Question by nt: Flea meds for feral cats?
I take care of feral cats. In the winter, I let them stay in.

Last year, I got infested with fleas. Took lots of bombs to get rid of them.

So, Ive been buying generic frontline for large dogs then using a syringe to put the correct dosage on the cats. The man from the spay/neuter clinic suggested it, says he does it for his cats and that there is no danger whatsoever in using on cats. Dosage is the key.

Been doing it for about 3 months now.

A couple of things…

First of all, my feral don’t exactly “relax” and let me apply it exactly to the skin. I end up doing the best I can but often that’s just rubbing it in their hair as best I can.

Finally, the package seems to suggest you can go 3 months between applications unless your pet has flea allergy dermatitis.

Finally, it says do not reapply for 30 days.

Any comments on practical applications would be appreciated.

Ive been applying it monthly but clearly, every 3 months would be cheaper.

What about the challenge Im having applying it to their skin ? Am I wasting it just rubbing into their fur ?

Thanks.

My main concern is keeping my house from getting infested like last time.

PS I paid $ 17.99 for a pack of Pet Armor Plus for large dogs which comes out to 24.5 ml dosages. 72.33 cents per dose.

Clearly, I can save a lot of money if I can get by only applying it every 3 months.

What about using a lower dosage every month ?

Appreciate any tips & tricks.

Im stocked up for the winter. Plenty of food, litter & flea meds.

Right now, only 1-2 come in for 8-10 hours a day. In the cold of winter, I might have 6-7 of them inside.
I compared the ingredients, its the same.

And yes, most of them WERE ferals. Now they are somewhat tamed but they were feral.

My latest guy….about 3 weeks ago, the first time I ever saw him, he was about 25 yards away. I simply waved. A friendly wave. He tore out like I was attacking him.

Then little by little, I lured him into the garage with food. And then into the house.

Now, he has slept inside about 5 nights so far. Other cats don’t really like him and he has tried to mount at least 2 of my 3 fixed females.

The only ones that aren’t true ferals are the 2 babies of the mama.(the other 2 died for unknown reasons) They were born inside. But I am the only human they know. And they sure don’t walk up to strangers like the house cat across the street. (Well, he stays inside about 8-10 hours a night in good weather)
The fact that mine stay outside more than yours suggests they might need more frequent dosing.

Best answer:

Answer by Laurie
I know that you can use Advantage for dogs on cats but with a completely different dose. Both have the exact same ingredients. I wouldn’t trust Frontline and the Pet Armor Plus to do the same unless you have a list of ingredients for both and find out what the “plus ” means. I apply the Advantage to my cats about 3 times a year as they are indoor cats, but I think that that would also work for your ferals.
To apply, make sure that these are put on the back of the head near the neck. The cats can’t lick it there. Just quickly press in to the skin and squeeze it out. That is the best that you can do.If it does just get on the fur in that area and is rubbed it, I’m sure that it will work. Contain it to the back of the head to prevent poisoning from licking.
Oh, and if these cats will actually come into your house on their own, they are not exactly feral, lol. A true feral wouldn’t even let you get within 10 ft. I caught one in a cage 2 years ago. She lives in my house, won’t have anything to do with me but loves the other 3 cats. To catch her for flea meds or clipping nails is not fun and I suffer the damages. lol.

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Question by Metallic_Rainbow: Dog may have ear infection? Or Allergy from Hartz’s flea collar?
His left ear is really swelled up. There’s some sandy looking yellow wax littering his sensitive skin, inside the ear? And it’s just really painful to look at, though he doesn’t seem to be in any pain.

It showed up after we put in the Hartz flea collar. When we saw his ear, we immediately took off the collar (allergy?), and gave him a flea and tick bath instead. I know we should take him to the vet, but my mother’s work schedule clashes with the veterinarians opening and closing time.

Is the infection(if it is one) that serious, or what? And if so, how do we (my sisters and I) get him to the vet?

Best answer:

Answer by miaugh
The only way to really know if it’s infected or not is to get him to a vet. That it has significant swelling is a problem anyway, even if it isn’t infected. It could be an allergic reaction.

The vet will take a swab of the material in his ear & examine it. It’s always a good idea to stay away from Hartz products though- or any OTC products for fleas, deworming, etc. A lot of them are not safe.

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Question by Hello :-p: Does my dog have a flea allergy?
I wanted to take him to the vet, but my parents are the decision makers and they think it’s a flea allergy and we just need to put bag balm on it and work on getting rid of his fleas.

What happened is we babysat a puppy for a week and he left his fleas behind. We put Frontline on our dog, but he had a round circle of hair loss on his inner thigh, it’s red and he licks it a lot and it doesn’t look good, and when I try to get a good look at it he runs and hides.

My question is, if he had a flea allergy, would it affect just one spot? Or would it be in spots all over his skin? Because right now it’s just one spot.

Best answer:

Answer by GoBlue
uhhh all dogs have flea allergies – that is why they are irritated by fleas…. you need to treat the carpet and furniture in your house for fleas and then throw the vaccum bag away or the fleas will live in your carpet for years. THey can even get in your bed and you can get them. Take him to the vet for a flea dip or to see if its just a hot spot.

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Question by Lance D: My dog constantly wants me to scratch his lower back near the tail…..what could it be besides a flea allergy
I have tried everything to cure this. I have noticed from time to time some dandruff like flakes back there…but she will rub against a fence until she is bloody trying to scratch…..and she rolls on the grass to scratch…..it seems to be just in that area on her back…..I wonder if it is Exczema or some skin condition….or is it JUST flea allergies…??

Best answer:

Answer by Marion
That sounds like fleas. My dog had it – if you look close at the spot, and there’s a small mound of what looks like dandruff, that’s a flea nest.
You’ll want to take her to the vet to see if she needs special treatment.

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Question by john: Help with fleas and flea questions!!!!!!!?
I noticed one of my cats itching frequently about 5 or 6 days ago, but didn’t notice any fleas around the house or my other cat or 2 dogs itching, so I brushed it off as an allergy or skin irritation. A couple days later we noticed some fleas on our OUTDOOR dog. We’ve never had a flea problem before so this is kind of shocking. Once we saw the fleas on the dog I immediately gave the cats flea baths hoping to wash some off just for confirmation that they were even there… nothing. Just to be safe I vacuumed the house again. Then this morning I saw one flea on the other cat.. so this afternoon I went to the vet to get the pill that kills fleas within a day. I waited about an hour and gave them each baths with tea tree oil. I maybe got 5 fleas off each cat total, not very many. I’ve been checking frequently for more fleas and haven’t seen any. I changed all the bedding, spread salt and borax throughout what little carpeting we have (rugs only) and vacuumed what I could reach without heavy lifting and changed the vacuum bag and washed their kitty boxes out. I’ve put on white tube socks and walked the house to see if they jump on the socks and found nothing. I am very disturbed by any sort of bug, so I am wondering what else I can do or if I should even be worrying as much as I am. And I am also wondering if “flea dirt” is feces or eggs? If the “flea dirt” is off their skin should I still be worried about flea eggs or was 1 week enough for the fleas to lay eggs?
Any natural remedies for eggs and for spraying the back yard would be great, if not natural what ever has worked for you. Bombing my house is not an option, nor do I think it’s necessary. Please only personal experiences or what advice from professionals you have received.
One last thing- is it true that only 10% of the fleas in the house are on the pet? Because if I found 10 fleas total, that means there are 50 fleas elsewhere… and to me that just doesn’t sound right.
Thanks!

Best answer:

Answer by s
Don’t know if the claim that only 10% of the fleas are on your pet, but I do know your math is off… You found 10 fleas total, so that would imply 100 fleas if the 10% claim is true… I do know from my own experience that flea eggs can live a long time on rugs and even in the cracks on hardwood floors, so keep vacuuming ….It sounds like you’ve caught the problem before a major infestation, but you are wise to try to conquer it before you do have fleas all over your home… Flea “dirt” is actually flea poop. Eggs are laid on your pets, but fall off in their bedding, along the floor boards, etc. In my experience with fleas, most topical commercial poisons that kill the fleas are so toxic that they made my cats sick… While I know products from your vet like “Frontline/ Advantage” that you apply to the animal’s coat so it can get into its bloodstream/ system are not “organic”, they are the only solution I have ever found that actually breaks the cycle… If you live somewhere that gets hard freezes, that helps, especially if you treat the pets up until the freeze..

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