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Ask the Veterinarian/Flea control and scratching.

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Expert: - 6/16/2010


Question
I've got a 1/2 Chow, 1/2 Black Lab and I've used everything from Sentinel to Avantix to get rid of the fleas on him and no luck with any of them. He's scratched the fur off his read end and looks horrible with the bloody scratches from digging himself. Getting him into a bathtub nearly requires sedation, so I'm really upset what to do to help him.

Answer

flea_lifecycle
Well you certainly have one hairy dog! How long was he on Sentinel for? I have been using it for over 15 yrs and I have not one flea on my property nor have I for over 14 yrs. It takes a good year to get rid of the fleas but after that even the ones the wildlife drop don't last long.

My pets are indoor/outdoor so if they were going to get them they would but they are all flea free. You have to use this product for at least 6 months to see a change.

Since your dog can't wait that long the products we recommend the most are from Ovitrol. Ovitrol spray, yard spray and bombs will kill the first three stages of a flea's life cycle, the flea, the eggs and the larvae. You cannot kill the flea in its cocoon so you have to hit them again in two weeks with the knock down spray. Ovitrol is an IGR, or insect growth regulator. It stops fleas in the stages that you have the biggest problem with and cannot even see- in your rugs, floorboards, dog bedding and shady spots in your yard.

You need to call around and find a vet that sells all three of the above, the spray for him, the bombs for the house and the yard spray to kill what's outside. Only then can you get a handle on these fleas.

Believe me, Ovitrol works great! I had clients come back and want to kiss me they were so thrilled. One lumberjack had a dog like yours and had spent over $85 on black flag bombs etc only to have the flea laugh at him. One treatment with three foggers (bombs) and his fleas were gone. He also sprayed the dog and then started him on Sentinel as well.

So get some Ovitrol, spray a rag if he freaks over the spray and really wet it and wipe him down from head to tail tip. The fleas will bite him as they die and he will itch but he will then be much better. Do this outside because the fleas jump off as they are dying as well.

We have used Ovitrol flea spray since 1980 and have the best success with it.

Here is some information for you about the life cycle of the flea and the flea pyramid to show you how the adults are only the tip of the iceberg:

http://www.ah.novartis.com/cab/en/dog_fleas_lifecycle.shtml


I hope this helps and I hope you can find relief for your boy. You might want to ask the vet about getting him on some prednisone for a short while to help with this digging and scratching until he heals from the flea bites.

Good luck and please let me know how he does or if you have any other questions about the products of fleas.

Ovitrol can even be bought on Amazon.com!
http://www.amazon.com/Ovitrol-Plus-Flea-Spray-Trigger/dp/B000EMWMJG

http://www.amazon.com/Siphotrol-Yard-Spray-32-oz/dp/B000KNKHVE/ref=pd_sim_k_3  

Jana Connell RVT, CVT

Expertise

PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!

Experience

I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina. I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.

Organizations
Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.

Education/Credentials
Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT. Certified Veterinary Dental Technician Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).

Awards and Honors
Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.

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