# Monthly Flea and Worm treatment



## johndowson (Feb 5, 2011)

I would like to let everyone know of our experience with the spot-on flea treatment, and maybe someone could pass on their thoughts which could help me and others. I have a 15 month old Blue Merle Collie. We started using Advocat treatment and then Frontline. It took a long time to work out a pattern, but we realised that within two days of applying the spoy-on our collie became very lethargic, she only passed green "slime" , no proper solids. She stopped eating for 5-6 days and of course lost weight.Took her to vet who detected a high temperature and of course assumed it was an infection.This meant anti-biotics,other meds for tummy infection, stool lab tests etc. After 5 days back to normal again. this happened every month following spot-on. One time she became ill but we never took her to vet, would you believe within 5 days ok again,so the cost of trip to vets on several occassions was a waste as illness was not infection but result of spot-on. Funny enough when reading the adverse reactions on the leaflets it states. " this medication has been tested on 40 breeds of cats, 100 breeds of dogs including "collies" .WHY MENTION COLLIES? are they different?
We have now been told by vet to try "Stronghold" another treatment!. I gave her the treatment today, keeping fingers crossed. Anyone had similar problems?

John


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## Val001 (Aug 25, 2010)

I use the Frontline spray on my two which are thought to be pointer collie crosses. No problems at all.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

johndowson said:


> I would like to let everyone know of our experience with the spot-on flea treatment, and maybe someone could pass on their thoughts which could help me and others. I have a 15 month old Blue Merle Collie. We started using Advocat treatment and then Frontline. It took a long time to work out a pattern, but we realised that within two days of applying the spoy-on our collie became very lethargic, she only passed green "slime" , no proper solids. She stopped eating for 5-6 days and of course lost weight.Took her to vet who detected a high temperature and of course assumed it was an infection.This meant anti-biotics,other meds for tummy infection, stool lab tests etc. After 5 days back to normal again. this happened every month following spot-on. One time she became ill but we never took her to vet, would you believe within 5 days ok again,so the cost of trip to vets on several occassions was a waste as illness was not infection but result of spot-on. Funny enough when reading the adverse reactions on the leaflets it states. " this medication has been tested on 40 breeds of cats, 100 breeds of dogs including "collies" .WHY MENTION COLLIES? are they different?
> We have now been told by vet to try "Stronghold" another treatment!. I gave her the treatment today, keeping fingers crossed. Anyone had similar problems?
> 
> John


I know there is specific chemicals that you cant use on collies that they seem to have adverse reaction too. With Advocate I think Im right in saying is not only a flea treatment but a wormer too.My friend has a collie amongst other breeds and I think she said (going from memory so cant swear to it) Ivermectin is one of them. Like people some dogs will react to things and have allergys others wont. Stronghold is a pretty strong one too, but obviously the flea and wormer chemicals in it must be different to the Advocate. Personally I dont use flea treatment. (Unless of course they pick up fleas or other fur/skin parasites) I found I had a problem years ago when I had a cat, who because he went out and brought them in and the dogs could pick them up, then I used to do it routinely. Since I dont have a cat anymore, I dont seem to have a problem. I groom them regularly and check them regularly and dont see any sign of itching or scratching. So never do it just routine. It is my personal choice though same as anyone who uses continous monthly routine treatments is theirs. Its just my personal preference as I dont believe in bombarding my dogs with chemicals that could be harmful in the long run, just for the sake of it and on the off chance.


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## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

Using the combined flea and wormer monthly seems a bit much. An adult dog should only need worming every 3 months and the flea treatment lasts longer than a month as far as I can remember. I would cut down a bit and reduce the risk of your dog getting ill.


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## Cockerpoo lover (Oct 15, 2009)

Maybe you could try the natural remedies out there.

I know people who give their dogs garlic to prevent fleas and have success with it but have never tried this myself.


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## Maiisiku (Feb 20, 2009)

Yuri never gets fleas even if the cats did. I just used frontline combo every 6 weeks and drontol every 3 months. No problems at all with him and he's half border collie.


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## SEVEN_PETS (Aug 11, 2009)

I use Advocate monthly with Ollie with no problems.


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## OllieBob (Nov 28, 2010)

My border collie has Advocate and is fine on it. I must admit I use it for 9 months of the year and then stop over the winter when fleas are hibernating. 
Invermectin can't be given to rough collies and sometimes shelties react to it but borders are normally ok.


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## Maiisiku (Feb 20, 2009)

OllieBob said:


> My border collie has Advocate and is fine on it. I must admit I use it for 9 months of the year and then stop over the winter when fleas are hibernating.
> Invermectin can't be given to rough collies and sometimes shelties react to it but borders are normally ok.


Wish I lived where you do! We just flea bombed the place because the cat was picking them up even though he was an indoor cat and he was on advocate too.


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## Amethyst (Jun 16, 2010)

I can't remember the last time I used flea drops on my dogs, regardless of the horror stories of flea infetations etc. never had a problem and now would only treat if I saw a flea ... which will shock some 

I hate all the chemicals around animals, and us!


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## Maiisiku (Feb 20, 2009)

Amethyst said:


> I can't remember the last time I used flea drops on my dogs, regardless of the horror stories of flea infetations etc. never had a problem and now would only treat if I saw a flea ... which will shock some
> 
> I hate all the chemicals around animals, and us!


I completely know how you feel! Sadly there is a huge flea problem in the area which I live and until I move into a more rural place in august I have to treat weekly or they WILL get fleas. Every person I know locally in my street and surounding has the same issues.


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## Amethyst (Jun 16, 2010)

Maiisiku said:


> I completely know how you feel! Sadly there is a huge flea problem in the area which I live and until I move into a more rural place in august I have to treat weekly or they WILL get fleas. Every person I know locally in my street and surounding has the same issues.


It's hard doing what is best sometimes


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## LostGirl (Jan 16, 2009)

We don't use flea treatment either unless we see a flea on either the dogs or the cat and we don't worm every 3 months either more like every 6 months unless they show signs


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## hairydog (Feb 15, 2009)

I worm my dogs every 6mnths too, and only use Frontline when or if they have fleas!


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

One of my collies has an adverse reaction to Frontline/Spot On so I give her garlic tablets (which is a natural wormer and tick treatment).

I only treat my collies through the summer months (April to end of September) and even then I don't treat them every month.


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## OllieBob (Nov 28, 2010)

Maiisiku said:


> Wish I lived where you do! We just flea bombed the place because the cat was picking them up even though he was an indoor cat and he was on advocate too.


We have a huge flea problem here, I found that out a few years ago when I moved here. No one bothers to de-flea their dogs or worm them either, a total nightmare. Not to mention the fox population with their 'pets'. I routinely do the house 2-3 times a year with a long lasting treatment that kills the larvae, then we go out for several hours to let it work and for the chemicals to settle. I also do the dogs as I can guarantee they bring in a few 'pets' once the weather starts to warm up and the beggars start to bite again. If I don't do both then even I get bitten by the damn things.


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## lesleyjoan (Feb 9, 2011)

cant beat the four seasons natural wormer. Use it myself. Am really into the natural eco friendly stuff. Worth a try.

https://www.wikaniko.com/wexec/order.exe/list?s_cat=31&page=1


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## johndowson (Feb 5, 2011)

Oh well! Used the Stronghold Wednesday pm, as with the Frontline and Advocate two days passed well. Saturday afternoon Sky my collie stopped eating, Sat evening passed a few loose stool "Slime", greeny coloured. No where near as ill and lethargic as other times but not her normal self. Its now Sunday still passing "slime". Only eaten a finger of toast since Fri. night but now wants to go for a walk, so all in all a bit better.I have been reading up on the side effects of ingredients in spot-ons, some owners have had fatal results. I think I may now try and rely on loads of grooming for the flea problems, I feel so sorry for her looking so ill.
John


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## OllieBob (Nov 28, 2010)

Is she licking it off her coat? It can cause toxicity problems if ingested. It does say in the pamphlets not to allow the dog to lick it off.


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## kimdelyse (Sep 6, 2010)

Cockerpoo lover said:


> Maybe you could try the natural remedies out there.
> 
> I know people who give their dogs garlic to prevent fleas and have success with it but have never tried this myself.


Mum gives the Beagles garlic and brewers yeast capsules...swears by it.


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## Old Shep (Oct 17, 2010)

I always use 100% chemical wormer and flea and tick treatemnt as intervals recommended by the manufacturer. I buy them at the vet.

Just an amusing anecdote, though.

I go on holiday each year with a bunch of dog mad friends and our canine partners. We stay at self catering accommodation in various rural parts of the country.
One of my friends makes up a home brew to spray her dogs with, to prevent ticks (she uses tee tree oil mixed with a few other things). The rest of us use Advanix, or something similar.

Guess who's dogs were covered in ticks by the end of the holiday? :lol:


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## Cornholio (Nov 22, 2010)

Good thread, our BC pup is almost 6 months, we live rurally in Scotland so will have a major problem with ticks rather than fleas(my other half thinks fleas will be not an issue whatsoever as we have no cats and being rural it's much less of a problem than urban areas). The house is in a forest clearing and we have the Cairngorms for a garden so ticks will be a nightmare(forest litter+heather). I'd rather not douse the dog in toxic chemicals but on the other hand don't want to be doing daily checks for ticks 9 months of the year, with the risk of them being brought into the house too, so the Frontline the vet advises(do they get comission for "pushing" the companies drugs?!) may be the only viable solution?


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## genna ann (Dec 8, 2008)

a lot of these treatment use mectins , ivermectin, selamectin etc and collies are very sensitive to them, if fact pure ivermectin can kill collies. having said that i use advocate on my lot with no real side effects.

only use advocate if u havent used other anti-parasitics

Stronghold is no safer than advocate, if u have had a reaction to one but not the other it wasnt due to the drug in the antiparasitic

genna xxxx


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## Milliepoochie (Feb 13, 2011)

I have never hd an issue of said reactions but i do not flea / worm monthly, maybe try seeing if you can cut down a little?

Generally in winter fleas shouldnt be a prominant.

We tend to worm / flea every 4-5 months. Never had a problem with either and our girl is out with other dogs every day in the summer. I guess it depends on whether fleas seem prominant where you are and the other animals in the house.

I would definately look into an alternative brand though which doesnt require treatment as often.


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## Old Shep (Oct 17, 2010)

Cornholio said:


> Good thread, our BC pup is almost 6 months, we live rurally in Scotland so will have a major problem with ticks rather than fleas(my other half thinks fleas will be not an issue whatsoever as we have no cats and being rural it's much less of a problem than urban areas). The house is in a forest clearing and we have the Cairngorms for a garden so ticks will be a nightmare(forest litter+heather). I'd rather not douse the dog in toxic chemicals but on the other hand don't want to be doing daily checks for ticks 9 months of the year, with the risk of them being brought into the house too, so the Frontline the vet advises(do they get comission for "pushing" the companies drugs?!) may be the only viable solution?


I don't think fleas are host specific and they can live on any mammal (although they are different species)

Can anyone tell me if this is correct or not?


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Old Shep said:


> I don't think fleas are host specific and they can live on any mammal (although they are different species)
> 
> Can anyone tell me if this is correct or not?


As far as I know fleas only jump on the animal to feed, they lay their eggs and carry out their life cycle in the home environment. Ive read that most fleas on dogs are not dog fleas but mostly cat. I certainly found way back along when I had a cat, the cat was always the culprit. Animal fleas dont actually get on humans as such, but I have heard of people who have bad infestations getting bitten here and there.


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