# Flea and Tick prevention?



## CircaM (Aug 20, 2013)

Hi,
Our dogs have always been on Revolution for their Flea/Tick/Heartworm prevention.
Recently our dogs have been getting multiple ticks that aren't being prevented or killed by Revolution.
(Just pulled one off last night, 14 days into this month's revolution coverage after about 18 months of use. The dogs are 95% indoors dogs)

I need to find a better flea and tick prevention.

We have Deer ticks and Brown Dog ticks that I need to prevent.

After reading some reviews I found the horror stories about Hartz/Sergeants.
I do not intend on buying the cheap hartz/sergeants, just want to understand what to watch out for.

:flypig: So my first question is: 
What is it in Hartz/Sergeants that is causing the bad effects that are killing dogs?

:flypig: Second question:
Does anyone have any suggestions for a flea and tick prevention that works?

I will be consulting my Vet before making any decisions and I am not interested in natural fixes, like oils and diet change in this thread.(Will be looking into a natural Flea/Tick/Mosquito/Fly spray later)

Thank you.


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## Stephie (Apr 29, 2010)

I was actually told by a representative that Revolution does not in fact kill ticks. If you use Revolution for heartworm prevention, you are actually supposed to use some type of tick prevention as well, such as Frontline. As long as you apply them at least 48 hours apart, this is safe. 

Anyway, unfortunately, I do not know anything about Hartz/Sergeants.

Regarding your second question, if Frontline Plus doesn't work for you, see if you can find Parastar Plus. It is a fairly new product, similar to Frontline Plus. It is supposed to act faster than Frontline Plus and begin killing ticks within 1 hour. This cuts down on the chances of them spreading diseases such as Lyme. Also, because it is a fairly new product, they shouldn't be as resistent to it. They do recommend you keep your cats (if you have any) away from the product until it dries completely.

As far as your third question, I don't know of any sprays either. Sorry!

I hope this helps and good luck!


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## cookieface (Jul 6, 2011)

Stephie said:


> I was actually told by a representative that *Revolution does not in fact kill ticks*. If you use Revolution for heartworm prevention, you are actually supposed to use some type of tick prevention as well, such as Frontline. As long as you apply them at least 48 hours apart, this is safe.
> 
> Anyway, unfortunately, I do not know anything about Hartz/Sergeants.
> 
> ...


The bolded comment was my understanding - somewhat. According to their web site, Revolution is only effective against the American dog tick, but not other varieties. 

We've been using Parastar Plus for about 2 1/2 years and it's worked fairly well for us (in a deer tick haven).

I second the recommendation to talk to your vet. S/He will know what is effective in your area.


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## CircaM (Aug 20, 2013)

Thank you both for the replies, I will look into Parastar Plus.



cookieface said:


> The bolded comment was my understanding - somewhat. According to their web site, Revolution is only effective against the American dog tick, but not other varieties.
> 
> We've been using Parastar Plus for about 2 1/2 years and it's worked fairly well for us (in a deer tick haven).
> 
> I second the recommendation to talk to your vet. S/He will know what is effective in your area.


Revolution does claim to control ticks, and they even print in on the PI that comes in the box with it.

_I only bring this up because I am furious with Revolution for failing on two dogs and I want people to know it._

https://www.revolution4dogs.com/media/5604/revo%20pi.pdf

```
Revolution also 
is indicated for the treatment and control of sarcoptic mange(Sarcoptes scabiei)
and for the control of tick infestations due to Derma centor  variabilis.
```


```
Tick Control in Dogs
For the control of tick(Dermacentor variabilis)infestations in dogs, Revolution should be administered on a 
monthly basis. In heavy tick infestations, complete efficacy may not be achieved after the first dose. In these 
cases, one additional dose may be administered two weeks after the previous dose, with monthly dosing 
continued thereafter
```
Revolution also says "...your veterinarian may recommend a second administration applied 14 days after the first dose if your dog has a heavy tick infestation and/or recommend additional tick control methods. It may take up to 5 days to kill the majority of ticks on your dog."
*
Have either of you tried any other Fipronil flea/tick products to compare to Parastar?
*
I read some clinical studies about Vibrac Effitix (Fipronil + Permethrin) that looked promising. And Vibrac is the same company that makes Iverhart Plus/Max (Heartworm + dewormers: round+hook+tape)


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## Stephie (Apr 29, 2010)

I can't say that I have tried another product comparable to Parastar. I've always used Frontline Plus along with either Interceptor (now unavailable) or Sentinel. I just recently started using the Parastar on one of my dogs when my clinic began selling it. We have a horrible tick problem in my area. Knock on wood, the Frontline Plus has always seemed to do a pretty good job for us.


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## cookieface (Jul 6, 2011)

Revolution claims to be effective against the American dog tick / wood tick, AKA Dermacentor variabilis. The deer tick / blacklegged tick is Ixodes scapularis. I have no experience with Vibrac Effitix.


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## luv mi pets (Feb 5, 2012)

Two chewable products are on the market. Nexgard http://www.nexgardfordogs.com/Pages/offers.aspx and there is another one that claims to take care of ticks and fleas for 3 months. that product is called Bravecto http://www.nj.com/business/index.ss...ewable_flea_and_tick_medication_for_dogs.html

Bravecto has had some awesome trail feedbacks.


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## CircaM (Aug 20, 2013)

luv mi pets said:


> Two chewable products are on the market. Nexgard http://www.nexgardfordogs.com/Pages/offers.aspx and there is another one that claims to take care of ticks and fleas for 3 months. that product is called Bravecto http://www.nj.com/business/index.ss...ewable_flea_and_tick_medication_for_dogs.html
> 
> Bravecto has had some awesome trail feedbacks.


I read about Bravecto yesterday from the FDA ( http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm399546.htm )
But I've never heard about Fluralaner (The active ingredient).
3-month protection from oral administration that works better than anything else? Sounds almost to good to be true; and that worries me.

http://www.parasitesandvectors.com/series/bravecto <- bunch of studies on Bravecto.
The ones I've read have been saying there were no negative effects(related to the Bravecto) and it works better than Frontline on fleas and "non-inferior" on ticks.

Anyone have any links to information on Bravecto(fluralaner)? Mainly about Safety and Effectiveness?


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

I'm sort of alarmed by an internal product that kills ticks for 3 months!  

I just bought Seresto collars. I think I'll start a separate thread because I haven't heard much about them.


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## CircaM (Aug 20, 2013)

Willowy said:


> I'm sort of alarmed by an internal product that kills ticks for 3 months!
> 
> I just bought Seresto collars. I think I'll start a separate thread because I haven't heard much about them.


Start one and I'll jump over there and post some links I found on it.


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## xoxluvablexox (Apr 10, 2007)

I just watched the most horrible video a couple days ago of a cat having seizers after have sergeants put on it. It was really heartbreaking. 

I use k9 advantix II. I previously used frontline without issue but my vet was saying that ppl were complaining about it not working and switched over to recommending the advantix. I've never had a problem with either working for me but the advantix is actually cheaper (not by much, but still lol) and apparently works better so that's what I'm sticking with for now.


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## Spirit_of_Cotons (Jun 21, 2009)

I believe my dog was allergic to the Fipronil that is in almost all flea/tick medications. There's a flea/tick medication called Simple Guard 3 and it's been working well. You could also try that if the others don't work. Good luck.


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## aero4ever (Jan 18, 2007)

I use Frontline Plus on mine because I take mine out to the woods every morning and ticks are a huge issue. Had used K9 Advantix up until about 5 years ago. I had used that on all my dogs for about a year and then one day Shiloh had a neurological issue with it and had to be hospitalized, thankfully he recovered.


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## luv mi pets (Feb 5, 2012)

CircaM said:


> I read about Bravecto yesterday from the FDA ( http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm399546.htm )
> But I've never heard about Fluralaner (The active ingredient).
> 3-month protection from oral administration that works better than anything else? Sounds almost to good to be true; and that worries me.
> 
> ...


Of course the sales rep who was in yesterday said the product was great and in the trails people were disappointed when they could not get the product anymore and had to go back to what they were using. I am sure just like anything else that hits the markets, people will use it wrong or an animal that has some problems will experience a reaction to the product and the people will blame the product.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

I've used Frontline in the past with good success. In some areas of the country fleas particularly seem to be developing some resistance to it, so ask your vet about your area.

This year I'm using NexGard. My dogs swim and/or get bathed a lot in the summer, and it's just way easier/more convenient not to have to time a topical around that stuff.


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## luv mi pets (Feb 5, 2012)

sassafras said:


> I've used Frontline in the past with good success. In some areas of the country fleas particularly seem to be developing some resistance to it, so ask your vet about your area.
> 
> This year I'm using NexGard. My dogs swim and/or get bathed a lot in the summer, and it's just way easier/more convenient not to have to time a topical around that stuff.



Let me know how you like it. I would use this product for the same reasons you stated. It seems so much easier to give them something to eat and be done with it.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

So far so good, it's prime tick season here right now and so far I haven't found any *knock wood*. It did give Maisy diarrhea for a day afterwards the last time I gave it, but she didn't feel crummy and it went away on its own, so for me it wasn't bad enough to not use it again.


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## cookieface (Jul 6, 2011)

I was just looking at the NexGuard web site and it only mentions the American dog tick, not other varieties. Does it prevent/kill deer and other types of ticks?


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## sandgrubber (May 21, 2014)

These problems vary greatly by geography, and are best discussed in terms of the active ingredient(s) rather than the product name...cause lots of brands use the same chemicals.
I'm in an area of Florida where Fipronil products have almost no effect on fleas. So Frontline or all the generics at half price are useless. 
We mostly have the Lone Star tick . . . in great abundance. Both Preventic (amatraz) and Seresto (Imidacloprid + Flumethrin) collars have been effective for me in keeping ticks off. . . .for many months. I am very impressed with modern collars for tick control. They seem to have gotten very good at developing a slow release compound that is is taken in through the skin. 
I had a horrid episode of seizures that nearly killed my old girl from a Premethrin (sp?) based spot on. I put it on two dogs, and I think the old girl licked the pup and ingested the stuff. In any case, it is a nerve poison and can be dangerous. I will not use anything that contains premethrin or related compounds.
I'm still looking for something that is really effective for fleas and doesn't cost an arm and a leg like Trifexis (spinosid+milbemycin). Spinosid should be cheap . . . formulations for insect control in organic farming are not expensive . . . but so far dog formulations only seems to be available in $1+/day medicines. The Soresto collars I've got on at the moment seem to reduce the flea problem, but not eliminate it. I presume this means fleas will develop resistance, and effectiveness will drop.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

cookieface said:


> I was just looking at the NexGuard web site and it only mentions the American dog tick, not other varieties. Does it prevent/kill deer and other types of ticks?


Labeling is weird. A lot of times products are capable of things that they can't be labeled for until they jump through some regulatory hoops, even though it makes no sense whatsoever that a product would kill one species of tick but not another. 

I'm having a vague memory I can't confirm that they are either just about to get approved to be able to label for deer ticks, or they just did, or something. Anyway, I'm personally confident that it does actually kill deer ticks.


ETA: If I didn't have neck-grabbing wrestlers in my house, I'd probably try the Seresto collars. But those things would last about two days on my dogs before they got torn off.


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## cookieface (Jul 6, 2011)

sassafras said:


> Labeling is weird. A lot of times products are capable of things that they can't be labeled for until they jump through some regulatory hoops, even though it makes no sense whatsoever that a product would kill one species of tick but not another.
> 
> I'm having a vague memory I can't confirm that they are either just about to get approved to be able to label for deer ticks, or they just did, or something. Anyway, I'm personally confident that it does actually kill deer ticks.
> 
> ...


Thanks, good to know. That makes sense, but sometimes nature is weird, too, so you never know.


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## sandgrubber (May 21, 2014)

I don't like the note in the NexGuard ads: "Use with caution in dogs with a history of seizures."


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Many drugs lower the seizure threshold in dogs who are known to have seizures disorders like epilepsy. It doesn't mean they're going to cause seizures in a normal dog. 

Having said that, there are so many options for products these days that you're not stuck using any one in particular if you're uncomfortable with it.


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## Miss Bugs (Jul 4, 2011)

Not sure if you can get it where you are but in my area Tick Off is the prevention of choice tickoff.ca, its proven, all natural and totally safe. I have friends who live on farms and the ticks here are AWFUL..like set foot in a feild and 20 ticks will be running up your legs... every last one of em told me to instead of the chemical drops because since they started using it insread of the chemicals, they have not found any ticks on their dogs. I just bought it for the first time so I can't give a big personal recommendation but so far so good.... I took my dogs hiking last week and have spent the last week pulling 20-30 ticks off my dogs every day..I applied the tick off on thurs night and yesterday I only found 5 ticks(total) so it apppears to be working.


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