What's the best flea medication out there?

[sweetlychee]

I'm in the process of searching for a good flea, tick, and mosquito medication for my 6 month old puppy. We got him something from Target before and it seemed to work but after a week or two, we see him scratching again. It said it's water resistant and all. It's one of those drops we put on his back to his tail.

I hear Frontline and K9 Advantix are the best. I hear K9 Advantix is better than Frontline. I would like corgi owners' advice more. I also think it would be nice if it's water resistant and all. The medication we got from Target, after putting it on, it left a long oily streak on Milo's back. He looked like he had hair gel on afterwards and smelled a bit like medicine.

Any advice would be appreciated!

[glencorgi]

Frontline and K9 Advantix are much better than what you might find at Target or PetsMart, etc. off the shelf. There are pros and cons to both and hopefully some will weigh in with their experiences. I have some of both, but have not had the need (KNOCK WOOD) to need them, so I don't like the idea of introducing it into their systems for no real reason. Now should I have an infestation of fleas and/or ticks then of course I'll use them. I do send it home with my fosters to their new homes.

Debbie

[PocketsMom]

I use Frontline Plus. In MI there is a tick problem and my sister lives in the country and I take my dogs there so I make sure they have it. It also does the line but only like the day I put it on and the next day which I see as a sign of it moving on down and not running off! It is waterproof. It says not to put it on if you just gave them a bath because it could irritate the skin without the natural oils there. I have had no flea and tick problems. Thats all I got!

OOps no its not. I asked about the mosquitoe thing because that is a main difference is K9 advantix is supposed to have a thing for mosquitoes. I asked my vet about that and she said the way the medicine works is the things die after biting the animal so regardless the mosquitoe will have to bite the dogs to have the medicine take an effect and since we all think it prevents it it makes no real difference. The dog will still get bit! Now that all I have!!

[sweetlychee]

Pocketsmom: Your dog is so cute!

Thank you for the insights, guys!

[darci]

I too use Frontline Plus and have no complaints, working very well for us.

[PocketsMom]

Originally Posted by sweetlychee

Pocketsmom: Your dog is so cute!

Thank you for the insights, guys!

Thanks. Right back at you! That was a VERY rare photo op and there has not been one since. He went through a major growth spirt and is ALWAYS running so I get a lot of hind end and empty pics!

[grnrom]

My vet suggested the least toxic of the major medications, which she says is Advantage. If the fleas and ticks are bad then she would suggest Frontline, K9, Advantix. So far, Advantage is working on my 4 month old. FYI, there are no ticks in my area, just fleas.

[darci]

Do you have cats ? Theres one you cant use around cat, somebody help me out here I am drawing a blank.

[corgimom]

you are right Cindy and I cannot think of which one it is. My vet mentioned
some of those over the counter ones should not be used around cats or
children.

Linda

[Jespah]

I have used Advantage on both my dogs since they were pups and I have 5 cats. No problems what so ever. It's heartworm that is the real worry, although my vet said that Riley will be a flea magnate with her immune system being down with the chemo and they could do great harm to her. The oncologist said it is safe for Riley to have the Advantage while on chemo - so it must be a good product. All of the products are drugs - so I believe a vet should always be consulted, who knows what's in the "off the shelf" stuff.
Deb

[Michael Romanos]

Very good advice, Deb. My preference is for Frontline because I simply think it is better value for money in lasting considerably longer per dosage, and has one or two other added benfits.

[sweetlychee]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will look into buying my corgi the medication soon. I think I have a coupon from 1800-PetMeds. I can trust them, right?

[darci]

Yes I've used them before with no problems

[milles2]

K9 Advantix is the one that is toxic to cats.

I use K9Advantix monthly year round, don't have cats. Fleas are the lesser of the evils in my area, ticks are a huge problem. I hate the idea of using flea/tick stuff and heartworm prevetative year round but too scared to only use in certain months.

[corgimom]

I don't like applying chemicals either, but the heartworm I use year round. I never used any flea treatment on my last pem and she never got fleas; however, with Cody, it is frontline every 3 months.