A customer of mine brings her 2 dogs to me for grooming every 4 weeks. The dogs are beautifully cared for. However the last few times I have found fleas on her dogs. I have used flea shampoo and advised her on changing bedding using a household flea spray and she has a spot on treatment from the vet. Not sure which one. But the dogs still have fleas this is at least the 4th visit. One of the fleas jumped onto the grooming table and I sprayed it with a flea spray as I am squeamish about squashing them but it just kept moving. The spray didn't seem to have affected the flea at all.

Does anyone have any suggestions what I can advise my customer to try now as the situation is getting her down.

Two kinds of oral tablets...

Capstar to kill all existing adult fleas on the dog and then Programme monthly for 6-8 months, to kill any eggs or larvae.

I never use spot-ons or sprays for fleas.  They just don't work and are unnecessary pesticides.  First sight of a flea, I do as above.

Make sure she has done the house properly (90% of the issue will be environmental) with a  product that stops the flea life cycle, as otherwise they simply re-infect themselves, and you of course.

My vets mentioned a new tablet called Bravecto last time I went in. This is what they said about it:

"Bravecto is a revolutionary new treatment for dogs that gives protection against fleas and ticks for 3 months, giving you extended peace of mind on control of these common parasites. Bravecto comes as a chewable tablet to be given with food, and is available in 5 different tablet sizes. It can be used in puppies from 8 weeks of age provided they weigh over 2 kg, and in breeding, pregnant and lactating dogs. It is safe to use alongside routinely used veterinary medicinal products including wormers such as Milbemax."

I'm always a bit wary of new meds, though (unless you really need them of course) - but great that it is an oral tablet and not another spot-on.  But I'd wait and see if everyone's ok with it, first.

>My vets mentioned a new tablet called Bravecto last time I went in.

I will tell my customer about it and let her discuss it with her vet. Thanks

Brainless responded 

Make sure she has done the house properly (90% of the issue will be environmental) with a  product that stops the flea life cycle, as otherwise they simply re-infect themselves, and you of course.

and I would add don't forget the car and any bedding in it.

....and treat the cats!

The vast majority of fleas are cat fleas, which are happy to feed of any animal, our dog and us.

In fact the host specific dog fleas is pretty uncommon these days.

Most people I know who have issues with fleas have cats, and those who don't rarely ever have a flea issue in their dogs, so yes definitely treat the cats.

http://www.fleafree.co.uk/flea_facts/en/bites.shtml
"*The flea most commonly found on cats and dogs in this country is the Ctenocephalides felis (the cat flea to you or I)."

Treatment advice: http://www.fleafree.co.uk/flea_treatment/en/tips.shtml
"Flea Treatment Tips
 
  


Fleas are stubborn parasites, mainly because they reproduce at such a prolific rate. Follow these guidelines, though, and you'll be on your way to a flea free home.


*Treat every cat and dog in the house
It doesn't matter which product or combination of products you use, or whether you can actually see fleas on all your pets, ALWAYS treat every cat and dog in the house.

*Persevere
In most cases, flea infestations should clear within a few days. However, flea eggs laid around your home can survive in the carpet for up to 9 months. During this time, they can hatch and jump back aboard the pet whatever treatment you use. This doesn't mean that the product you are using isn't working. Just that the existing infestation is clearing.


*If you treat the pets correctly, you needn't spray the house
That's right. It's because all fleas will jump on your cat or dog as part of their life cycle. So if you have treated the cat or dog, they'll die out when they come into contact with the animal. This process won't be hastened by treating the carpets.

*To hasten flea removal from the home
You can hasten removal of fleas by raising the temperature and humidity in the house to encourage fleas to hatch faster, whereupon they'll leap onto the pet, be exposed to the insecticide, and die out."

I must admit I don't put flea drops on my dogs every month now but the cat gets done monthly with stronghold.

We had fleas (first time in 20 years), we have mainly hard floors no cats etc. But just could not get rid of them!
Frontline was useless even with a house spray.
In the end spraying the house second time and using advantage got rid of them!
But I was loosing hope and being pregnant at the time was vary of using chemicals, used them and it did nothing!
We tried frontline and internal capsules but still had them, Advantage was advises from here and it worked :-).
If we ever get them again (don't regularly use spot ons as never have and never have we had an issue) I know which one I will buy.

Fipronil (the key ingredient in frontline, effipro and a couple of others) did absolutely FA the last time I had a flea problem here 18 months ago.  It's the first flea problem I've had in at least 7 years too, and that's without regular treatment.  And no, I don't have cats!

Advantage did it for my lot too, and I've not had any problems since - and we now live next door to at least half a dozen cats with a couple that visit, and a few of them go in my garden too.

Stronghold was recommended to me on champdogs after other products stopped working,stronghold worked and it is for internal parasites as well.

Sheila

Has anyone tried natural remedies (apple cider vinegar added to water/food or as an ingredient in a spray)? I see that Bravecto is approved for use on breeding bitches, but needless to say I am a little bit sceptical...

http://everydayroots.com/flea-remedies

>Bravecto is approved for use on breeding bitches, but needless to say I am a little bit sceptical...

JAY15
Although I do understand that Frontline appears to be ineffective in most cases, I used it on a pregnant bitch one summer and would tell anyone to give it a try.  It worked well with my pregnant bitch and no ill effects at all. 

I do mean Frontline spray though. I would never use a spot on for a pregnant bitch.

Thanks, JeanSW, I will bear that in mind--I only was familiar with Frontline as a spot-on application

My customer has been given a flea collar by her vet. Called Seresto. It is supposed to kill fleas for 7 months and repel ticks. Seems like a good idea if it works. Has anybody on here used them?

I got one from my vets and it seems to have been largely successful. I haven't found any fleas at all, however she has had a couple of ticks, one quite large by the time it dropped off. We have a holiday home in an area that has a lot of ticks this year so I was keen to make sure she was well protected.