Flea Control

Liberty 50 Spot-On for Dogs Review

Admin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:03:41 +0000

Manufactured by Star Horse, Liberty 50 Spot On for Dogs is flea and tick treatment that claims to also eliminate lice, mites, and mosquitoes.

Star Horse claims that their product, which consists of 50% Permethrin and 1.2% Pyriproxyfen, is “one of the safest pest control products on the market.” According to them it outperforms competitors by killing flea eggs and larvae for up to eight weeks and outlasts them with two additional weeks of tick protection. It also claims to be able to kill lice and mites unlike its competitors. Well, at least that is what Star Horse claims Liberty 50 Spot-On can do. Actual reviews are hard to come by.

However, while there aren’t many reviews for Liberty 50 Spot-On, there are plenty of reviews on Permethrin, the active ingredient found in this product. Unfortunately, the Environmental Protection Agency is more closely regulating over-the-counter pesticides such as Liberty 50 due to an alarming increase in flea and tick control related deaths and illnesses. Cats are highly intolerant to Permethrin, and the company makes it clear that Liberty 50 should not be used on cats. Despite the clear “no cat” warning, they fail to mention that the National Resources Defense Council implicates Permethrin as a carcinogenic agent with the ability to disrupt the endocrine system in humans. It is also a possible contributor to asthma and alleries. The EPA also points to negative side effects in pets such as skin irritation, loss of appetite, and vomiting.

Moreover, reviews over BioSpot, a flea and tick treatment that contains 45% Permethrin, validate the EPA’s concerns. Yes, these reviews are not specifcially on Liberty 50, but they illustrate Permethrin’s side effects and indict Liberty 50′s safety claim. Many reviewers indicate that upon first use, their pets appeared to be fine, with only a slight drop in appetite or mood; however, after several months of treatments, several pets began refusing to eat for long periods of time, vomiting, and itching. Many reviews also attest to an irritating skin rash immediately upon application of the product. Several reviewers complained of its failure to work for more than a few weeks.

Permethrim is a pesticide proven to have ill effects on humans and animals, and Liberty 50 Spot On for Dogs contains more Permthrim than other medications. It may by half the price, but the savings are not worth the harm.

Treatments for Flea Allergy in Dogs

Admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:14:58 +0000

The most important treatment for treating flea allergy in dogs is to rid your pets, home and yard of fleas. Ongoing flea control is the backbone to a happy and healthy dog, and fortunately there are many safe products on the market today that can provide relief to your pet and treat the flea infestation in your home and yard.

Start by providing your dog some relief. Give him a bath with a quality flea shampoo or flea dip to kill any and all fleas currently living on your dog. The ones that contain oatmeal are especially beneficial for dogs with sensitive or allergy prone skin. Follow this up by applying effective flea drops like Advantage or Frontline Plus to kills fleas on contact so that your dog can avoid being bitten again. Products like these are ideal in aiding to prevent new fleas from attacking and causing anymore allergic reactions. Finally, flea control pills and regular grooming of your dog will also help prevent any infestation problems from reoccurring.

Next, begin treating your home. There are numerous items on the market today that treat and kill fleas inside your house. Our favorite are flea powders because they can be easily applied to your carpet and used each time you vacuum. Additionally, flea sprays can be used protect hard to reach areas, sofas and pet bedding. Another option growing in popularity are electronic flea traps because they are a completely green remedy and pesticide free.

Finally, don’t forget to address your yard. Your dog must make multiple trips to use the bathroom outside daily. Without treating your yard, the changes of becoming re-infested are extremely high. There are multiple flea control solutions for the yard but our favorite is Diatomaceous earth for fleas. It is not only the safest, but likely the cheapest and most environmentally friendly option you will find.

If the flea allergy is bad, a visit to the vet is likely necessary. Your vet will then decide what would be the best treatment for your dog, whether it be prescrition topical ointments, medicated shampoos, steroids, antibiotics, and a fatty acid supplement that replaces the dogs natural oil within the skin.

High-Tech Flea Trap Review

Admin — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:51:58 +0000

In the never ending battle against the overwhelming onslaught of flea infestations, consumers are in desperate need of an environmentally conscious, organically safe alternatives. The High-Tech Flea Trap is the latest weapon in that prodigious war, but is it the one that can meet the call to arms, while remaining economically green?

Coming directly out of the laboratories of Kansas State University, the High-Tech Flea Trap utilizes a unique, patent-pending technology. A specially designed, optical light source, bathes the infested room with an intermittently variable, pulse of green light which no flea can resist. Drawn inexorably to the light, the fleas land on a custom made, (replaceable) sticky pad and get caught. Powered for temporary usage on AA batteries, the device can also run continuously, plugged into a 6volt power supply. With its 1ft x 1ft, low profile, the High-Tech Flea Trap can be set up inconspicuously and will attract and kill all free moving fleas out to a range of 40 feet, clearing a room overnight. Once the fleas are gone, it folds up for easy storage. No polluting chemicals, no toxic powders, pet and family safe, easy to set up and it runs silently. But you don’t have to take our word for it.

“It really does trap fleas!” one buyer was moved to declare. Customer reviews agree, that the High-Tech Flea Trap is worth its weight in dead fleas. Although a larger device then some were prepared for – “This item arrived and it is bigger than I had imagined . . . It is not unobtrusive in my decor, but not unattractive either.” – it masterfully performs, coming clean on all its claims – “. . . went on our morning walk. When I returned, I checked the trap and it had caught 6 fleas!” While still others were more focused on the safety features – “I love the fact that there are no nasty chemicals to worry about, for my kids or my pets.” Without a doubt, consumers are pleased with the High-Tech Flea Trap’s performance.

Completely non-toxic, free of chemicals or pesticides, with a state of the art, non-invasive technology that can run cordlessly in any room, all while silently capturing an army of fleas, makes the High-Tech Flea Trap one of the best investments a pet owner can make. Highly recommended!

Symptoms of Flea Allergy in Dogs

Admin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 02:50:56 +0000

Most dogs will get bitten by fleas in their lifetime, but how do you know if your pet’s reaction is normal or a symptom of flea allergy?

If your dog has one or more of the following symptoms, you will need to address the flea problem and give your pet some relief. If the symptoms are severe, take your dog to the veterinarian as soon as possible.

Dogs that scratch excessively at specific areas on their bodies may be responding to flea bites to which they are allergic. If the hair in these spots comes off, or appears to be broken, that is an even more tell tale sign of a flea allergy. Often there will be redness and swelling in these areas as well. In addition, dogs with flea allergies might have parts of their bitten skin erode or crust over, and sometimes will even have bumps similar to human pimples. In most severe cases the skin will thicken and darken in clumped areas where several flea bites have occurred.

Body areas that are commonly affected are along the dog’s legs, especially the hind ones, and the tail base. Wherever a flea bite occurs, though, an allergic dog will have a physical reaction. The bite sores themselves are usually circular and deep pink to red. When they become oozing and appear to be painful for the dog, medical attention is necessary. These areas are called “hot spots”.

It is important to understand that the flea bite itself does not do the worst damage to the animal. Most of the above symptoms are actually caused by the dog’s excessive scratching or biting at the bothered areas. Accordingly, topical treatments for the irritated skin, such as medicated shampoos and lotions, as well as actual medicines, like steroids and antihistamines, will only relieve the symptoms caused by the dog’s reaction. In order to truly eliminate the problem and save the dog the discomfort, you must get rid of the fleas that are biting.

Once again, if your dog shows any of these symptoms it is imperative that you get him relief quickly. We highly recommend taking him to a veterinarian as soon as possible. The vet will first do tests to confirm the diagnosis of a flea allergy and then suggest the best measures to take from there. In addition, you will want to browse this site for advice on getting rid of the flea problem as well.

Program Flea Pills for Dogs

Admin — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:48:21 +0000

Manufactured by Novartis, Program Flea Pills for dogs put an end to fleas by preventing their eggs from developing.

Sold as beef or pork flavored tablets in packages of six, dogs four weeks and older must receive one tablet each month to prevent flea infestations. Treated dogs then secrete natural oils containing the drug onto their skin, killing the flea eggs. Program has shown to be safer than other flea treatments such as sprays or dips that expose other pets and their owners to harsh insecticides.

Reports of the flea pills are plentiful with the vast majority of current users being extremely pleased with the results. Several customers praised Program to us as reliable flea protection even with multiple dogs in a single home. It did not matter whether the dogs spent their days indoors on the couch or roaming the woods; no fleas were found. Long-term users often commented on their pet’s favorite flavor of tablet and that after years of use they had not seen a single flea on their dog or in their home. An additional positive side effect of this flea prevention program is how much relief it provides to pets who are suffering with severe skin irritations from constant fleabites.

Because it prevents eggs from developing rather than killing adult fleas, the few dissatisfied users of the product were generally mistaken and were expecting immediate results. While the manufacturer does provide a list of possible side effects that include allergic reaction symptoms such as itching, hives, red skin and vomiting, very few users report their dog experiencing any allergy problems caused by the flea pills.

Program Flea Pills are a non-prescription medication and on average, a single package will cost approximately $40. Program Flea Pills for Dogs are effective at breaking the flea life cycle when administered monthly without the chemical harshness of other flea control products.

Adams Plus Room Fogger Review

Admin — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:29:50 +0000

Manufactured by Farnam Pet Products, Adams Plus Room Fogger was designed to eliminate insect infestations while ensuring the health and well being of family pets. That said, it is extremely important to follow the directions and evacuate your family and pets prior to and for the specified time after use.

The fogger can be purchased as single six-ounce sprays or in a pack of three. It contains Precor, an Insect Growth Regulator, or IGR in addition to Methoprene, Permethrin and other ingredients. The product claims to kill both adult fleas and pre-adult fleas as well as ticks, spiders, ants and cockroaches.

There does not appear to be a consensus among users regarding the product’s stated effectiveness. Most users appeared to be extremely loyal to the pet-friendly Adams brand and mentioned they had used various Adams products over the years with great success. Those who were pleased with the spray, mentioned that the full effects would not be realized until one to two days following application of the product. For them, the dead bugs they found laying in their home were proof positive that the fog had worked.

One technique of successful extermination was to blast the rooms with fog, wait three months and then blast the rooms again in an attempt to kill the fleas in various life cycles. Pleased customers also mentioned that the fog left no undesirably strong odor and caused no damage to furniture or appliances in the home.

On the other hand, some users claimed to us they followed the directions to the letter and even allowed more time than recommended for the fog to work and yet did not see the results they were expecting. Some indicated to us that it was the clogged spray can that had failed and not necessarily the fog itself.

A single six ounce Adams Plus Room Fogger is intended for use in a 30 x 25 room with an 8 foot ceiling. Room dimensions exceeding this would cause the fogger to not perform as indicated on the can. We recommend this product only if you have a severe flea infestation, otherwise try to get rid of fleas in the house with these methods first.

Sergeant’s Yard and Premise Flea Spray Review

Admin — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:09:08 +0000

Sergeant’s Yard and Premise Flea Spray is a broad-spectrum insecticide intended to keep your yard, pets, and landscaping free from common pests.

The spray is packaged in concentrate form with a hose-end sprayer for easy application around the home and yard. Using the potent insecticide bifenthrin, Sergeant’s Yard and Premise Flea Spray target fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, ants, aphids, tent caterpillars, and many other common pests for up to six weeks after application. Because bifenthrin is an insecticide, it’s safe to use on roses and other delicate plants.

Unlike products that are designed for use on pets, this is a preventative treatment specifically designed to keep your lawn and landscape free from fleas.

Overall, users report Sergeant’s Yard and Premise Flea Spray whole-yard treatments to be highly effective. The hose-end sprayer attachment has fittings that are sturdier than most of the competing brands and bifenthrin is the same pyrethroid insecticide used by the leading residential pest control brands. Some users of this product have even reported results lasting longer than the six weeks suggested by the label.

This spray is especially beneficial in tropical climates and warm regions where chiggers, mites, and cockroaches can be particularly problematic. According to the package instructions, one 32oz bottle treats approximately 2667 square feet, which is the average size of a small suburban lawn. This product is not designed to treat every corner of a half-acre lawn rather it is intended to treat the area immediately surrounding the house. When applied to the foundation, the insecticide forms a barrier that prevents all types of pests from entering your home.

Sergeant’s Yard and Premise Flea Spray is a do-it-yourself pest control spray that is highly effective at preventing and eliminating troublesome pests that affect your pets. For best results, this spray should be combined with other flea and tick control products for your pets and indoors. Like all chemicals, this product is hazardous if used incorrectly. To reduce the risk, keep pets inside and avoiding spraying when there is significant wind.

Natural Flea Pills for Dogs

Admin — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:30:34 +0000

Safe and quite possibly the best alternative way to treat a flea problem, natural flea pills for dogs means that no chemicals go into your dog’s body.

If your dog is infested with fleas, they can cause it to become ill and uncomfortable, its coat may lack luster and your dog may not get the necessary nutrients it needs to be at optimum health.

Therefore, it is a good idea to use these products regularly not only because they are a much safer option than pesticides, but also because you want your dog to stay healthy.

If left untreated, fleas will infest your home and create a perpetual circle of re-infestation that will eventually cause a lot of damage to your dog’s health and become very hard to get rid of in your home.

Some of the Best Natural Flea Pills for Dogs Include the Following:

Only Natural Brewer’s Yeast & Garlic Tablets – These tablets are made from the natural ingredients of Brewer’s Yeast and Garlic. Fleas and parasites do not like these ingredients and will abandon their home – your pet. In addition, Brewer’s Yeast is an ingredient that has nutritional value and will benefit your pet. It has amino acids, and Vitamin B complex. The garlic is an antimicrobial/antibacterial agent, it strengthens the immune system, and helps fight parasites in the digestive tract. It is safe for your dog.

Another excellent natural product is Four Paws Brewer’s Yeast with Garlic Tablets. With the same benefits as the above mention brand, it contains minerals, vitamins, nutrients, and natural proteins to promote a healthy coat and control excessive shedding. The garlic acts as a flea deterrent as well. It is safe for your dog because it contains the right amount of garlic. Beware of cheap brands that will not regulate the garlic amount, as it may be dangerous to your pet.

NaturVet Brewer’s Yeast & Garlic Tablets – This product contain the same garlic and brewer’s Yeast ingredients that have nutritional value and serve as a flea deterrent. It also comes in a peanut butter flavor formula and even a formula for cats and dogs, if you happen to have multiple pets. It is also very affordable at under $10 for a 500-count bottle.

PetGuard Yeast & Garlic Wafers – For a delicious natural way to deter fleas and promote your pet’s health. These wafers are water-soluble and are design to be given to your dog as treats throughout the day, as they should not be stored. Pets up to 20 pounds should get two wafers daily. From 20-30 pounds, four wafers, and beyond, six wafers a day. This product also comes in powder to mix with food. The company uses human grade quality ingredients on this product. This product is affordable retailing under $20.

There is no question about loving your dog, however, sometimes we miss those good products in the market that will help our companion get rid of annoying fleas. The natural flea pills above will not only deter fleas from infesting your dog but will provide nutrition as well.

Advantage Flea Control Side Effects

Admin — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:13:10 +0000

Advantage Flea Control is a topical medication, that when administered monthly, protects both dogs and cats from fleas. However, while Advantage is one of the safer and most popular flea treatments, it is still composed of chemicals that can have negative side effects on your pet’s health if not administered correctly.

The most common side effect of Advantage is irritation. In some dogs and cats, it can cause the area of the skin on which the medication was applied to become red, slightly swollen, and itchy. Additionally, after application of the medicine, a pet’s fur may remain oily or give off a slightly medicinal odor. While these side effects may cause discomfort, they should disappear within a few days after application.

Additionally, in rare cases Advantage may cause a few changes in your pet’s behavior. There are scattered reports of pets becoming lethargic, losing appetite, or become hyperactive after application. However, in studies conducted on Advantage Flea Control, lethargy, loss of appetite, and hyperactivity were only evident in 0.8% of dogs tested. These side effects lasted anywhere from one to ten days in those animals tested.

Many of the side effects caused by Advantage Flea Control are due to wrongfully applying the medication. This flea treatment is only to be applied topically, and is not safe for consumption. When the treatment is consumed it can cause drooling, depression, weakness, muscle spasms, dilated pupils, and panting. This product may also cause irritation if it comes into contact with the eyes. However, thoroughly flushing the eyes after contact will be able to limit irritation and remove the product safely.

Properly Use Advantage Flea Control to Minimize Side Effects

Advantage is highly effective and rarely produces side effects if administered correctly. Pet owners should be sure to carefully follow the instructions that are included with the treatment while applying the medication to the animal. This includes only applying flea control treatments that are specifically designed for your pet’s species. For example, Advantage for cats should not be applied to dogs, as the reverse is also true.

As the instructions clearly state, Advantage is to be applied at the scruff of the neck, where an animal will not be able to lick or remove the treatment. In addition, this product is not to be applied to pets that are pregnant, sick, underweight, or under 7 weeks of age, as it may cause adverse reactions. However, when properly administered, Advantage Flea Control is a great treatment for keeping your pet flea free.

Vectra 3D Flea Control Review

Admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:47:24 +0000

When choosing a flea control product Vectra 3D flea control seems to be popular, but it depends on who you are. Although proven to work, there are also claims that this Summit VetPharm manufactured product could be dangerous to smaller dogs and cats.

Vectra 3D flea control has three main ingredients Pyriproxyfen, Dinotefuran, and Permethrin. Many dog owners have reported that they are happy with the product, but many others like us are concerned with Permethrin being very dangerous if you have cats or smaller dogs.

When ingested by cat who grooms your dog, Vectra 3D flea control medicine can make the cat extremely sick. Also readers have reported to us that smaller dogs like tea cup and miniature dogs may have adverse reactions to Vectra 3D. We suggest that if you have two or more dogs like many of us, then you may want to avoid this product because you don’t want them grooming each other and ingesting the medicine.

Vectra 3D flea control is actually cheaper that other brands by about $10 to $15. The application is much easier, but we would suggest wearing gloves when applying any meds to your pet. Included with the Vectra 3D are helpful stickers to put on your calendar to help remind you when it is time to reapply. Summit VetPharm makes a whole family of Vectra flea control products for both cats and dogs. While veterinarians may suggest Vectra 3D, what we’ve found did not meet our expectations and we’re not all that sure this company has your pet’s health as their top priority.

Vectra 3D flea control can only be bought through your veterinarian. Once again, if you have a small dog or cat we do not recommend using this product just to be on the safe side. Fully discuss any questions you have with your vet and make sure whether this is the right flea control medicine for your dog. Vectra 3D flea control does kill the fleas and also protects against mosquitoes and ticks, but there are definitely safer options out there.