Question About Flea Meds

[craftymip]

Recently my cat got fleas. We put some Hartz onespot flea medicine on her. However, the fleas are still there. I am thinking of getting a stronger medication that kills instead of just preventing and controlling, but I am not sure if it is possible to over medicate or if it is ok to mix two different flea medicines. Thank you so much!

 

[Furballsmom]

Just a quick question that might take care of things so you wouldn't have to go the route of meds, can you bathe her and then clean everywhere she's been spending any time? I hate fleas and the dang things can be challenging to eradicate. I hate the chemical controls just as much but sometimes you've got to do what's necessary. In my opinion, it is possible to overmedicate but I'm one of those who is completely paranoid about such things. I'd give your vet a call regarding mixing two flea medicines just to double check. Thank you for caring about your furbaby. Hang in there!

 

[pushylady]

Hartz flea medication has a very bad reputation and I personally would never use it. And I definitely would not ever mix two types of medications like that. IMO flea meds are quite potent chemicals so I only ever use them cautiously. We get Advantage from the vet, and only use it in the months that are necessary (here in Canada will be different from where you live though).

 

[Kieka]

I also do not use Hartz. I won't use any chemical based flea medicine, bath or treatment that isn't expressly recommended by my vet and I have done a search online for "(medicine) deaths". Honestly and sadly that search will always pull some results but depending on how many you can tell the relative safety. Everything will have some risk to it. Even trying all natural (an ironic term if you really dig) treatments aren't guarantee of safety or efficiency. Tea tree oil for example is highly effective on fleas but also deadly to cats.

Advantage is the one we use and probably one of the safest on the market. I know other people do options like Damascus earth with some success. Or, if the cat is indoor, bathing the cat and using a flea comb plus deep cleaning the home. It really depends on the specific situation.

For me, I have one allergic to fleas and they have access outside. We limit treatment to the warmer months and as needed so usually it's 6 treatments a year. But we do have to use Advantage because the natural remedies just aren't effective enough for the situation.

 

[Furballsmom]

I've heard about using diatomaceous earth, too. I guess it can be a bit challenging to handle even outside as it's dusty, but again, eradicating the little nasties is of course the goal. Best of luck!!

 

[Yanaka]

We get Advantage from the vet, and only use it in the months that are necessary (here in Canada will be different from where you live though).

I use Advantage, too. But not every month. I'm interested in how you decide when to treat your cat(s)?

 

[Furballsmom]

Say, I meant to mention; I have had some luck with a home-made flea deterrent where I've taken a teeny teeny amount of avon original skin so soft and diluted that with a lot of water. Then I dip my fingers in, wipe most of that off and rub around his ears and the top of his neck. The idea is to get some on him, just enough that effects the fleas without him being able to ingest any when he's attending to his personal hygiene/licking .