Tick & Flea Treatment

[Zeela]

I have been giving Zeela, the chewable pill, Simparica for the past 3 months. Only after 6 mos. old can they take it. I heard it is one of the best protection out there as of right now. Just wondering what works for you? It's news here, that we have a bad tick infestation.

 

[April Nicole]

I use Oster flea and tick shampoo once a month. That's it. Never had a problem w fleas or ticks. It works for us. Never used a topical or oral flea solution besides the shampoo. A neighbor where we previously lived had a Yorkie. At the time we had Buster our EM mix. The poor Yorkie next door was plagued w fleas. It had hot spots and was constantly scratching. They used frontline religiously, but it didn't work. Then they started trying everything they could. She stayed w the fleas. Our yards actually connected to theirs. And my once a month shampoo on Buster worked. He never had one flea. Sophie has never had fleas. And I have yet to find one on Logan. I hope it continues to work.

We even traveled in an rv for husband's job, went to lots of different rv parks in different states. Never got fleas.

 

[TylerDurden]

I have been giving Zeela, the chewable pill, Simparica for the past 3 months. Only after 6 mos. old can they take it. I heard it is one of the best protection out there as of right now. Just wondering what works for you? It's news here, that we have a bad tick infestation.

We have been using the same. It is really expensive for gigantic dogs. We have been giving flea/tick and heartworm prevention. I can‘t really tell if it‘s necessary. The vet highly recommended to give all year long, and I‘m not qualified to question it. Do you use anything for worm prevention?

 

[Jarena]

We use Simparica and Sentinel. I’ve honestly been too afraid to research them too much. There’s horror stories about everything now. The more I google, the crazier I get lol.

 

[TylerDurden]

We use Simparica and Sentinel. I’ve honestly been too afraid to research them too much. There’s horror stories about everything now. The more I google, the crazier I get lol.

Agreed. There is so much misleading information about everything. It‘s hard to figure out what‘s reliable, as not even medical professionals seem to agree on certain things. I really trust in the experience of people on this forum a lot. Other than that, I have to rely on my vet.

 

[April Nicole]

I use this herbal heart worm preventative for Sophie. So far it works. No side effects.

 

[Jarena]

Agreed. There is so much misleading information about everything. It‘s hard to figure out what‘s reliable, as not even medical professionals seem to agree on certain things. I really trust in the experience of people on this forum a lot. Other than that, I have to rely on my vet.

Same here! This forum has been a life saver! I trust opinions on here, these are real people that have lived and learned and share their experiences.

 

[Zeela]

We have been using the same. It is really expensive for gigantic dogs. We have been giving flea/tick and heartworm prevention. I can‘t really tell if it‘s necessary. The vet highly recommended to give all year long, and I‘m not qualified to question it. Do you use anything for worm prevention?

Yes, heartworm is essential. I give her the pill once a month. I forget what kind. I'll get back to you on that. Tick & flea treatment is necessary too. I pay $15 for each pill once every 30-35 days and I only use it now between March - maybe November (warm falls). The winters months are not as necessary for the flea & tick prevention.

 

[Zeela]

I am not a big believer in natural remedies.

 

[TylerDurden]

I always feel bad about the amounts I have to give. It feels like giving a three year old the dosage of a grown man. The combination of him being a "baby“ but outweighinh me will always be strange. There probably is no need to feel bad...

 

[Zeela]

I always feel bad about the amounts I have to give. It feels like giving a three year old the dosage of a grown man. The combination of him being a "baby“ but outweighinh me will always be strange. There probably is no need to feel bad..
no need at all.

 

[Zeela]

I always feel bad about the amounts I have to give. It feels like giving a three year old the dosage of a grown man. The combination of him being a "baby“ but outweighinh me will always be strange. There probably is no need to feel bad...

sorry, it didn't post correctly. No need at all to feel bad.

 

[April Nicole]

I am not a big believer in natural remedies.

I am. They work. Most modern medicine is derived from natural sources. I learned about natural remedies from my kids being sick constantly! It was around 2010, my kids repeatedly had strep throat. They were on antibiotic after antibiotic. It created a super bug w my daughter and she ended up w pneumonia. She was on an antibiotic at the time for strep and had to take a second more powerful one. Then because of all the antibiotics, she developed C-dif. A resistant bacteria in her intestinal tract. I was at my wits end. I learned all I could about herbs. I found that garlic, cayenne, and echinacea treat strep throat. Garlic is a natural antibiotic. So herbs and vitamins can cure and prevent illnesses, but they have to be used properly and with care. I am happy to say my kids have not needed antibiotics in 8 years. My youngest has never even had an antibiotic. Just to add. I think antibiotics are life savers, and definitely necessary in some situations. And I would opt for antibiotics if needed. They are just over used. I also know some people over do the natural products and believe you can't use anything else. I disagree w that view as well.

 

[Boxergirl]

I try to be as natural as possible, but heartworm is not one that I'm willing to mess around with. I don't do year round preventive. I'm in NW Indiana, not far from Chicago, and we have hard freezes in the winter. I only do preventive from about May until October. I do make sure I test every year before starting preventive again. I don't do anything for fleas or ticks, as they've never been a problem. Food grade diatomaceous earth is a good alternative to pesticidal products for intestinal parasites and for treatment of the yard. It can also be rubbed in the coat for fleas as long as you're careful that the dog doesn't inhale the powder.

April Nicole, how often do you have Sophie tested for heartworms? I would consider a product like you use for the other six months of the year, if your girl is testing clean every year.

 

[TylerDurden]

I am. They work. Most modern medicine is derived from natural sources. I learned about natural remedies from my kids being sick constantly! It was around 2010, my kids repeatedly had strep throat. They were on antibiotic after antibiotic. It created a super bug w my daughter and she ended up w pneumonia. She was on an antibiotic at the time for strep and had to take a second more powerful one. Then because of all the antibiotics, she developed C-dif. A resistant bacteria in her intestinal tract. I was at my wits end. I learned all I could about herbs. I found that garlic, cayenne, and echinacea treat strep throat. Garlic is a natural antibiotic. So herbs and vitamins can cure and prevent illnesses, but they have to be used properly and with care. I am happy to say my kids have not needed antibiotics in 8 years. My youngest has never even had an antibiotic. Just to add. I think antibiotics are life savers, and definitely necessary in some situations. And I would opt for antibiotics if needed. They are just over used. I also know some people over do the natural products and believe you can't use anything else. I disagree w that view as well.

Thanks for sharing. I would typically agree with Zeela, but I‘m open for a combination of traditional and natural treatment options. Certain situations require strong medication, but if not absolutely necessarily, I would always be willing to try the natural route first.

 

[Zeela]

I am. They work. Most modern medicine is derived from natural sources. I learned about natural remedies from my kids being sick constantly! It was around 2010, my kids repeatedly had strep throat. They were on antibiotic after antibiotic. It created a super bug w my daughter and she ended up w pneumonia. She was on an antibiotic at the time for strep and had to take a second more powerful one. Then because of all the antibiotics, she developed C-dif. A resistant bacteria in her intestinal tract. I was at my wits end. I learned all I could about herbs. I found that garlic, cayenne, and echinacea treat strep throat. Garlic is a natural antibiotic. So herbs and vitamins can cure and prevent illnesses, but they have to be used properly and with care. I am happy to say my kids have not needed antibiotics in 8 years. My youngest has never even had an antibiotic. Just to add. I think antibiotics are life savers, and definitely necessary in some situations. And I would opt for antibiotics if needed. They are just over used. I also know some people over do the natural products and believe you can't use anything else. I disagree w that view as well.

I agree, antibiotics are over used. It's just what works for you. I do not give Zeela anything other than flea & tea & heartworm & of course her rabies. Ticks are a real issue for dogs & humans so preventive medicine is what I feel strongly about. My friend uses only natural sprays on her dog like tea tree oil & her dog comes home loaded with ticks. her dog & mine have ran together in the same woods & I have not found one tick on Zeela nor my previous dog. It's just my 2 cents.

 

[Zeela]

In NJ, we have an infestation of ticks & fleas are a problem as well. I know people who have gotten lime disease from being bitten by tick, the deer tick I think it is called. If I go in the woods, I cover up. I can't cover Zeela up just give her the preventive treatment.

 

[Zeela]

& I am considering not hitting the woods this season, it's just hard with a big dog who needs to run.

 

[Zeela]

& I am considering not hitting the woods this season, it's just hard with a big dog who needs to run.

We have alot of deer here. They are in our backyards and I live in a suburban area, most everyone I know including myself has hit one on the highway & we always got to watch on our motorcycles. a friend of mine ran over one on his harley on the highway, how he didn't go down was insane. anyway, so ticks are a real issue for us even in our back yards.

 

[April Nicole]

I agree, antibiotics are over used. It's just what works for you. I do not give Zeela anything other than flea & tea & heartworm & of course her rabies. Ticks are a real issue for dogs & humans so preventive medicine is what I feel strongly about. My friend uses only natural sprays on her dog like tea tree oil & her dog comes home loaded with ticks. her dog & mine have ran together in the same woods & I have not found one tick on Zeela nor my previous dog. It's just my 2 cents.

I agree w you completely. If it doesn't work, then I would move on to something that does, even if it's not natural. We use the Oster shampoo and it's a pesticide. I only use natural things that work. I tried tea tree oil for poison Ivy a couple of years ago, and it did NOT work for us. Someone suggested it. The only thing that worked was the calamine. Your friend needs to try something else, to me the ticks are worse than being exposed to pesticide.