replaced it. (I did send the defective collar back to them.) Anyway, I thought that I would use the Seresto collar instead of the Scalibor (which I was waiting for) on Torque - and one reason was the fact that it was supposed to start working faster. Since he had been without protection for a few weeks, I wanted to get him protected ASAP. Hmmm, didn't work out.

 

That is my experience. It just leaves me up in the air about what product(s) I am going to use in the future. I am still trying to figure out how to re-loop the Seresto collar to put it back on Torque.

 

Jovi

[gcv-border]

I know that some sites recommended cutting away the skin in the neck area where the collar will fit (for long-haired dogs).

 

 

 

 

Jovi

Ooops, I meant to say ... cutting away the HAIR in the neck area .....

 

Jovi