Have previously used a flea shampoo on Lucy but wanted to use flea treatment but John is concerned that the 'spot on' treatment that is in the shops may be harmful to greyhounds. Is this true? If so, what does everyone else recommend?
Trish

I get the fea treatment from the vets
I think it works better

Mags

As we know, greyhounds are extremely sensitive to many pesticides. Their bodies metabolize these substances different from other dogs. When treating greyhounds for fleas extreme care must be taken - there is simply no margin for error. The chemical compounds found in various flea shampoos, dips, and sprays can be equally deadly. A good rule of thumb is if the product is safe for puppies and kittens, it is safe for greyhounds.

In order to intelligently launch a campaign against fleas, it is important to understand more about their life cycle. There are four stages: the egg, larva, pupa, and adult. To rid our homes and pets of fleas, this cycle must be broken. If you treat your flea problem only one time, you have wasted your time and money. You may have killed the adult fleas the first time, but the babies left by them will soon be adults, and your problem starts all over! Think about this - a pair of fleas can produce 20,000 fleas in three months!! Yikes! You can see why it is so important to repeat your flea treatment per the directions on whatever product you are using. To read more on fleas and ticks visit Cindy T.Moore'sFAQ/fleas & ticks.

There are even different species of fleas. Two of the most well known are "cat fleas" and "dog fleas." There is really not much difference between the two. They are different species, but they look very much alike. Really, the only way to tell them apart is by using a microscope. In the United States 95 percent of our fleas are cat fleas. Dog fleas live mostly in Europe. The Petview site has more flea information.

Most insecticides can be grouped into one of three families:

Organophosphates - an example is Dursban
Carbamates - example is Sevin

These first two can NEVER be used on Greyhounds.

The third and least toxic is pyrethrin. Pyrethrin is a natural substance derived from the chrysanthemum flower.
Pyrethroids (permethrin, allethrin, and resmethrin) are man-made equivalents. These are strong enough to kill most fleas but have a very low toxicity level for animals (however permethrin should not be used if cats are around).

Others to avoid are the chemicals cythiolate, propoxur and fenthion. (Brand names are Rabon, Baygon, ProSpot, Ex-Spot, etc.) These are over-the-counter products you can buy at any pet store. They are applied monthly to the spine of the dog. These are too strong for greyhounds.
FLEA AND TICK PRODUCTS RECOMMENDED FOR GREYHOUNDS

Advantage® - gives very good topical flea control

Front Line's Top Spot® is commonly used on Greyhounds for both flea and tick control with topical drops

Advantix® - a somewhat controversial flea/tick product but one that has been used very successful in many many Greyhounds. It contains permethrin, so is best not used around cats.

Revolution® - another topical product that combines heartworm, flea, and some tick control, but may seem slow to work

Sentinel® is an oral medication that combines excellent heartworm and intestinal worm protection with luferon, an ingredient that prevents flea eggs and larvae from developing.

Advantage Multi® - combines Advantage with another chemical to provide protection against heartworms, fleas, roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms with a monthly topical application. It does not treat for ticks.

That's what we used when we spotted a couple of fleas on Kell and Lucy. We got it from Pets At Home (where it is held under lock and key). Very effective and no problems/side effects.

If a flea treatment isn't done quickly enough you can end up with real problems with the little beggars lying low in carpets or soft furnishings ready and waiting for your dogs treatment to wear off.

We use advocate from the vets for Quincy. It's 30 pounds approx for three months worth and it treats against all different kinds of things. Mites, fleas, worms and much more really worth it

Karen

Karen that's really cheap. We used to use Advocate as well but we were paying £24 for a single treatment or £54 for a triple pack and our vet recommended 1 treatment per month and with 3 dogs it was quite expensive. Does your vet recommend 1 treatment every 3 months or perhaps they just sell it cheaper than my vet ?

I have used this and it is effective and much cheaper from Pets at Home than through the vets.