Can anyone recomend an effective anti flea powder or something? also do these nasties do any harm?

hiya Keith
I use some stuff called advantage 250 I have to buy it from the vet . its about 12quid but thats for 4 doses ( 4 months worth ) its aliquid that you put on the back of the neck .Fleas are in the same cycle as worms --I get a bit confused so this may not be exact---the flea feeds off the dog /cat but lives in the carpets and bedding it lays its eggs on the dog which are licked off and then they hatch inside as worms ( gross eh )
I cant remember how it gets back to being aflea !!!!!so you have to treat for both regularly --thats my basic understanding of it but I stand to be corrected
have fun ;)
Liz

Hi Keith
I use Frontline on my lot. :)
It is quite expensive and available from the vet, but worth it.
Comes in pipettes and you squeeze the liquid onto skin at the base of the neck &/or the top of the tail, and you only have to use it once every 8wks or so for continuous protection from fleas, ticks etc.
And Liz made a good point about worms, if you are thinking of setting up a flea routine then you should include worming too, Drontal + is v.good. I worm my biggies every 4mths (every other flea treatment) and terriers every 2mths (every flea treatment) as she tends to often be found eating something the Cats dragged in etc and therefore at higher risk from worms.
Nicky

As far as dangerouse goes I know they can at least get tapeworm and if he did get one you would know, they grab any food on sight and have the runs like crazy, but tape worms are easy to get rid of fast, I have no idea what else can come from them.
If I am going around areas with bracken I will spray frontline on him as a precaution agains ticks, but I think fleas and ticks are the sort of thing he can get anytime or never.
I'd rather leave him without and deal with it if he gets them but I only ever had fleas with one dog and that was because she attacked a hedgehog, they came off that.

Hi Keith

Frontline from the vet is very good, however dogs with sensitive skin can have a reaction to the once a month application, so you can ask for it in spray form instead.

mick

Best prevention for both fleas and worms is a capful of garlic oil daily on the main meal, no side effects, be aware the some flea preparations do have nasty side effects, as do worming solutions. I have used this method for 3 years, none of my dogs have had any worms or fleas, garlic also guards off ticks, you can buy it from Groomers at Newbury, by post, in one litre or 5 litres.

Hi There
My dog wont touch anything with garlic on it.
Mick

Thanks for all the info. I think I will deal with it if anything happens. I asked cause someones dog got fleas and I wanted to make sure I got the best treatment just in case.
Does Garlic make them smell?
Thanks everyone.

only if you kiss them :D
LIZ

Ha Ha, no garlic doesnt make them smell, I am laughing because, I hate garlic breath, and mr murphy, my dogs would not take the oil on its own I disguise it in the food, when mixed with tripe, they dont notice, you can buy odourless garlic in capsule form, but it is not so strong as the oil, As I have only used the oil, I cannot vouch for the capsule form.

Hi Keithhas
Remember these treatments are not for humans. (you said you know someone with fleas)
Mick

Hi Keith

It is possible for your dog to have fleas and for you not to be aware of it. I found this surprising it appears to be true.

A friends brown Dobe bitch had a really nasty rash on her underside from between frontlegs to between backlegs and nothing the vet did could shift it. She had some allergy testing done and it turned out she was highly allergic to flea bites although none had ever been seen on her nor any of the family bitten. However they "Frontlined" her and within days her rash started to subside

Christine

As an add on -it is very unlikley that you would ever see a flea on a dog especially a short coated dog as they only feed from the dog --they live in your house !!! and your car !!!!!
liz

Hi Keith
I'm sorry you have decided against setting up a Flea & Worm prevention regime, it is the best thing to do (IMHO).
Remember - *Prevention is better than cure*
Nicky

I've used the frontline spray on Kassie before since the pipettes are based on weight and being a growing GSD what she would need this month would not be enough for next month:) I have heard a few of you say that you've found the frontline pipettes rubbish- leaving small bald patches etc. Obviously she's quite a size now and the spray will take forever to do so could I ask those of you who use the garlic capsules- how much do I give her? Is it one a day etc?

Stacey x x x

Hi thanks again for all the replies, I was wondering about garlic odor, personaly when I am in a suprmarket queue I find its more anti social than smoking.

Keith
It's a dog--- not a dance partner ;)
Liz

hiya
i use stronghold its 20quid for 3 monthly treatments (and thats for large dog size) but it does the lot fleas ticks worms/earmites
only available through the vet.