Hi All,

I use frontline and drontol plus on Nando. I've been reading another thread about Advocate but didn't want to get involved as it was a bit heated!

Is Nando missing out on any protection by not using advocate, and are these two adequate? It seems frontline doesn't seem to be the most recommended product nowadays,

Josh

Hi JOsh. It is my understanding that Frontline doesn't do Mange or Lungworm neither does Drontal so Nando's probably not covered for these.

V

Horror!  I haven't used Frontline for somewhere in the region of 6 years, and I've never, ever used Advocate.  Or a spot on of any kind.

Is there anything that will cover him for these INSTEAD of frontline as I'm reluctant to use an additional product because they are such heavy pesticides.

Horror!  I haven't used Frontline for somewhere in the region of 6 years, and I've never, ever used Advocate.  Or a spot on of any kind.


LOL- It is one of those, we've always used it and it's always worked but It's only recently on being a member of this forum that I realise there are other products out there!

What DO you use?

I wouldn't use any kind of flea treatment for no reason, and the only reason would be the dogs having fleas. :) I have seen fleas in my dogs just once in the past 15 years or so, and that was when they came across a hedgehog. That's the only time they have been treated for fleas, and that was only the little dogs as the big dogs weren't near it.  Oh no, I tell a lie -Ripley has been flea treated as she has been abroad and of course the pets passport demanded it.

>Is there anything that will cover him for these INSTEAD of frontline as I'm reluctant to use an additional product because they are such heavy pesticides.

Josh, wouldn't worry about mange since it's not something you want to treat a dog for preventatively.  If a dog should get mange, you can then use one of these products to address it.

For lungworm, have a look back at the controversial thread since I just posted a massive post with info on the various products which address it. 

Personally, I wouldn't use Frontline anyway:  The only thing to use it for would be ticks, and it's not very effective against those.  If you do want to use a tick preventative, Advantix is a better spot-on - or a Scalibor collar will work out far cheaper.

However, ticks only transmit diseases if they remain attached for at least 24-48 hours, so if you check your dog over after a walk and remove any ticks safely using an o'Tom Tick Twister removing tool, then the risk is minimal and IMO there's no need to treat with a spot-on at all.  (Unless the area you live in is really heavily infested, in which case Advantix or Scalibor might be an idea.)

>I wouldn't use any kind of flea treatment for no reason, and the only reason would be the dogs having fleas.  I have seen fleas in my dogs just once in the past 15 years or so, and that was when they came across a hedgehog.

Totally agree.  Mine aren't treated preventatively for fleas and only had them once in the last 8 years.  Fleas don't carry diseases and so there's no risk in waiting till you see them and then treating.  (But act fast, when you do see them, so you don't get an infestation.)

same here I only treat if someone has fleas. Happened once a few years ago sudden mass infestation ! I think within in the hour, had been to vet, got whatever, cant remember and had treated them all. Dont like the little blighters

Same here, I only ever resort to chemical treatments when there is a problem and so far... No problem! The only thing we have is an occasional tick turning up and nothing can actually prevent those from attaching themselves anyway. I remove them myself.

No I am confused more than ever! LOL. Nando is walked an awful lot in woodlands and comes into contact with tons of other dogs. I'd rather prevent it than treat it when it happens, but I also don't want to effect his health. What about worm preventatives?

Not sure you can prevent worms - except by taping his mouth up . . . It's more about dealing with them.

Well I for one go to training classes, lots of shows, walk where there are other dogs, walk in woods, we have lots of wild rabbits and even foxes here as we live in the countryside, and STILL no fleas. :)

Ditto for what Goldmali says.

Worming is not about preventing the dog actually getting the worms, since dogs will continually reinfect themselves.  When you worm, you remove all traces of worms from your dog at that precise moment.  As soon as you then go out and about, the dog will reinfect himself through eating animal poop, drinking out of communal water bowls and so on.  So worming is about continually removing any traces of worms before they become enough to be zoonotic or to affect the health of the dog.

If you want practical 'what do you do' info...

I worm every 2 months with either Panacur, Drontal +, Plerion or Milbemax.  I use Panacur and Milbemax more frequently than the others because they are also effective against lungworm.  I worm v frequently because I have dogs which are poop eaters and also eat rabbit carcasses.

I use no spot-on products or the Scalibor collar unless I'm travelling somewhere where I know ticks are more of a problem.  I do use the herbal 'Billy No Mates' from CSJ in the summer months and I find this really good at hugely reducing ticks.

I do not use a preventative for fleas, I treat only when I see them.

I know you don't prevent worms, but by 'preventative' I meant that it prevents them getting a heavy worm burden. I suppose I am being over protective about the flea treatments, I have just always done it and breaking the habit of a lifetime feels alien!

Think of it this way: you wouldn't dream of using headlice treatment on yourself every month just in case would you? In fact you wouldn't even do it for a high risk group like a primary school girl with long braids lol.

You speak a lot of sense :)

Good comparison shivj

> Fleas don't carry diseases and so there's no risk in waiting till you see them and then treating

Ah, but they are a vector for tapeworm. It's wise to worm if you have seen fleas - not at the same time as the flea treatment though.

One of mine had immature tapeworms in his poo this week - I wormed straight away - but I'm a bit puzzled as to where they came from. He's not had exercise in any areas in the last two weeks where he could have picked one up. The only possibility is he may have picked up some hedgehog fleas in the garden (we have a resident hedgie) which will probably have just jumped on briefly as he's not to their taste, but if he swallowed one that may have been enough.

Yes, that's true:  I should have said they don't carry a disease which isn't going to be picked up by your other meds anyway.

>What DO you use?

Same as Marianne.  Nothing.  It is 6 years since I've seen a flea.  That was an isolated one on a pregnant bitch.  So I used Frontline SPRAY (most definitely NOT spot on.)   The spray is safe on pregnant bitches.  I still have the same spray somewhere, never been needed since.

So I don't see the point in using a preventative.  Sometimes get ticks on the Collies when they've been out in the forest, and I use the useful green hook.  :-)

For normal worming routines I use Drontal and Panacur 10% suspension.  I do not worm monthly as advised by a lot of vets.  But if I was in an area where I had a genuine concern, I would obviously worm more often.  Now comes the biggie! 

I once went a whole year without worming, then sent off faecal samples to Langford.  No worms were found.  So you can see why I won't pour chemicals into my dogs.  I just don't need to.  I totally agree that I would feelk differently if I was in a problem area.

I just want to thank you all for your input :) It's been a real eye opener! According to my vet, we're in a 'problem' area for lungworm?

Yes, according to all vets we're all in a problem area.  The 'problem area' seems to extend over the entire UK...

If you're worried about lungworm, I'd suggest you look into Panacur and Milbemax and so avoid spot-ons.  Does your dog eat slugs and snails?  Or grass, excessively?  If not...

Sceptically yours,

rabid

The only possibility is he may have picked up some hedgehog fleas in the garden (we have a resident hedgie) which will probably have just jumped on briefly as he's not to their taste, but if he swallowed one that may have been enough.

The one time I had fleas on some of the dogs in all these years was from a hedgehog and it certainly was quite interesting. All the toydogs came indoors from the garden and ALL of them were really covered in fleas. No fleas when they went outside half an hour or so earlier! (Easy to see on mainly white coats, plus of course they are very much lap dogs, so hard to miss fleas.) But none of the fleas were in the middle or bottom half on the body, all were on the heads and shoulders. Assumption: hedgehog had rolled himself into a ball, all dogs sniffed it, fleas crawled onto their heads. Wow that was a nightmare.  Every single affected dog got bathed and treated instantly -and nobody else was at home so nobody to help me LOL. Thankfully I did have flea treatment at home after using pets passports. As I did it so quickly, I managed to NOT get a single flea onto any of the cats or the big dogs. At that moment in time it was rare for the little and large dogs to meet (these days 2 of my Malinois live with the toys), but the cats of course are everywhere, so it was vital I made sure to not get any on them.

About a year later I took in 3 rescued cats that all were covered in fleas, had worms (obviously) and also earmites. I kept them isolated in one room for weeks and treated them and again I managed to not get anyone else get as much as one single flea without treating anyone else.

I have just always done it and breaking the habit of a lifetime feels alien!

Vets push it a lot as well. These days when vets ask me "Are they up to date with flea treatment and worming?" I lie through my teeth and say yes, rather than get into discussions. They get wormed, of course, and surely the vets can SEE there are no fleas. :)

It seems I have well and truly fallen for the frontline 'scam' with vets etc, then!

> Vets push it a lot as well. These days when vets ask me "Are they up to date with flea treatment and worming?" I lie through my teeth and say yes, rather than get into discussions. They get wormed, of course, and surely the vets can SEE there are no fleas.

Fortunately our vet is quiet happy that we only treat as required.

Occasionally feel guilty that haven't wormed them for well over a year (& their scavenging habits are not good if the opportunity arises) but apart from our youngest coming to us with worms neither have shown any signs even when they have been wormed & yes I do check most days.

The only time I've found a flea, was four weeks after using Frontline combo so although have some in the cupboard haven't used it for years & probably would get a spray rather than a spot on. But due to the amount of snails & slugs they have just finished a 7 day course of Panacur, & then read here that it only treats one type of lung worm!

Perhaps one day I will live to regret it - I hope not - but disagree with all the treatments & chemicals we dose our dogs up with, which they don't need.

Hi Jeansw!I wish I could say the same,I hate using chemicals!I panic because both my daughters dogs regularly come to stay,and theyre always scratching!So Ive resorted to advantage,as Frontline didnt seem to work.Im now worried about lungworm,as the garden seems full of slugs and snails since my last hen died!