Hello everyone! Since I am leaving to hong kong for six weeks next month, I am giving my sheltie back to my breeder to take care of him while I'm gone. But the thing is she lives on a hill, so I am really worried about the fleas and ticks at her area. I know that Advantix is for sure stronger but I heard it loses its effectiveness after the third week, so I might have to ask her to put it on him every three weeks. And I also heard that Frontline Plus doesn't work as well as Advantix. So can I get some opinions on which one I should put on him while he's at my breeder's place? Thank you! :]
question!
- Thread starter jimmy
- Start date
tofu pup
Moderator
I've never heard of topography affecting flea/tick populations...
Be honest with your breeder. Ask her upfront if she has a flea problem - some households do, and some don't. If she doesn't then you don't really have to worry about fleas. (We've had between two and eight Shelties living at my family's house for the past twenty years, and have never, ever - knock on wood! - had fleas. Incidentally, the house is on a hill.) Ask her about ticks, too - is Lyme and other tick-borne disease a big issue where she lives? Does she get a lot of ticks at home? Would she recommend that you apply a tick-preventative to your dog before he visits? If ticks aren't really an issue, then don't worry about them. They're kind of gross, but if your breeder is doing nightly tick-checks and plucking them off, and tick-borne disease isn't a big issue in her area, you dog will be fine.
If fleas and tick-borne disease are an issue - I've heard good things about Frontline Plus. But please don't rush to medicate; it might not be necessary.
(By the way, I think it's wonderful that your breeder is taking care of your pup while you're away! I think your dog will have a great time.
)
Be honest with your breeder. Ask her upfront if she has a flea problem - some households do, and some don't. If she doesn't then you don't really have to worry about fleas. (We've had between two and eight Shelties living at my family's house for the past twenty years, and have never, ever - knock on wood! - had fleas. Incidentally, the house is on a hill.) Ask her about ticks, too - is Lyme and other tick-borne disease a big issue where she lives? Does she get a lot of ticks at home? Would she recommend that you apply a tick-preventative to your dog before he visits? If ticks aren't really an issue, then don't worry about them. They're kind of gross, but if your breeder is doing nightly tick-checks and plucking them off, and tick-borne disease isn't a big issue in her area, you dog will be fine.
If fleas and tick-borne disease are an issue - I've heard good things about Frontline Plus. But please don't rush to medicate; it might not be necessary.
(By the way, I think it's wonderful that your breeder is taking care of your pup while you're away! I think your dog will have a great time.
)
tofu pup
Moderator
Perfect - it's good that she's up-front with you about the issue. Hopefully someone else can chime in as to Frontline vs. Advantix, because I'm not sure which would work better, either.
Mally's Mom
Forums Enthusiast
Frontline Plus is the only flea and tick treatment that works for our Mally. We have tried other brands prior.
ClantyreSheltie
Forums Sage
It depends on where you live. Advantix is highly toxic, even on the scale of topical pesticides. Giving it every three weeks makes me shudder. It would be safer to just bathe the dog when you get her back to get rid of any fleas, and maybe use a tick collar for ticks.
Caro
Moderator
I use Frontline Plus for ticks - every 2 weeks. I dont have ticks where I am but nearer the coast paralysis ticks are rife and we often go to those areas for comps. I also have a wash that I spray onto their coats before a comp - not malathion (altho I know a lot of people who use it) but something a little milder. If you use more than one preventative you have to make sure they dont have the same active ingredient). I did buy tick collars but they need to sit close to their skin so the active ingredient can sink into their skin so its not that effective for a sheltie.
We have had one of our flyball team dogs come back from a comp with paralysis tick and was really, really sick. However her owner didnt give her frontline before hand (and he's a vet!), so we are all super careful and all the dogs must be given something before they are allowed to compete at the coast. None of the flyball dogs treated with Frontline have ever had a problem.
We have had one of our flyball team dogs come back from a comp with paralysis tick and was really, really sick. However her owner didnt give her frontline before hand (and he's a vet!), so we are all super careful and all the dogs must be given something before they are allowed to compete at the coast. None of the flyball dogs treated with Frontline have ever had a problem.
thanks ! but wouldn't every two weeks too much for a dog? i thought it was once a month?