| Preventing fleas and ticks Indian Hills Animal Clinic Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Long summers and short, mild winters combine to make Alabama both a recreational heaven as well as an ideal home for many parasites. Long-term flea and tick control is attainable for our pets, our homes, and our yards, with the once-a-month topical treatments. For felines the choice is Frontline Plus. For canines, Frontline is quite efficacious and Advantix provides a new choice for owners. |
| Frontline Plus, with the active ingredients fipronil and (S)-methoprene, is a favorite here at Indian Hills Animal Clinic. Applied once a month directly to the skin, Frontline is an effective way to break the reproductive cycle of fleas in your yard. Given the right environmental conditions, flea eggs can remain viable for more than a year. Frontline sterilizes adult fleas when they feed, making it impossible for them to lay more eggs. Thus, maintaining a pet on Frontline keeps your yard and your pet's bedding from becoming a breeding ground. Ticks are killed when they attempt to feed off of your pet. The ticks die, dry up and fall off. If you have an immediate problem with adult fleas, either in the home or yard, it is recommended that Frontline be supplimented with the Capstar adulticide pill in the short-term, until the problem is under control. Frontline Plus is available for cats and dogs in three- and six-month supplies. Manufacturer discounts are often available so be sure to inquire when you visit Indian Hills. |
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| Advantix |
| Bayer's latest addition to the plethora of products available for parasite control is Advantix, a once-a-month topical (applied to the skin, like Frontline). In addition to preventing the infestation of fleas -- by killing adults and larvae which attempt to live on your dog -- Advantix also repels and kills ticks and repels mosquitos. Just as do ticks and fleas, mosquitos carry disease which can be transmitted to your pet; they are more than a mere nuisance! Advantix strikes at all three types of parasites and in doing so helps prevent the spread of Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, ehrlichiosis, and West Nile virus. WARNING: Advantix is for use on canine pets ONLY!!! Not for use on felines or other mammals! The unique physiological make-up of cats make them unable to metabolize some of the compunds used in this product. |
| FAQ: I'm using a preventative but still find fleas and/or ticks on my pet. Why isn't the product working? |
| Recent research suggests that the use of tick adulticides and repellants increase an outdoor pet's chances of staying healthy. Many of the diseases transmitted by ticks do not immediately pass from the vector to the host: the tick first must attach itself to the animal then begin to inject the site with saliva, after which the tick begins to draw sustenance. Depending upon the stage of hunger or fasting of the tick and the location of the viral agents in the tick's digestive tract, there is a period of time between the initial bite and the flow of active infectious agents into your pet. If the tick can be repelled or neutralized during that window of opportunity, your pet can be protected. If your pet is outdoors, a preventative is a must. |