Dog flea control -- Sentry Natural Defense and/or flea traps?

[goodhors]

Some other ideas are to spread the insect granules outside, which help prevent ticks, fleas, other things growing in the yard to infest your pets. We had terrible fleas last year, spreading the granules helped break the breeding cycle of the insects in preventing them reinfesting animals to bring bugs inside.

I do a program of bombing the house with foggers on each floor level, washing dog bedding, mopping vinyl floors, to prevent fleas in the house or get rid of any that snuck inside. I wash ALL throw rugs, along with dog bedding, on a weekly basis, with setting off the foggers every two weeks (over a six week spread) to kill newly hatched fleas. It has been a pretty successful program here for keeping fleas gone. Dogs and cat get washed every two weeks, removing any fleas on them.

I HATE bugs walking or jumping on me, so pets are NOT allowed to sleep in bedrooms or on the beds here. Sure is helpful if you do get a flea infestation to not have animals “sharing fleas” with you in your bed! That just grosses me out. Our only carpeting is in the bedrooms, so no pets there means much less chance of fleas there too.

Flea prevention is work, you have to keep at it. I don’t use the spot-on stuff. If I can’t put my hand on it for petting dog, I sure don’t want it on my dog’s skin.

Thanks for the Comfortis recommendation. Never heard of it before. I will ask the Vet about it. What is a high Ivermectin dosage, to not be able to use the Comfortis? The large dog gets a dose of liquid once a month, very tiny syringe for 80lb dog. The other dog gets a pill for Heartworm, no Ivermectin with his Sheltie breeding. I did go to Capstar last year with the terrible flea problem, but only did one dose each before we had things under control again.

Does anyone know of an inexpensive DNA test place for checking if a dog is able to take Ivermectin without bad results? My small dog is a Sheltie mix, so we have just avoided the Ivermectin for heart worm “because Collie heritage” means they all are going to have problems! I asked the Vet about the DNA testing, he said it would be over $200 to check. The pills he takes are $17 each, so that adds up too with monthly doses. The big dog does the Ivermectin liquid, only costs about $18 for the whole season! Would be nice to find a cheaper heart worm preventative. DD has 2 Blue Heelers (collie heritage), is on a tight budget, so testing hers could save some money for treatments.

Thanks for all the information and help.

[rememberthenight]

http://horsetesting.com/Canine/Genetic_Disease/MDR1.asp Has it for $55

[Beckham03]

The Seresto collars have been a big hit around here.

Try another vet or get an RX if your vet has never heard of Comfortis.

[Beckham03]

With Collie breeds it’s a specific gene mutation you are looking for in regards to the ivermectin. It is most common in Border Collies. Not all of these dogs have it. One of the neurologists at work showed me research papers that showed even with the mutation, it was higher doses of ivermectin tin that affected them, such as treatment for mange. Not the amount in heartworm pills.

Edited to add i see someone found the gene test already!

[DressageFancy]

Have you considered having your yard professionally treated for flees?

[Simkie]

Guys, this is a seven year old thread I assume the op has figured out her flea problem by now!

[goodhors]

[QUOTE=rememberthenight;8663964]
http://horsetesting.com/Canine/Genetic_Disease/MDR1.asp Has it for $55[/QUOTE]

Thank you for this link! Price looks reasonable for testing our dogs. I never would have found it myself. Actually I never checked the post dates to see this was an old thread. So this is new information on Comfortis which I had not heard of.