fleas & dogs

[Rin]

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I didn't believe they existed either but my Farrah is severely submissive with her food. If I'm there she wont eat, if I leave she wont eat, if I leave it there for hours eventually she'll steal a bite and run away to hide somewhere and eat it. I've tried having specific "down" times for her food dish but then she wont eat her food at all and just scavenges - like; gets into the garbage, tries to eat poop when I walk her, tries to lick any spilled mess when I leave to get a mop. I have /no/ idea how I've kept her alive this long tbh.

But, she's a flea fiend. They LOVE her. So garlic or bust. None of the flea treatments the vet gave worked for her and they wouldn't prescribe comfortis for her either. BUT, garlic helped a ton. Fleas and food issues

 

[Wolfwoman]

Interesting, what breed of dog is she? Have you tried hiding her food so she thinks she is 'finding' it?

 

[Akane]

Really it's a matter of opinion but I've found chemicals are far more effective and at the proper dose no more dangerous than guessing at the amount of garlic to feed or herbals to apply. Applying once a month is also less work than getting some dogs to eat something daily. One of my dogs won't even eat the flavored heartworm meds despite mixing it in with things. I have to break it apart and shove it down her throat. This year we started revolution instead. It has a slightly higher side effect rating than frontline or advantage but it treats mites, lice, fleas, ticks, heartworm, and a few other parasites all in one dose applied to the skin. In the end the cost and potential side effects are no greater than if you were using multiple meds and supplements together to treat each problem seperately. You also don't have to apply meds monthly. That's just the standard found to be effective in most cases and it's easier to remember applying something at the same time every month. We often only dose every 6weeks and only during half the year since the other half it can be subzero temps outside. In contrast we had one dog that needed frontline every 2-3weeks spring to fall and every month all winter to avoid severe flea allergies where he would eventually start tearing holes in his sides.

Garlic is bad because along with other members of the onion family it destroys the red blood cells of some animals that cannot fully digest it. Over a period of time or fed a large amount at once it will stress the body and if the destruction of red blood cells is greater than the ability to produce more they will end up with hemolytic anemia. Odds are they won't reach the point of showing symptoms but the problem is most of the low level symptoms are not something you'd notice. Your dog can't tell you when he's feeling fatigue or out of breath sooner and most probably don't pay enough attention when their dog pees to see if the urine color has changed. An exact quantity for overdose has also not been established so it's somewhat hard to judge exactly how harmful garlic is to your particular animal without doing a cbc regularly. There could also be exceptions such as several herding breeds can't tolerate ivermectin while in most dogs and other animals it takes a lot to overdose. Some dogs can eat entire chocolate bars and be fine while others can eat a sliver and end up with diarhea and vomiting the rest of the day. It's suggested that animals with other conditions causing anemia or scheduled for surgery should not be fed any amount of onion or garlic just in case.

 

[wolftracks]

I've been using grlic for dogs for over 40 yrs. My mom used it for hers, my grandmother used it for hers and my great grandmother used it for hers. They all lived! Most people I ever met while showing used it.

After spending thousands to find the best flea killer for bathing.............Avon Skin So Soft ALWAYS works and safe for dogs, horses..etc.

For the almost 40 yrs I was a trainer I would suggest both to owners and they both work and NO medical problems from the garlic.

Want another all time remedy that has ALWAYS worked? People think I'm nuts, but it's never failed me and it's an ooooooooooooold home remedy.

Hot spots, bald spots.......................Murphy's Oil Soap! Bathe them once and rinse with a mild Murphy's in water. Leave on. Two weeks later do it again. Even if the hair is back by then do it a second time.

 

[Wolfwoman]

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I'll let my very healthy, 15yo lab know that when I meet him in heaven.

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I do watch their pee and I can tell, I pay attention to what their bodies tell me.

It's part of having critters to do this.


Wolftracks: I'll remember the Murphy's next spring!! LOL

 

[gritsar]

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OT some more, but this is a prime example of a fussy eater:

Won't eat for anyone but my DH and then only if DH encourages him the whole time.

 

[wolftracks]

Pretty boy.

Had one of those picky eaters stay with me for 3 weeks. Had to feed him out of my hand or he wouldn't eat.

 

[OccamsTazer]

Imo, Comfortis is the best thing on the market right now. It also stays effective for awhile longer than a month, so you can stretch the dosing to every five or six weeks to save cash.
I worked as a vet tech in college, and I noticed a few years ago more and more clients complaining that Frontline no longer worked all that well.

We use Burt's Bee's herbal insect repellent on ourselves and it's great. Lately, I've been rubbing it on the dogs before a hike and it seems to really cut down on the number of ticks they pick up.

 

[sgtmom52]

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OT some more, but this is a prime example of a fussy eater:


https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/4810_pics_of_boys_007.jpg

Won't eat for anyone but my DH and then only if DH encourages him the whole time.

Here is another fussy eater for you! Must be something with those GSD males. Chance almost never eats for DH, but usually will for me, but I have to stand by him the entire time or he stops eating.

We use Frontline Plus on all our dogs and cats. We never have flea or tick problems and we live in a heavily wooded area.

 

[pbjmaker]

As far as meds go, I am a comfortis person. Frontline/Frontline plus no longer works in our area. I left my previous vet because the tech told me I must not clean my house good enough and I don't know how to put it on.

Right now I am fighting keeping the fleas of my pregnant dog. She loves her twice a day spa treatment and then I give her a capstar tablet once a week. So far so good, have only found a few on her.