# Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revolution??



## deyainrdy4ds (May 9, 2010)

*Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revolution??*

our 4.5 month old toy fox terrier puppy is going to be going outside more often now that he's older and had his shots so we've began looking at which flea/tick preventative we want to use??

not really factoring price into it - whichever one is the best is what we want....
an FYI - 1800petmeds.com has a 15% sale right now + 30% Bing cashback (so thats probably where we'll be ordering from)

Frontline Plus seems to be the most popular one
K-9 Advantix has the best reviews on petcarerx.com
Revolution, Sentlinel, Comfortis also got the best reviews on 1800petmeds...considerably better than frontline and k-9 advantix

or anyone have any other options?

anyone have some personal feedback or recommendations??


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

Here's an alternative idea... forgoe the toxic flea treatments that usually don't work, and try something like eucalyptus oil insted. It actually repels rather than letting them on the animal then killing them (hopefully). Use it sparingly, when I do all I do is a dab on each ankel, chest (optional), nape of neck, and top of bum. It is oil based so it stays on the dog even if wet, and u only need the teeniest of amounts to be theraputic. You can also treat your yard with Sevin brand multi insect lawn granules. We do that at the end of frost, and right before the threat of frost at the end of the summer, every year and haven't had a flea issue in the 6 years we've been doing it. 

You have to be really careful what you put on a 4.5 month old toy fox terrier. My TFT is 9 years old so trust me I know. 

My TFT, Benny...










Sportin' his MAN Bling 










TFT's are fun.


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## deyainrdy4ds (May 9, 2010)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

hes adorable! and TFT's are great! theyre so active and compassionate at the same time!

so the natural stuff DOES work? what about ticks though? i saw you mentioned that itll prevent fleas, but im also worried about ticks as im in NJ and its supposed to be a high risk area for ticks


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

Yes it repels a plethora of pests that could assault your dog and actually works (for me anyway in Nw Pa.). Where bouts in Jesey? I grew up in Wildwood.


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## deyainrdy4ds (May 9, 2010)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

so it works vs ticks too?

the otherrrr end of jersey lol bayonne up north


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

Yep ya should be goo up in north jersey with eucalyptus oil. How far away from the delaware water gap is that? I know of bayonne but not to familliar with north jersey geography much past brick.


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## deyainrdy4ds (May 9, 2010)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

about 1.5-2hrs from the gap and about 1.5hrs from Brick i think... im actually gunna be near there in manasquan for the dog beach that i heard is good over there...thought itd be good for his socialization so a couple of friends are bringing their dogs 

any other feedback? the more personal experiences, the better!


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## LindaA (May 25, 2010)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

I use Frontline Plus and have never had a flea or tick problem on my dogs. It is a little pricey compared to some, but it works.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

I've also had good luck with Frontline.


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## jasminesmom (Oct 4, 2009)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

I switched from Frontline Plus to K9 Advantix-we live close to a canal and we are troubled with mosquitoes. It helps keep them off


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## Stephie (Apr 29, 2010)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*



LindaA said:


> I use Frontline Plus and have never had a flea or tick problem on my dogs. It is a little pricey compared to some, but it works.





sassafras said:


> I've also had good luck with Frontline.


I'm in the same boat as these two. Never any issues.


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## Mariane (Jul 10, 2010)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

I used Frontline for years, then stopped in 2008 because it had become ineffective. In my region (France) ticks have adapted to it. 
There is a new Frontline now which my vet recommended. It has a new formula. If you use Frontline make sure you get the new 
formula. 

You can make a natural fleas and tick protection by crushing 5 pealed heads of garlic in 200 ml of water (use the mixer). Boil for 
2 minutes then mix 20 ml of honey in it. Administer one tea spoon per day during 3 weeks, the mixture will keep for 3 weeks in 
the cold part of the fridge. For larger dogs than yours people can administer 2 or 3 tea spoons a day. 

My experience: It works but it smells and most dogs hate it. I tried it on 7 dogs, only one lapped it up willingly, the others hated 
it. My housemates complained of the smell (and, yes, we're French, so for Americans it is probably worse). Still, if you use 
organic garlic it is completely natural and it is efficient, the only problem I have had with it is the smell and all the tricks the 
dogs used to try to avoid it . 

Mariane


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## deyainrdy4ds (May 9, 2010)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

thanks for the responses guys and gals...ive been getting mixed responses as to either frontline or k9-advantix...looks like you just gotta go one way and hope it works or else try the other way....those other 3 dont seem as popular but got the best reviews on 1800petmeds....

i might go with the natural way for now though since hes not out that that much and since hes so young....

when you say "administer"..so im guessing he has to take it by mouth (and everyday?) ? and it smells while youre making it and administering it or does it make the dog smell as well?


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## Mariane (Jul 10, 2010)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

Yes, I mean he has to eat/drink it. I use a large syringe (without the needle of course) and a treat they really like. 
I use the syringe to pour the dose in their mouth, aiming towards the inside of the cheek, and straight after they 
get the treat, before they have time to spit the garlic mixture out. 

The dog will smell a bit, in particular when he has just had it. Your hands will smell if you spill some. Your fridge 
will smell all the time, so the kitchen will smell. I think it's the smell which repels the ticks. 

Mariane


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

You absolutely HAVE to watch giving dogs garlic as it has been known to cause toxic side effects in higher quantites. Frontline has been ineffective for the last couple years as fleas have developed an immunity to it, PLUS it only works if the flea/tick gets on your animal and BITES them so what good is that? It doesn't repel. .


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

Frontline isn't a repellent, but fleas and ticks don't have to bite dogs for Frontline to work, either. It kills them on contact (although they do have to be on the dog).


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## FilleBelle (Aug 1, 2007)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

My family used Frontline for years, but last summer it stopped working. My vet said she'd seen a lot of this: Fleas have built up a resistance to many of the common flea treatments. Now I use Springtime's Bug Off Garlic. It's been about a year now and it works wonders! Haven't seen a single flea on the dog or any flea dirt on his bedding. It also repels ticks, mosquitoes, and flies. Best of all, it's not a chemical poison. It comes from the company in both a granule form and a chewable form. The chewables are liver flavored, but slightly more expensive. Alvin doesn't have a problem with the granules. I pour a little scoop on his bedtime snack and he slurps the whole thing down. His breath smells garlicky for about fifteen minutes after eating.


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## lucidity (Nov 10, 2009)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

I used to use Advantage on Cadence, but recently changed to Revolution. I like that it covers more than ALL the other brands (heartworm, ticks, mosquitoes, fleas, mange, etc.). That way, I don't have to get separate meds for heartworms etc. It seems to be working well for now... and I can get it at a pretty cheap price, so it's more worth it for me than the other brands. I get 6 months' worth for about $40. I used to pay $45 for 4 months' worth of Advantage.


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## MyCharlie (Nov 4, 2007)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

I just googled it and it's actually "Bug Off Garlic" Figured it was a typo but wanted to clarify in case anyone was having trouble finding it!


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

Please DON'T use garlic on your dog...


"Onions and Garlic

Onions and garlic contain thiosulphate, the chemical that makes them toxic foods for dogs. 

If you feed onions or garlic to him regularly, his red blood cells may weaken and literally fall apart. 

The thiosulphate can reach toxic, even deadly levels, if he eats too much of either food.

Without treatment, severe anemias and death can result from overeating these toxic foods.

Humans have an enzyme that allows us to digest onions and garlic (although some people do have digestive problems with them). 

All dogs (and cats) lack that enzyme. 

This can result in vomiting, diarrhea, gas or gastrointestinal pain and distress. 

These symptoms might not appear for a few days, which makes it much harder to pinpoint the poison."


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*



Dog_Shrink said:


> Please DON'T use garlic on your dog...


If you find the study, it indicates that they gave the dogs a HUGE amount of garlic for a week (78 cloves daily!), and when they did a blood test they found changes in the red cells that they thought might lead to anemia if they kept feeding that much garlic on a daily basis....maybe. However, there has never been a real-life case of garlic toxicity in dogs. Cats are more sensitive, and onions are more toxic than garlis in both cats and dogs. There's just no evidence that feeding normal doses of garlic to a dog will cause any ill effects. Here's the link: http://www.springtimeinc.com/t_BugOffGarlicDogs_safety (sure they're the ones who sell the product but they do have study references from the medical journals and all that). 

Anyway, my dogs (and my mom's dog) have been on Bug Off Garlic since March, and I haven't seen a flea yet. Not even on the cats, even though they're not on the garlic. BUT, Toby and Shug are still itchy. So they must be allergic to pollen or grass or something else summer-ish. Ugh. Driving me crazy.


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

the thing with garlic is it BUILDS in the body. It isn't processed and pushed out in any kind of timely manner. It sits in cells and even tho you may only give a small amount daily... it will build and COULD build to toxic levels. Personally I wouldn't want to take the chance on a maybe, could cause toxic effects with anything I put into my dog, but anyone interested should absolutely do more research on the matter of garlic and dogs.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*



Dog_Shrink said:


> the thing with garlic is it BUILDS in the body. It isn't processed and pushed out in any kind of timely manner. It sits in cells and even tho you may only give a small amount daily... it will build and COULD build to toxic levels. Personally I wouldn't want to take the chance on a maybe, could cause toxic effects with anything I put into my dog, but anyone interested should absolutely do more research on the matter of garlic and dogs.


Since clearly YOU'VE done such research, could you post links to your sources?


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## nneessaa (Feb 18, 2010)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

I wouldn't use K9 Advantix. I did some research when one of my dog walking clients asked me which flea product to get. Turns out people had terrible things to say about K9 Advantix. Read this: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080328234252AA83jfw

http://www.dogsonly.org/Woof/toast.asp?sub=show&action=posts&fid=2&tid=29&page=7
http://files.meetup.com/126249/Flea_Tick Treatment Alert Letter.pdf
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2094&aid=598

I have used Advantage for my previous dog for 16 years and my current dog for 1.5 years. I've never had a problem and even though I have dogs staying at my house for dog sitting I haven't seen a flea since I got my dog one and a half years ago.


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## deyainrdy4ds (May 9, 2010)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

idk why i havent been getting emails for these responses like i usually do? but glad to come back to all these responses! i was just going to bump the thread! lol

so i think ill stay away from the garlic just to be safe and it seems like frontline's effectiveness is dying out......Advantage was eliminated for me because it doesnt do anything for ticks, and i realized the same for Comfortis...so i was leaning toward K-9 Advantix but then i just read the links on that last post and now im stumped!.... 
Sentinel seems like it focuses more on heartworm, hookworms, etc....

*so basically whats left is Revolution...any feedback, experience, opinions etc please?*

EDIT - now i read that Revolution only protects against American dog tick and not against deer tick etc....

someone help...i have no idea where to go with this now...


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## FilleBelle (Aug 1, 2007)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

I dunno what to tell you about the garlic situation except that in studies in which garlic was proved harmful to dogs, the dogs were being fed upwards of five BULBS of garlic A DAY. The scoop I give my 70lb dog is smaller than a coffee scoop...I'd say roughly 1/4 of a teaspoon, although I'd have to go look to be sure. I also give him a week off the garlic here and there. I know that is useful for humans who are taking herbal remedies, so I figured it might be for dogs, too. Vets have long suggested garlic and brewers yeast as supplements to ward off fleas and boost the immune system. I have not read anything about garlic building in a dog's system and would be interested to see that information in print. I find it difficult to believe that so many commercial dog foods would use garlic as an ingredient if it had been proven to build to toxic levels in the body.

As with everything lifestyle-related, you should do your own research before you decide on any flea preventative, but I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss garlic. It is especially useful as a pest-repellant when combined with brewer's yeast.

Garlic, The Facts (Specifically states that the concentration of thiosulphate in garlic is easily excreted by the body.)
Garlic for dogs
The Healing Properties of Garlic
some anecdotal evidence


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## nneessaa (Feb 18, 2010)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

Maybe it is the location, but are ticks that big of a deal? I take walks in trails and bushes and I've never seen a tick on my dog. My friends dog had a tick once and I just took it off. There is a low chance of lymes disease (correct me if I'm wrong?). I also know that lymes disease isn't as serious in dogs if caught early and it is easy to catch early. I think the ticks that carry lymes are very small so it is unlikely you will see one anyways and I don't know if the flea/tick meds actually work for this specific type of tick (deer ticks?). I believe what I said here is true... but I didn't do the proper research so I'm not entirely sure.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

None of the spot-ons are terribly effective against ticks. If you have a big tick problem in your area, try a Preventic collar. I hear they work pretty well.


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## DixieDixie (Jul 20, 2010)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

We have 3 dogs and live in Florida... big yard, lots of plants and sand.... We used to use frontline but it just wasnt working anymore. We were plagued by fleas. We tried every natural product we could find... diatomaceous earth, borax, eucalyptus, garlic etc etc etc... 
Our border collie is very alergic to fleas and literally had her back scratched to a bloody mess and the rest of her hair was thin and falling out.
We switched vets and he put all the dogs on comfortis... CRAZY EXPENSIVE... but I can say worth every penny. Fleas dead within about 4 hours... Took about two full months to cycle through all the eggs etc but it probably saved our Collies life. She is back to having a beautiful coat and isn't going crazy anymore... Concidering all the money we spent trying to treat her skin, it is defiantely worth the price. (I've heard some dogs get upset stomachs from comfortis but we haven't experience that)


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## LDMomma (Jul 19, 2010)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

We use Advantix. We tried all the natural stuff first. It doesn't work in FL. We've never had any problems.


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

Here in FL, none of the topicals were working, so went to Comfortis. In a word, WOW! I gave my 3 dogs the monthly tablet for two months, then stopped for 4 months. Still no fleas. When I lived up North (MN), we never had fleas, and never used anything to prevent them. Just didn't happen.


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## jboboxer (Jul 9, 2009)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

frontline plus hasn't been working for me either. For the best results they say to not give you dog a bath for a few days before and a few days after, but read that there were studies that a week before and a week after showed better results. The topical stuff I just find really annoying and not being able to give my dog a bath when I want to, it's not working and then on top of that it's extremely expensive. 

The safest flea treatment is program, which many people aren't familiar with. It's actually what is in sentinel. Sentinel combines program (flea treatment) with inceptor (heartworm) treatment. But you can buy program directly if you just want flea treatment. It's not an insecticide like frontline and most of the others and if you read the studies, it's extremely safe for humans as well.

The problem is it won't take care of adult fleas nor ticks. You can use capstar, which is also very safe treatment for adult fleas, but it will only adult fleas and after 48 hours it passes through the system.
But many people care about the health of their dog and not use insecticide, so a combination of capstar/baths with program or sentinel year long. 

If the insecticides going inside of your dog don't bother you so much as many new ones really aren't that bad, then comfortis has been known for being the best.


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## sagira (Nov 5, 2009)

*Re: Flea & Tick Preventative? Frontline+, K-9 Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis, Revoluti*

I just got my puppy about 6 days ago, so no long track record, but I live in flea and tick country -- southern South Florida. I sprayed Best Yet's cedar oil (store: Cedarcide) spray on her twice already (I'm going to try once a week), and not a single flea or tick on her.. mosquitoes, which are abundant this time of year, avoid her, and us. There's a spray for us too, and the kids can use it too. I'm pregnant and have two children, so I want to avoid harmful chemicals. When I went to the vet and told him I would like to go the natural route with my dog as long as it works, without knowing what product I use, he recommended Cedarcide products. He said his clients have had good results.


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