Flea Problem in NC....name brand topicals not working

[Canis]

I live in Eastern NC, in the upper coastal plain.

I have had dogs for 5 years now. I currently have two labs.

Until this year we have never had any kind of flea problem. We used frontline plus first couple of years.........last two years have been using K-9 advantix II. We put these topicals on EVERYMONTH even in the winter. Currently using sentry Fiproguard Max....just to try something different.

Flea problem started this Summer for us. Our dogs spend 3/4's of there time in our 1 acre fenced-in back yard and 1/4 of there time in our home. We live in the city and have neighbors with pets all around us. One Neighbor has yard cats that free-roam the community. Other adjacent neighbors have yard dogs. I have never asked them if they use flea control treatments on there pets(would be kind of Awkward.....especially if the say they don't use anything) I also take my dogs for daily play/training/hunting trip all over Eastern NC..various fields, farms, parks... etc...

tried several flea shampoos prior to monthly application of topical...and could see fleas dying by the dozens.

My dogs do not seem to be scratching or biting at the fleas as much as I would think when I can visibly see them on my dogs. So I guess the fleas are jumping on them alive and frisky and then the topical treatment is slowly working.

Any advice how I can get my dogs flea free....?????
should I be using something different for flea control other than topicals?????

any advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

[EdA]

Comfortis is currently the best available product for flea control. It comes in pill form and is given monthly but should not be used in conjunction with Ivermectin in off label doses. It is also available with milbemycin and marketed as Trifexis.

[Scott R.]

I'm in western NC and Parastar has worked well.

[Scott Parker]

I use Comfortis and it work really well.

[Fowl]

I use Comfortis and it work really well.

X2 Comfortis. I would also talk to your local vet. When I relocated Frontline was no longer effective for my dogs. I called my new Vet and he informed the fleas in the area were resistant to FRONTLINE and a few products. I changed to Comfortis and have been flea free since. Perhaps this is what is happening with you.

[rjrogers]

My wife works for an animal hospital and she said that fleas are extremely bad this year. I asked her what they would recommend and this was her response.

Make sure that you are using a named brand topical treatment such as Frontline Plus. This can be applied every three weeks if needed. If you continue to use a product such as Sentry or another over the counter brand do not apply more that every 4 weeks.

In addition to the topical treatment go to your local veterinarian and ask for a product called Comfortis. This is a once a month oral flea prevention that will start killing the fleas within 30 minutes. You need to make sure that you give this medication with a meal. The other option would be an oral flea/heartworm prevention called Trifexis. This is made by the same company as comfortis and is also given monthly.

She also said to be careful with flea shampoos because not only will they strip prevention off but they can also be harmful to the dogs. They typically recommend a mild aloe/oatmeal shampoo.

Hope this is helpful.

[Canis]

Thanks guys

I really appreciate, each of yall's comments and recommendations!

It takes time and effort to sit down and type responses to threads.

Thanks again

[Jon Hass]

Comfortis is amazing. Give the dog the pill..grab a beer..and watch the fleas fall off dead in about 45 minutes. It is unreal.

[winger]

Comfortis is amazing. Give the dog the pill..grab a beer..and watch the fleas fall off dead in about 45 minutes. It is unreal.

This is true, did just this thing last month when the fleas broke through our frontline shields. We went to trifexus on outlr vet's recomendation, half hour later started seeinf dead fleas where thy were laying. No more fleas

[jonathon27]

Hey there, I live in GA and have experience similar issues after the mild winter we had. Something I have done that went from a complete flea infestation to absolutely no fleas in alternating month to month with different name brand topical flea treatments. I would use frontline one month and then advantix the next, just in case a few of the little suckers seemed to make it past the frontline. Also, in the height of summer here I was giving the treatment about every three weeks.