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Comfortis/Trifexis vs. Vectra

This forum is for dog lovers seeking everyday advice and suggestions on health-related issues. Remember, however, that advice on a public forum simply can't be a substitute for proper medical attention. Only your vet can say assuredly what is best for your dog.

  
Dr. Watson

Not a wiener- dawg!		 
 
Barked: Wed Jul 11, '12 11:28am PST 
Frontline Plus is not working for me at all. After 3 treatments, we are overrun with fleas on the dogs and in the house. I have washed all the bedding and our sheets, which includes couch coverings, in hot water multiple times, vacuumed with change of bags, etc. I am going to use a bug bomb and spray the base boards with a synthetic pyrethin spray from the vet. I will remove the dogs, the cat, and the people during this.

I am loathe to spray the yard unless there is a natural (pyrethrin, perhaps?) spray to use as we have always been natural/organic outside. AFAIK, the dogs are picking up the fleas from the park used by other dogs, although the yard might well be infested now.

Dog, that is a long intro to my flea problems!
My vet carries Vectra but will write me a prescription for either Comfortis or Trifexis. One dog, Rolo, can't take Trifexis because he is on the long-term (shelter-endorsed) form of heartworm treatment.

Any idea which I might have more success with? And any ideas on a natural yard spray?

Thanks so much in advance!
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Tanuk, CGC

Sherpa Tanuk of- Everest		 
 
Barked: Wed Jul 11, '12 12:22pm PST 
We're on Trifexis right now and I'm very pleased with it, no chemicals to spread to the cats or other critters and zero fleas or ticks seen (though technically it's not marketed for ticks). Personally, Vectra scares me because it's SO chemical heavy, and if you google it lots of mixed reviews come up. Many vets in our area even refuse to carry it, so that's enough for me.

As for the yard, Bayer and other companies have started making a more environmentally friendly yard spray. Cruise around Home Depot of Lowe's and you should be able to find one of them. Another option would be sprinkling DE, but I personally have not used that. I'm extremely allergic to mosquitoes, so we always have to treat our yard.
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Okami- Amaterasu

I shalst- pluck-eth ze- toy...		 
 
Barked: Wed Jul 11, '12 3:27pm PST 
I'm having the exact same flea problem Watson. And it's bad. I took Okami for a walk several days ago in the evening, and we were literally attacked by tons of gnats. There must have been thousands of them out there. Anyway, I'm sure she also picked up a crap load of fleas as well, but the thing is she's been on Trifexis.

It had worked really well for a while now (cept for ticks of course), but now it's not working anymore, and note that she wasn't due for another pill for another two more weeks confused. The pill is supposed to kill the fleas as soon as they bite...didn't work for these guys.

I'm rather irritated by this actually, I need to safely wait another two weeks before I try something else (I'm going to try Advantix this time) and now I'm doing everything else I can to rid the fleas in a natural way.

You may have better luck with the Trifexis, but I am sorely disappointed right now -.-
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Honey

Honey,		 
 
Barked: Thu Jul 12, '12 10:31pm PST 
Honey had always been on Interceptor and when it "departed" the shelves for the time being I had to decide on something else. I considered the trifexis, butgdecided agaisnt it for several easosns.

First, Honey ararely gets a flea and when I find one or see her sratching, I give her a comfortis and that is that.--oh, Frontline, Advantage, etcstopped working down here long ago. We have not had ticks around here in ages. so all the protection Honey needs is the occasional flea

AND since she does need it on a monthly basis (unsually about 3 or 4 times a year is al she gets comfortis), I didn't want her to put something into her body not needed. Also, they told me they had more dogs with reactions (mostly gastric) to the Trifexis than to the heartgard, so I elected to go Heartgaurd and give her the Comfortis ony when needed.
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Kale

Its A Husky- Thing,You- Wouldnt- Understand		 
 
Barked: Fri Jul 13, '12 1:07pm PST 
I don't like putting chemicals on OR inside my dog. I sprayed my yard with an IGR (insect growth regulator) which is non-toxic to animals and childern and safe to also spray in the house. It will inhibit the larva and eggs from developing. I put Cedarwood essential oil on Kale's collar to repel the flea. (Lavender and Tea Tree oils works amazing as well, but if you have cats I would recommend against Tea Tree due to cats being sensitive to it)It won't kill the adults but repel them. If you have a tick problem, Rose Geranium Essential Oil works wonders. Have been flea and tick free for a long time now, even during the spring when the fleas are at their worst. *Nylar and Archer are both safe IGRs

Edited by author Fri Jul 13, '12 1:07pm PST

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Charlie

Mini Hound		 
 
Barked: Sat Aug 4, '12 2:07am PST 
My dog has a flea allergy and Frontline, Advantage, Advantix, Pet Armor, nothing worked anymore. Since one flea bite is enough to start the chain reaction my vet asked me to give Vectra 3D a try. She applied it 5 days ago and there is no flea on him anymore. I am very impressed. His skin can finally start to recover dancing I keep my fingers crossed that it stays that way! That's a product the flea does not have to bite first to die smile
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Member Since
02/01/2013		 
 
Barked: Fri Feb 1, '13 5:42pm PST 
Aren't Comfortis and Trifexis (both use the same flea ingredient) toxic in combination with Heartgard?
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Trixie

Lookin' Pretty		 
 
Barked: Fri Feb 1, '13 7:07pm PST 
Vectra 3D stopped working to repel/kill ticks after about a week. I never saw any fleas on Trixie, but she is long haired and so it's hard to tell unless more than a few fleas are running around. I can say though, that we kept finding engorged ticks on her with the Vectra 3D, even when we bumped up to the higher dosage box the next month. We applied the product properly, and she was not bathed and did not go swimming.
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