# Flea And Tick Prevention



## Chico's Mum (Sep 9, 2008)

Hi guys, I've been looking for the best Flea And tick prevention. 
And found that 4 of the above is used the most for there pet. And wanted to know witch one do you use and way? 

And if there are better than those. If you can post the name here and way.


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## Dixie's mom (Jan 3, 2007)

I use the Promeris on dixie and its great !


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## *Chloe* (Feb 6, 2006)

I use Advocate its a flea/heartworm prevantative altho u can buy it online you need a vets prescription


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## Chico's Mum (Sep 9, 2008)

I will ask my vet about it next week when I go there. 

It well get really hot here. And I don't want to buy and than not use it. Thats why I want to first get more info before getting any.


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## appleblossom (Mar 10, 2005)

I dont use monthly flea stuff I keep my yard treated & Jon Paul Pet flea shampoo if needed. Ive never had any flea issues.


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## Mom of 4 Chi's (Apr 3, 2009)

I have used Revolution for over 3 years now, and have never had any problems.


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## chichilady (Dec 20, 2007)

Revolution is what I use for Dixie and Angel. I have never had a problem. Do most peopel with chics worry ab out heart worms.
chichilady


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## Dixie's mom (Jan 3, 2007)

I think most people with any kind of breed of dog has to be careful of the heartworms , can strike them in any breed ! Make sure give them Heartguard or something like that monthly!


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## Chico's Mum (Sep 9, 2008)

Chico does not have any flea or ticks. But I rather have it now and use it than not using it and he get bit.


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## Yoshismom (Jul 6, 2005)

I dont think that Capstar is really considered a flea preventitive? It basically is taken when they have fleas so it will kill them quickly but I am thinking usually when it is more like a infestation. I dont think it is something to give them regularly?


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## Chico's Mum (Sep 9, 2008)

thank you I didn't know that. 
so what do you use?


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## huskyluv (Oct 24, 2008)

I use K9 Advantix which prevents fleas, ticks AND mosquitoes on both of mine and I've never had a problem with either.

Before we got her, Faith was on Revolution and she still managed to get fleas. My vet does not recommend Revolution due to the number of dogs that still get heartworm even though they are on Revolution b/c as she was telling me if all of it does not get absorbed into the skin they will not be fully protected (like if a portion stays on their fur and doesn't get absorbed). That combined with my girl getting fleas on Revolution has made up my mind to stay away from it.


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## harveychi (Feb 26, 2009)

what the hell os heartworm ive never heard of it!!???
i use frontline which is good although there has been problems with it not killing the eggs effectively so you have to use it more than it recommends on the packet, and its blimmin expensive too!


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## huskyluv (Oct 24, 2008)

harveychi said:


> what the hell os heartworm ive never heard of it!!???


I took this quote from someone who posted it so well in another forum:

_"Heartworm disease (Dirofilaria immitis) is the most dangerous parasite that occurs in dogs worldwide. It occasionally occurs in cats, ferrets and man - all of which are considerably more resistant to the parasite than dogs.

Heartworms are transferred from animal to animal through the bite of an infected mosquito. Initially, the disease appeared to be confined to temperate, moist regions of the world, but through the years it has spread to areas where it was previously absent. The extent of the disease depends on a number of factors: the age of the pet, the number of mature worms present in the heart and great blood vessels, the specific area where the worm(s) are present, the sex of the worm(s) (male worms are much smaller than female worms), the extent of reaction of the pet to the presence of the worms and how long the worms have been present. Ambient temperature is also very important. Even an infected mosquito cannot spread the disease unless the average daily air temperature is above 57°F (13.9°C). The peak months for transmission of heartworms are July, August and September. Despite this data, it is still commonly recommended that dogs, cats and ferrets receive monthly heartworm preventative medicine until the first frost of the year. The drug ivomectin is sufficiently mild and will do no harm.

There are two ways this disease can be diagnosed. A crude, older method relied on finding the immature larva of these worms (microfilaria) in the pet's blood. This was called a 'difil' test, and relied on passing a blood sample through a porous filter. When the larval parasites were present, the test was accurate. However, approximately twenty to forty percent of dogs with heartworms did not have microfilaria. And those that occasionally received ivomectin were uniformly negative for microfilaria. It also took approximately 7 months after a dog was bitten by an infected mosquito for the microfilaria to appear in the blood. In the 1980's, an extremely accurate diagnostic test was developed that could identify as few as two to six adult female worms in the heart. This test is called and occult heartworm test or ELISA test (Enzyme Linked Immunoassay, Snap Test by IDEXX Labs). The ELISA test is accurate six and a half months after the bite of an infected mosquito if several female worms were deposited.

The diagnosis of heartworm disease in cats and ferrets is more difficult. In these species, microfilaria rarely persist more than a few days in the blood and the number of adult heartworms in the heart is usually less than five - too few to make the ELISA test accurate. In these animals we must rely on the later clinical signs of heart failure and lung obstruction or on visualizing the parasites using ultrasound. An additional complication in cats and ferrets is that treatment is much more risky than in dogs.

The heartworm preventative which has proven most effective is 'ivermectin'. There are a number of other monthly or every six-month preventatives on the market, but none has proven as effective as ivermectin. Ivermectin also has the important advantage of 'reaching back' and killing migrating microfilaria even if a few months of medication were missed. It is also the only product that has also been found to kill adult parasites within the heart over a one-year period. Puppies should be placed on one of these preventatives as soon as they are weaned. Cats are less susceptible to heartworms, but if they do get them, it is often fatal. That is why 'Merck' markets an ivermectin product for cats.

At one time, diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC, Filaribits, etc.) were given daily as a heartworm preventative. If days were skipped, the dog could develop heartworms and circulating microfilaria. If that dog was then given D.E.C., ivermectin or another newer heartworm preventative, a systemic reaction could occur when all the larval heartworms were suddenly killed. That was the rational for testing all dogs before placing them on D.E.C. This is not required before placing dogs on the newer products. In fact, Ivermectin is the chief medicine used to treat and eliminate heartworm larva from the blood. There is also little scientific rational for testing dogs yearly that have received ivermectin on a regular monthly basis. I know of no dogs that received ivermectin every 60 days that ever developed heartworms.

*At this moment HEARTWORM is NOT found in the UK although it is found in other parts of europe*"_


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## Jesslan (Jul 18, 2008)

I use Frontline Plus for both Jaelyn and the kitties.


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## harveychi (Feb 26, 2009)

eurgh sounds nasty luckily i live where mosquitos do not! 
thanx for that info


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## Chico's Mum (Sep 9, 2008)

There are a lot to think about what to buy now. If I thought I was confused before. lol


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## huskyluv (Oct 24, 2008)

Perhaps seeing exactly what each does for comparison might help.

Frontline - kills fleas, ticks and lice
Frontline Plus - kills fleas, flea eggs, ticks and lice
Advantage - kills fleas
Advantix - kills fleas, ticks and mosquitoes
Capstar - kills fleas (*Note: this is given AFTER the animal already has fleas)
Revolution - kills fleas, flea eggs, ticks, heartworm, ear mites and controls sarcoptic mange (*Note: Revolution only controls intestinal worms in the FELINE formula NOT the canine formula)

Well, I hope that helps somewhat.


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## Chico's Mum (Sep 9, 2008)

Thank you that does help. thank you so much
Frontline Plus. Seems premising. What do you guys think of it?


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## Anonandpoe (Jun 21, 2020)

Capstar kills what is on the dog for that day. The downside is the fleas must bite the dog for it to work. It doesn't repel. At the vet clinic I work at, we use the capstar if a dog or cat comes in with fleas.


Yoshismom said:


> I dont think that Capstar is really considered a flea preventitive? It basically is taken when they have fleas so it will kill them quickly but I am thinking usually when it is more like a infestation. I dont think it is something to give them regularly?


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