The dog is a Miniature Schnauzer and he is 1.5 years old.

Treatments I currently do:

Flea Baths (usually weekly)
Flea/Tick Collar (Brand Name)
Frontline after Haircuts+Bath
Flea Bombed the house

Even with all of this Selby continues to pick up fleas pretty fast in the span of a week. My Dad wants to use a pill that treats heart worm and fleas. This mean a chemical in the pill produces a chemical on the skin that kills fleas/ticks/bugs. Does anyone have any info on this or know anything from experience about this pill? I feel like there must be a downside, but the only major complaint is when dogs take the pill without eating with along the pill they get sick. I am sort of running out of options, but I am kind of cautious about a pill that can do this safely with no long term side effects. Also yes I know this is supposed to be a bad "flea year".

Anyone have any help suggestions on ways to stop fleas on a dog that still gets them with the treatments above.

9/7/2012 1:43:35 PM

9/7/2012 1:45:46 PM

9/7/2012 1:48:00 PM

Yeah, clean your fucking room. Throw out the doritos and cheetos bags, put the lid back on your jelly, clean the dog shit off the floor, and stop letting him roll around in his own sick.

9/7/2012 1:49:57 PM

1. Get Capstar. It's a miracle.
2. Flea bomb the entire house. Make sure you're using the right quantity of bombs, closing off doors, etc.
3. Make sure your dog is completely free of fleas before bringing him back in the house.

[Edited on September 7, 2012 at 1:52 PM. Reason : You can also get flea powder if you have carpets and the eggs are still hatching.]

9/7/2012 1:51:41 PM

Stop washing the front line off.

^ I don't like Capstar, Frontline is better.

[Edited on September 7, 2012 at 1:53 PM. Reason : /]

9/7/2012 1:52:07 PM

I forgot to mention I vacuum and spray the carpet with a flea killer and prevent spray in the entire house.

I have asked vets and the company Frontline it self, they both say you can't wash Frontline off, especially when it is applied how I do according to them. Also when the dog has fleas on him after a week from the Frontline application, it obviously isn't working anyway.

[Edited on September 7, 2012 at 1:56 PM. Reason : wash]

9/7/2012 1:54:32 PM

we're about to do diatomaceous earth since somehow the new kitten picked up fleas and we can't get rid of them

flea baths, daily vacuuming, and DE where the vacuum can't reach will take care of them within a few days to a week

[Edited on September 7, 2012 at 1:55 PM. Reason : filling the entire place with aerosolized poison just doesn't feel healthy. smells like burning]

9/7/2012 1:54:34 PM

Quote :

"Flea Baths (usually weekly)"

it is 100% unnecessary to use "flea treatment" shampoos...fleas will drown/suffocate in the water/soap whether you use "special" shampoo or dishwashing soap...so go ahead and save yourself money there

Quote :

"Flea/Tick Collar (Brand Name)"

these are comparatively ineffective...skip it

Quote :

"Frontline after Haircuts+Bath"

this is likely part of your problem...topical flea treatments are absorbed through the dog's skin into the fat layer beneath...after you've washed a dog (especially if you're doing it vigorously and with a lot of soap), their skin is lacking in the natural oils that are especially helpful in moving that treatment from the skin/fur to the subcutaneous layer where it actually works

you should use something that minimizes the destruction/removal of these oils (ie. not a soap advertised to "cut grease"...something like dr. bronner's castile is what we use)

Quote :

"Flea Bombed the house"

flea eggs are impervious to water and can survive up to 200 days (i think) before hatching...so bombing will only be effective for the adults and larvae, not the eggs

tl;dr: bathe your dog with dr. bronner's, wait 48-72 hours before applying flea treatment, repeat every month

Quote :

"Stop washing the front line off."

once it's absorbed (48-72 hours), you're not going to "wash it off"

[Edited on September 7, 2012 at 1:56 PM. Reason : .]

9/7/2012 1:54:44 PM

of course I use flea treatment shampoos, I use Sentry Flea and Tick Shampoo. I figured that was obvious when I'm talking about fleas and said I give him a bath weekly.

one thing I didn't mention is the dog is an indoor dog that is walked on a leash.

also we tried Frontline at first applying just like anyone does, but we got bad results and we tried it after a haircut and it worked much better.





[Edited on September 7, 2012 at 1:58 PM. Reason : _]

9/7/2012 1:56:57 PM

When I picked up my 4 month old puppy (years ago) from the breeder, she was covered in fleas. My first stop was the vet for that pill. She had no adverse reaction, and the fleas were gone by the end of the day. Of course, you would need to treat the fleas already in your house, and then use Frontline or something afterward.

9/7/2012 1:57:02 PM

Quote :

"of course I use flea treatment shampoos, I use Sentry Flea and Tick Shampoo. I figured that was obvious when I'm talking about fleas and said I give him a bath weekly."

100% waste of money

9/7/2012 1:59:16 PM

Quote :

"fleas will drown/suffocate in the water/soap whether you use "special" shampoo or dishwashing soap"

Yeah, dish soap is great for pets' skin and coat. Great idea, quag.

[Edited on September 7, 2012 at 2:01 PM. Reason : Use Clorox instead of mouth wash]

9/7/2012 2:00:13 PM

^^^No fucking way would I buy a dog from a breeder that was covered in fleas.

[Edited on September 7, 2012 at 2:02 PM. Reason : a]

9/7/2012 2:01:46 PM

Dawn is what's recommended on kittens or puppies too young for regular flea medicines. It effectively kills fleas without harming the pet.

So, it's fine to use on your adult dog as well. But definitely go for the pill.

9/7/2012 2:02:01 PM

^^ It was a special situation.

9/7/2012 2:04:55 PM

I have been battling these little critters for about a month now. My best advice is get the capstar, and clean your house everyday. I have to vacuum everything, including dog beds and furniture, every day and wash my sheets every couple days. Just to make sure there are no new fleas.

Its been a really bad year for fleas. Hopefully this summer is cold and kills all these little shits.

9/7/2012 2:06:13 PM

Quote :

"100% waste of money"

yet you recommend: http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Castile-Liquid-Peppermint-Bronners/dp/B0000533G8/ref=sr_1_1?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1347041099&sr=1-1&keywords=Dr.+Bronner%27s+Dog

Recommend: To simplify & enjoy life more, dilute 1/2 oz. or 2 squirts of this pure castile soap with 2 gallons or sinkful hot water, then towel massage a facial pack, then wring towel out & fingertip massage your hair & scalp. Enjoy the creamy emollient lather on baby, bath, beach, body, dentures, mint deodorant, shaving, mouthwash-silk-wool-pets-diapers-car-hand




[Edited on September 7, 2012 at 2:06 PM. Reason : _]

9/7/2012 2:06:26 PM

Quote :

"1. Get Capstar. It's a miracle."

Capstar really surprised me. Works perfectly.

9/7/2012 2:07:19 PM

I'm going to check out Capstar:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Capstar

I guess picking the correct one is no different than any other

9/7/2012 2:11:29 PM

Quote :

"lea baths, daily vacuuming, and DE where the vacuum can't reach will take care of them within a few days to a week"

This is the formula I used. Taking more than a week to get rid of them though.

9/7/2012 2:15:24 PM

Comfortis is great.

9/7/2012 2:18:00 PM

Quote :

"^ I don't like Capstar, Frontline is better."

These are not similar, comparable products. Capstar is a pill that kills all fleas right then. It does not offer lasting protection. Frontline is a topical solution that lasts for about a month.

Comfortis is great. Only thing that keeps me from using it is price. I've given it to both my dogs several times before though.

[Edited on September 7, 2012 at 3:52 PM. Reason : ]

9/7/2012 3:49:25 PM

Quote :

"These are not similar, comparable products. Capstar is a pill that kills all fleas right then. It does not offer lasting protection. Frontline is a topical solution that lasts for about a month. "

yeah i was about to say the same thing. capstar is for immediately killing all the fleas on a dog. it doesn't prevent them from getting more fleas if they are in your house/outside.

9/7/2012 3:58:29 PM

^,^^ yup

the new thing I'm seeing more of (and hearing good results) is Trifexis. all these things are products you should be getting from your vet.

9/7/2012 4:10:03 PM

Capstar is a miracle drug for adult fleas. I also reccomend it. Be aware of the crazy amount of scratching your dog will do when the pill takes effect. It like messes with the fleas neurons or something, so they frEak out before dying which cause your dog to freak out bc they are moving all over their body before they die. Also your pup may seem depressed, tired and not eat much. Should be back to his normal self in a day.

Also, vacuum your home everyday and put a flea collar in the canister or bag. Dump the dust/hair outside.

I find frontline works well for our dog. I apply it every 28-30 days. The only exception was the flea infested beach house we stayed at this summer. That's when we used Capstar. Amazing stuff.

[Edited on September 7, 2012 at 4:21 PM. Reason : Am]

9/7/2012 4:20:37 PM

i used frontline for years, but it suddenly stopped working about a year or so ago. the vet told me fleas can develop resistances to flea preventatives over time. i had a HUGE flea problem.

I switched my dog over to trifexis, the all-in-one preventative for fleas, heartworm, etc. the problem went away almost immediately with no signs of sickness/adverse effects.

9/7/2012 5:25:48 PM

Quote :

"Comfortis is great."

THIS.

I live in South Florida and it doesn't get cold enough in the winter to kill fleas. There is a HUGE flea problem with pets here. We started our puppy with Frontline and it didn't do a damn thing. The vet said the fleas are adapting and it doesn't work at all in S. Fla any more and is having less of an effect elsewhere. He recommended Comfortis. We tried it and it was like a miracle drug. Never had an issue since. (We've started giving it every 25-28 days because the dog starts to get itchy around then).

TL;DR - Comfortis is awesome and worth the money

9/7/2012 5:36:27 PM

Frontline doesn't work worth a shit, our dogs got fleas all the time with that. We switched to comfortis and that helped until we moved down to Texas where they have fucking mutant fleas. Had a real bad issue with them last summer, we don't have any carpet so that wasn't an issue but I sprayed the house with some flea killer stuff that I found at home depot (probably just the same stuff that they use for general pest control), bombed the house, bathed the dogs, threw away their bedding, fogged the furniture and everything else that was fabric in the house and FINALLY they went away. I went a bit overboard but if there was anything that I thought might work I tried it because those things are fucking disgusting.

Now we use Trifexis (spelling?) and it seems to do a pretty good job, haven't had any issues this summer (crosses fingers...)

9/7/2012 5:44:46 PM

Capstar is FABULOUS for killing adult fleas. I hadn't put any flea stuff on my inside cats, and a roommate brought in her untreated dog, who infested the entire apartment. Capstar gave my cat a relief.

And, I'm super surprised no one has suggested this.. but have you tried a flea spot treatment OTHER than Frontline? You know, like Advantage? That worked so much better keeping fleas off my cat than Frontline ever did during the infestation.

Our dog is currently on one of the pills for fleas and heartworms. I haven't seen any fleas on him (he has no thick coat whatsoever, very easy to see if there are fleas) but I have noticed he's generally itchier. It might be a side effect. We haven't experimented to going back to topical.

9/7/2012 5:47:27 PM

CAPSTAR IS THE SHIT

I tried everything, but a combo of capstar, then bath, then frontline and daily vacuuming worked. It was the end of a 4 month nightmare.

9/7/2012 11:36:48 PM

i will clarify that frontline worked VERY well for me for several years... just not anymore. seems most agree that its current value is nil.

[Edited on September 7, 2012 at 11:46 PM. Reason : .]

9/7/2012 11:45:13 PM

I use trifexis, it takes care of both fleas and heartworms

its awesome

9/7/2012 11:47:03 PM

One thing to consider is that neither of these pills for fleas (comfortis & trifexis) protect against ticks, iirc. We have a lot around here & if your dog is ever in the woods you really should have something that covers ticks too.

9/8/2012 12:09:22 AM

ya, I dont worry with ticks as I live in the city, but good point

but neither capstar nor comfortis protect against heartworm...so either way until the come out with a three in one you'll be buying at least two pills

basically, if youre having that much of a problem stop buying the cheap otc shit and go to your vet, fork over the money and get the good shit

9/8/2012 12:10:10 AM

I don't use capstar, I do use trifexis for my dog with no ill effects. However, none of my dogs have ever had flea problems.

9/8/2012 8:13:22 AM

I know it's been said already, but it needs to be repeated. Capstar is not a preventative flea med. it kills already existing adult fleas in case of infestation. Does not kill eggs. That's what the bath (as said dawn works well) and vacuuming are for.

9/8/2012 8:36:04 AM

Might want to try switching to Advantix II. Same general protection as Frontline Plus. Only real difference is that it deters mosquitoes and being flies...doesn't sound like that's a problem in your fella because he's an inside dog, but sometimes a little change is good (I'm a vet in the Army and we just recently switched all of our working dogs to advantix). Also, has anyone mentioned Capstar, yet? Just kidding...but it is awesome...disgustingly awesome due to the immediate mass flea grave it makes. Also, I know you said that he's mainly a leash dog, but if you have any yard area that you typically take him to near the house, it might be a good idea to treat that as well.

9/8/2012 9:43:24 AM

Quote :

"Yeah, dish soap is great for pets' skin and coat. Great idea, quag."

i sure hope you're trolling, Ernie, because i'm not sure i could pity you more if i thought you were this dumb...because you obviously read far enough to think of a way to ride my dick, but completely failed to comprehend that i ACTUALLY said:

Quote :

"fleas will drown/suffocate in the water/soap whether you use "special" shampoo or dishwashing soap"

and then

Quote :

"you should use something that minimizes the destruction/removal of these oils (ie. not a soap advertised to "cut grease"...something like dr. bronner's castile is what we use)"

good try

Quote :

"yet you recommend: http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Castile-Liquid-Peppermint-Bronners/dp/B0000533G8/ref=sr_1_1?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1347041099&sr=1-1&keywords=Dr.+Bronner%27s+Dog"

yes, i am most definitely recommending that you stop using shampoo with chemicals that do absolutely nothing that cannot be achieved by something as cheap as ajax dishwashing detergent (not saying you should use this, but they're exactly the same in terms of effectiveness)

because, well, i'm right

9/10/2012 2:03:36 PM

fire?

9/10/2012 4:07:18 PM

Quote :

"Comfortis is great."

110% AGREE!!!! I've been giving it to my dogs since they were old enough and I've never had one flea issue in over 4 years.

9/10/2012 5:22:07 PM