# Flea,Tick, and Heartworm control



## DaveTN (Dec 5, 2011)

I've become leery of Trifexis as of late. He has thrown it up the first two times he was given the Trifexis. My vet said this was normal and nothing to be concerned about. 
What regimine do you owners suggest? 
Our Standard is just over 9 mos. and about 40lbs. He has had some allergies related to beef and is now on a chicken based premium dry, mixed with some canned wet. I'm noticing some patches of skin irritation that has thinned his coat in places. 
We live in TN and I've seen the fist tick of the season on him and need to make a decision soon. Thanks for any suggestions.


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## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

I use heartgard+ every month, Certifect for 9 months during flea/tick season and Frontline+ the other 3 months that I'm not using Certifect.

I have never had a dog get sick from these medications. They are really good. You need a little bit of information on how they work and how to apply/dose them correctly. Let's just say I'm in a tick hot bed in the worst tick year recorded, and my dog has never had a tick on it.

When I'm grooming dogs, I know which dogs have been treated with Frontline of Certifiect. The difference is obvious.

As far as food sensitivity or allergy, you need to do an elimination diet to pinpoint the particular food(s) your dog is having trouble with. It's not always the meat! It could be grain, brewer's yeast, alfalfa, or countless other ingredients that are in A LOT of dog foods. 

Also check with your vet about the hair thining and get a skin scrape done. It could be fungal, infection, or parasites. Some of these (like scabies!) are contagious to other dogs and people so get him checked ASAP!

I hope your guy is feeling more comfortable soon and you get parasite protection that doesn't make him sick! I can give you more information on the products I mentioned if you are interested. I just met with the product rep last week.


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## Poodlemama99 (Feb 12, 2010)

I opted for Revolution rather than triflexis because Penelope is too small for triflexis. I put it on them on the 15th and nobody had any reaction to it which made me very happy. I was worried as all my kids took interceptor. I have not heard good things about the triflexis so I did not want to try it.


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## mom24doggies (Mar 28, 2011)

Trifexis is Comfortis with heartworm preventative in it, and I know that Comfortis needs to be taken after a full meal, so perhaps that is why he's throwing it back up. Try giving it with a meal and see if it helps.


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## iuhippiechick (Jun 9, 2012)

I am also wondering what to use for fleas, ticks, heartworm and intestinal parasites. We now have a 16 week old little Klein female. Her first Vet visit (with us) was yesterday. The Vet STRONGLY recommended giving her Trifexis. After a quick GOOGLE, it seems to me to have too many side-effects to risk it! Anyone have any recommendations?


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## mom24doggies (Mar 28, 2011)

iuhippiechick said:


> I am also wondering what to use for fleas, ticks, heartworm and intestinal parasites. We now have a 16 week old little Klein female. Her first Vet visit (with us) was yesterday. The Vet STRONGLY recommended giving her Trifexis. After a quick GOOGLE, it seems to me to have too many side-effects to risk it! Anyone have any recommendations?


I'm all about minimizing my dogs' exposure to chemicals and medications, especially my puppies as their systems are not fully developed yet. I, personally, would not give a pup Trifexis. Yes, vets are going to push it. Mine does!! The only thing my current puppy gets is Heartgard (actually its a generic brand, but is basically the same thing just cheaper) for heartworm prevention as we have a lot of mosquitoes here. Thankfully I don't seem to have an issue with fleas, but if I did I would probably use Advantage or Advantix...I haven't heard too many complaints health wise about them. Frontline doesn't work around here, and the others seem really strong to be putting on any/feeding to any dog much less a puppy. 

If you don't have an issue with fleas, I personally wouldn't give any kind of preventative. If you have mosquitoes, you'll need to give a preventative for that...I don't ever recommend people not, since that's such a difficult parasite to treat and all, although treatments have gotten better. And be prepared for your vet to try to guilt you into giving your dog all kinds of preventatives...every time I go in, they try to sell me the most expensive flea and heartworm preventative they've got...and I just tell them I don't have flea issues and I buy my heartworm stuff elsewhere. Apparently they don't believe me, but whatever lol!


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## Poodlemama99 (Feb 12, 2010)

The revolution worked well and nobody had any reaction to it. I think I will continue to use it even if they start manufacturing interceptor again.


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## iuhippiechick (Jun 9, 2012)

We're in Indiana with mosquitos, fleas and ticks (seems like our mild winter last year didn't kill anything!) I had planned to go with our Breeder's suggestions, natural products (like diatomaceous earth for fleas) and "less is better" approach to immunizations. However, the Vet was REALLY pushing the Trifexis...along with being somewhat insistent on giving the puppy her Rabies, Leptospirosis and Bordetella vaccinations when giving her a Distemper/Parvo booster. She was visibly annoyed when I declined all but the Distemper/Parvo. Our Breeder had explained that too many drugs at once can have major detrimental consequences! 

The Vet was also VERY annoyed when I told her the pups ears were not going to be "plucked" by the groomer. The Vet insisted they must be. I told her the Breeder doesn't pluck any of her's and with over 20 years of experience, has not had a problem. The Vet replied, "well, if she comes in with an ear infection, I will be the first one to pluck her ears." Needless to say, not sure we'll be back to see that Vet! In the meantime, not sure what the "best" approach is for our new little girl!


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## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

Pluck the ears. Seriously. Almost every dog that I pluck ears on has an ear infection. The ones that don't are the ones that get plucked every 6 weeks.

Ear hair isn't only about infection. The ear hair will mat, making a nasty pill-sized plug in the ear canal that causes SIGNIFICANT discomfort or pain. I've pulled a few of those out. It's shocking.

Ear infections are not minor. They are painful, and can cause permanent scarring to the ear canal. This constricts the ear canal making the ear infections become a chronic (and expensive!) health problem.

I pluck my dog's ears once a week.


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## Carley's Mom (Oct 30, 2011)

Lots of debate as to pluck or not to pluck... I am not doing it. Carley had her ears plucked until I got her 9 months ago. No problems yet.


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## Poodlemama99 (Feb 12, 2010)

I am pro plucking. ha ha say that three times fast. But I think like so many other things if your dog is not having problems leave it alone. Mine get ear infections if I don't pluck their ears.


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## Carley's Mom (Oct 30, 2011)

poodlemoma99, how long have you not plunked to know they will get them? I do have my concerns about NOT plunking, I smell Carley's ears and keep them clean , always on the watch for a problem. It has been 9 months and things are fine. Her breeder was very pro plunk and she made me promise to buy a product for Carley called "Wonder Ear" in case of an infection... I have it, but have never needed it. With her being so concerned that Carley would not have the product, makes me think she used to need it... I am afraid to tell her I don't plunk to ask any questions.


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## iuhippiechick (Jun 9, 2012)

Anyone using Vectra 3D? It was an alternative option from the vet for fleas/ticks/mosquitos (if I didn't go with the Trifexis.) I was hoping to find a chewable for worms and something for fleas and ticks. Seems like there's too many cases of side-effects from the Trifexis for me to be comfortable with using it. I hate the thought of putting pesticides on my pup, especially with kids in the house. However, the strong smells of most of the natural products really cause problems with my asthma. Ugh...what to do!?!


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## roulette (Feb 18, 2011)

I don't like to use many chemicals either, so here's how I cope. I give full dose Confortis starting in May for three months in a row...then drop to half dose until about Oct or Nov, whenever the major cold snap comes. Fleas, ticks are plentiful here in KY..hot, humid like the tropics. I don't have mosquitoes, tho..I attribute that to the fact I have bathouses and martin houses..haven't seen a skeeter in at least ten years (knock on wood). None of my dogs have ever had any reaction to Confortis.. I love it. I hates Frontline.. it just has never been effective through a summer here.. then you get fleas, then you've GOT fleas, then come the super duper chemical doses. My dogs live on a farm, and coexist with many other critters and their personal parasites..I have to be super vigilant about fleas..don't want them coming in to spend the winter indoors.


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## iuhippiechick (Jun 9, 2012)

So, just left the vet office empty handed in regards to anything for fleas/ticks/mosquitos. Bummer! (I decided to go ahead and try the Heartgard Plus for heartworm prevention.) The ONLY flea/tick/mosquito product they sell is the Vectra 3D! I asked if there were any other products they could recommend. The technician gave a somewhat blank stare and said, "there's frontline in the stores." I asked if the vet will write a prescription for other products, if I find a non-OTC I'd like to try. She said the vet will order it for me. She "doesn't trust various online sites" for patients to place orders for themselves. Maybe this is standard procedure for all vets? Sure didn't realize finding products for a puppy could be so time consuming!:argh:


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## Marcoislandmom (Mar 15, 2012)

I use Frontline Plus for my pup plus Heartguard. Trifexis handles fleas and heartworm in a single dose but does not help with ticks also has shown to cause seizures. I would rather stick with tried and true products. I've used the Frontline/Heartguard product set for 15 years. Just be careful to use the correct amount per weight. In our area (South Carolina) we need year round protection for everything that can crawl since we never have a freeze.


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## papoodles (Jun 27, 2011)

*Au Naturel*

I live in Morris county,NJ which is the hot spot for ticks, yet I've never once used a chemical preventative on my standards, and I cope by checking them regularly for the nasty little critters- well, that's my husbands job, and it's his to pluck them off and kill them.Yuck.. My now deceased standard did contract Lyme years ago which was easily taken care off with a round of antibiotics, but then, against my own best judgment, I gave permission to use the Lyme vaccine on him..result? he developed a reaction to the vaccine which mimicked Lyme.. so, once burned..etc..
Probably heartworm is a different problem entirely and I'd have to use the preventative if I lived where heartworm is of concern, but it isn't. I go by the advice of a wonderful breeder, Marion Banta of Parrishill poodles, who is very much against the use of toxic chemicals on our dogs.
Here are her recommendations:
Recommendations About Ticks and Fleas

As far as plucking ear hair goes- never have that done either, and both my girls have sweet, clean ears. I think that might have something to do with the food I feed, because when we adopted 12 yr old Missy at a year old, she came with chronic ear infections, which all cleared up with a change in diet. I feed grain free and raw..
So far, so good.


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## Marcoislandmom (Mar 15, 2012)

I think you are mistaken if you do not believe you have heartworm in Morris County NJ. There is even a county website on the subject: Morris County NJ Mosquito Extermination Commission
Get your babies on heartworm protection or test twice a year at minimum. There is an abundance of heartworm problems in your area.


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## papoodles (Jun 27, 2011)

Hi Marcoisland mom..
Thanks for the article..That artickle only states that"Dog Heartworm is a disease common in canines throughout most of the United States." It isn't common here in NJ and my vet is not pushing a preventative, so I am confident of my decision. I've never heard of a dog contracting the worms, and I've owned dogs for 40 years now.
Marion has this to say about heartworm:" If you are worried about heartworm, don’t be. Heartworm in our area is pretty hard to come by."
Most communities also spray against mosquitoes, making this even less of a problem. Now I know that down in Houston where some of my family lives, heartworms are endemic, and they must be ever vigilant.
Here, we are pretty much safe. Thank godness.


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## Marcoislandmom (Mar 15, 2012)

Glad to hear there is no problem where you are. Here in South Carolina, everything exists and flourishes on our pets.


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## Clicker (Apr 28, 2012)

iuhippiechick said:


> I am also wondering what to use for fleas, ticks, heartworm and intestinal parasites. We now have a 16 week old little Klein female. Her first Vet visit (with us) was yesterday. The Vet STRONGLY recommended giving her Trifexis. After a quick GOOGLE, it seems to me to have too many side-effects to risk it! Anyone have any recommendations?


I agree. I bought a Trifexis pill from my vet and returned it after doing a Google search. (I love Google)! Not sure if fleas & ticks are bad where you live. For internal parasites & worms, do a Google search for Human Grade Diatomaceous Earth. I will be getting some very soon for my dog. Hope this helps.


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