K9 Advantix???

[georgelopez66]

Does anyone use or have experience with this product? Just wanted to get some opinions. Thanks.

[Sharon]

I've used it for many years and been very satisfied with the tic control etc.
I always start the year with Advantix and if the ticks are not around come August I switch to Advantage which is half the price.
I use it from May to when the ground freezes hard. Hard to say when that will be in Ontario any more.
I have 3 dogs living in the house so I don't take any chances with fleas/ ticks.

PS There is no heartworm preventative in Advantix.

[mcbosco]

its very popular on the east coast where ticks are probably a bigger problem than fleas, never heard anything negative, supposedly repels flies and mosquitoes too.

it has permethrin in it, which bothers cats so if you have a cat you should check whether there is any risk in your house

i use frontline only because i always have

[birddog1968]

Good stuff but too expensive. I use Adams spot treatment its cheaper and available at Target or Online.
also use adams shampoo for ticks and fleas. Adams makes very good products at a much better price.

[Shadow]

could be it does for heartworms also-

I've been using Frontline Plus for years- seems to do the job once a month- I don't stop in the cold weather
I buy from Gun Dog Supply- use the 3 pack for 89-132lbs and split it up- cat gets it also- cost is $39.00

[SubMariner]

Does anyone use or have experience with this product? Just wanted to get some opinions. Thanks.

K9 Advantix has done quite well by us since we have fleas, ticks AND mosquitoes to worry about pretty much all year round. The ticks have especially been bad this year. Because we run our dog in conservation land daily, we are always checking him for ticks & fleas. Haven't found a single flea. Any ticks that we miss usually wind up dead within a day.

You can get decent pricing online if you check around. I also understand this is a generic available through Lion Country or someone similar, but don't quote me... you'll have to follow up on your own on that one. In the end it's very cost effective because you don't need to supplement it with any other treatment/shampoo.

JMHO,

[Ayres]

I was using Frontline Plus for years, but found it had a problem really keeping the ticks off my dogs. I switched over to Advantix and noticed a difference right away. The one knock I have on Advantix, though, is that it stays greasy a little longer than the Frontline. With Frontline, I could dope 'em at night and they'd be fine to pet on the back by noon the next day. With Advantix their backs stay greasy for a couple days after application.

This year we had really bad horseflies too. The Advantix helped with that, as the flies just didn't bother the dogs as much after we switched.

[Shadow]

sounds like proof that Advantix is a bit better-
wood ticks can be a problem- woods are scarce arround here
interesting what you said about flies-
might just switch in the spring- do you also give heart worm meds or count on the Advantix

[SubMariner]

sounds like proof that Advantix is a bit better-
wood ticks can be a problem- woods are scarce arround here
interesting what you said about flies-
might just switch in the spring- do you also give heart worm meds or count on the Advantix

I know you were probably asking Ayers, but I thought I'd chime in too. Yes, we use heartworm meds as well as the K9 Advantix. I know that the larvae are transmitted through mosquito bites which the Advantix is supposed to prevent/repel, but why take the chance? Cheap insurance, IMHO.

[Sharon]

My vet recommends both too.

[Bigsur009]

Agree with everything said by both Ayres and Submariner. Advantix works great on ticks, fleas, and mosquitos if you don't have cats around the house, but it stays greasy a lot longer than others. That being said, its our choice. We also use a monthly heartworm preventative as extra insurance.

[Shadow]

was thinking something along the line of Advantix did for heartworms, fleas, and ticks- that's why I asked- guy up in Minnesota said he was having no problems

must be something different

[Rick Hall]

I'd sure not count on Advantix for heartworm prevention. Dogs using it down here still get covered up in mosquitoes. It may help with 'em, but it won't hold them all off for long.

[phermes1]

We use heartguard for heartworm protection. When it comes to heartworms, I wouldn't trust anything topical. I want to make sure they get the full dose.

We don't use flea or tick medication unless we start having a flea or tick problem, which is very rare. They'll pick up ticks on occasion, but we're pretty good about checking them after each run and removing them fairly quickly. I think we've had one flea problem in the past 6 years.

[mcbosco]

even in Florida, that's impressive. same thing in NJ I haven't see a flea in years and I use Frontline sparingly. ticks, though, we see them in march and then they go away.

[Ayres]

Ivomec monthly and Safegard quarterly for heart- and intestinal worms. Over and above the topical stuff. I usually quit using the flea/tick preventative from November through March, when it isn't needed. Never stop using the heartworm meds though.

[Shadow]

We use heartguard for heartworm protection. When it comes to heartworms, I wouldn't trust anything topical. I want to make sure they get the full dose.

We don't use flea or tick medication unless we start having a flea or tick problem, which is very rare. They'll pick up ticks on occasion, but we're pretty good about checking them after each run and removing them fairly quickly. I think we've had one flea problem in the past 6 years.

I lived just south of Tampa for awhile a couple years ago- one of mine tested positve for lime desease- swatting myself for not useing preventive medications

I've been using Ivemectin for Heartworms for years- pro trainer convinced me
a guy up north was convinced the pill he was giving his would take care of everything- that's why I asked

[mcbosco]

the topical treatments like K9 and Frontline are the best way to prevent lyme and ehrlichiosis, the lyme vaccine is not effective, saving money on off-brands or the cheap stuff at the feed store is just not worth the risk, JMO

in an older or weak dog ehrlichiosis can be serious

[Sharon]

Good point to bring up Ehrlichiosis. No Brown Ticks or Lone Star Ticks in Ontario thankfully.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm ... 01&aid=430

[mcbosco]

brown and wood ticks are the dominant ticks where I live, at least the ones you can see...we have pulled several "deer" ticks off the kids and sent them to Rutgers as required but they came back as nymph brown and wood ticks.

if i had gone into science as a career i definitiely would have studied parasites, they are so cool....now i deal with financial parasites instead... :roll:

[Sharon]

LOL I work at the jail. Need I say more about parasites. :roll:

[phermes1]

I lived just south of Tampa for awhile a couple years ago- one of mine tested positve for lime desease- swatting myself for not useing preventive medications

I've been using Ivemectin for Heartworms for years- pro trainer convinced me
a guy up north was convinced the pill he was giving his would take care of everything- that's why I asked

Bottom line - flea prevention is a poison and I'd rather not put it on my dogs if I don't have to.

Besides, recent studies have shown a possible link between flea and tick medications and bladder cancer. Whether that's really the case or not, I'm not sure - just relaying what I've read.

[Shadow]

if you'd rather not put it on your dogs- that's your choice- good luck

[mcbosco]

i agree with you on this, even when I do use Frontline, like when the dog is boarded, i am not happy about it or the fact i have to be current on Bordatella, luckily Lepto is not required.

[phermes1]

Besides that, ticks need to be on the dog 1-2 days before it can transmit lyme disease. I have a very attentive wife that doesn't let them stick around for that long.

[mcbosco]

that 100% true but you cant find a deer tick on a dog they are too small..unless you have eyes like Superman.

there is a very interesting school of thought that parasites tend to attack animals that are physically compromised in some way....probably thought up by raw-feeding nut jobs like me

[phermes1]

that 100% true but you cant find a deer tick on a dog they are too small..unless you have eyes like Superman.

If my dogs looked like your dogs, I would agree with that.

[mcbosco]

yeah he has a little more coat lol but still deer ticks are smaller than a poppy seed...it is possible for lyme to be transmitted from larger ticks but here its pretty rare...come on how does your wife find deer ticks on a dog?

[phermes1]

yeah he has a little more coat lol but still deer ticks are smaller than a poppy seed...it is possible for lyme to be transmitted from larger ticks but here its pretty rare...come on how does your wife find deer ticks on a dog?

All I can tell you is that she's found some awfully small ones, and besides that, we have never found an engorged tick on one of our dogs. So they're either living their entire life cycle on the dog without us noticing, we find them and remove them, or they never get attached in the first place.

[mcbosco]

http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Orig ... 4_3852.jpg

[phermes1]

http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Orig ... 4_3852.jpg

Yes, I've seen them before. They are not hard to find on our dogs.

[Ayres]

http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Orig ... 4_3852.jpg

Yes, I've seen them before. They are not hard to find on our dogs.

I would agree. It's more difficult to spot them on our shorthairs, but on the vizsla it's really not that hard. A thinner, rust colored coat. Visual and "hands-on" inspection is all it takes. I've removed a deer tick or two, but it's usually the normal ticks (a/k/a Brown Dog Tick or American Dog Tick) that I find.



Also, I disagree with this statement:

the lyme vaccine is not effective

I remember doing a lot of research on that issue several years ago when the topic came up here on GDF (circa 2004 I believe). You can find a study that says it works, and you can find a study that says it doesn't. You can also find a study that says the vaccine causes a dog to actually contract lyme in very rare cases. Most studies concluded that the vaccine was effective for a large percentage of dogs, but just not 100%.

Personally, I give my dogs the lyme vaccine. We've got deer ticks in our area and I knew a woman in my hometown that contracted lyme. Better safe than sorry IMO.

[mcbosco]

this is how i look at the lyme disease vaccine...1) only about 5% dogs infected with bacteria ever display any symptoms of the disease 2) bacterial vaccines like lyme and lepto offer very short term protection 3) If you are aware of the symptoms, Lyme is easily treated with common antibiotics and 4) the risk of the dog getting an untreatable form of Lyme is unacceptable.

Even if the vaccine was 100% effective we are only talking about the 5% going to zero. If 90% of dogs infected actually got the disease then I would agree with you.

[gwgdog66]

I use it with very good results.