Feeling a little done over by my vet

[Karran]

Mrs Spaniel often gets fleas as next door encourages foxes (at least I'm blaming the foxes), I hate the idea of putting the chemicals on her and only treat when I see them.

Bit of a tangent - sorry - but does anyone use the Billy No Mates stuff and would they recommend it? It might be a bit late for this year but maybe worth trying for next?

 

[Nettle123]

We never treat our dogs and have never seen fleas on them and they are not itchy either. I think I would rather give them a flea shampoo bath if it happened. There is a very scarey fb page about Bravecto and the deaths it has caused.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Just out of interest, do you all treat your dogs for fleas even if they don't have them? I understand if you are in a high risk area but I avoid pouring unnecessary chemicals on my dog. Mine never have fleas, why would I treat them? Luckily my vet agrees, but one receptionist (you always get one who feels she is more qualified than her employer) gets quite cross.

never seen fleas on my dog but I do use advocate about every 3 months instead of every month, I use just to prevent really as the dogs next door whom we bump into quite a bit are running alive

 

[MagicMelon]

No, never - my dogs (for whatever reason) do not have fleas and I don't treat them for fleas

Same here. I dont treat for things unless there's an issue. Horrid chemicals in these products so Id never choose to put them on my animals unless I really had to.

 

[Blanche]

We never treat our dogs and have never seen fleas on them and they are not itchy either. I think I would rather give them a flea shampoo bath if it happened. There is a very scarey fb page about Bravecto and the deaths it has caused.

One of my Italian fb friends shared a friends post who had apparently lost a dog to Bravecto. Someone else then said they'd lost their GSD from using it. That friend was Italian too and between my trying to translate what she was saying on her wall and the translation button I couldn't really understand what had happened. I have to say it has put me off using it as I had already heard rumours before about the product. Has anyone who has used it had any problems at all?

 

[druid]

There's massive amounts of ridiculous scaremongering about flea products, similar to the stuff the anti-vaxers trot out.

 

[Alec Swan]

There's massive amounts of ridiculous scaremongering about flea products, similar to the stuff the anti-vaxers trot out.

There's also clear and well founded evidence that some animals can and do suffer horrendous side effects following some treatments. Considering vaccines, I had a mare who was injected with a Flue vax, she went downhill very quickly, I asked my vet at the time if there were any known side effects and he said that "There's a price to pay for everything". He contacted the Vaccine makers who were aware of occasional contraindications, they suggested a treatment which they held in hand, it was applied and she made a full recovery. Whether it cancelled the effect of the offending drug, I'm not sure, I didn't ask!

There are too may cases of negative reactions to animal treatments to simply dismiss them.

Alec.

 

[Hexx]

I only ever treat if I see fleas, or when they come out of kennels.

I have a flea magnet - My Mum! If there were fleas about, she would be bitten about 10 seconds after walking in the door! So, if she is flea-bite free, we are flea free!

 

[druid]

There's also clear and well founded evidence that some animals can and do suffer horrendous side effects following some treatments. Considering vaccines, I had a mare who was injected with a Flue vax, she went downhill very quickly, I asked my vet at the time if there were any known side effects and he said that "There's a price to pay for everything". He contacted the Vaccine makers who were aware of occasional contraindications, they suggested a treatment which they held in hand, it was applied and she made a full recovery. Whether it cancelled the effect of the offending drug, I'm not sure, I didn't ask!

There are too may cases of negative reactions to animal treatments to simply dismiss them.

Alec.

No one is dismissing them? However, the Facebook hysteria doesn't correlate in any way to the number of adverse reactions (and remember those aren't animals which die, they can be as simple as a skin reaction at the site of a spot on) that are reported officially. So someone is exaggerating/bending the truth on these online discussions - they suggest hundreds of dogs have died from Bravecto, frontline etc, if that were true it would no longer be on the market.

I've questioned my own practice closely about Bravecto is oarticular - since beginning to prescribe Bravecto they've not had a single adverse reaction. They're a large multi vet hospital with an orthopedic referral unit so not small numbers of patients being seen

 

[CorvusCorax]

My dog has had an adverse reaction to a spot on treatment (neck went scabby).
I have to get the required vaccinations and treatments to travel otherwise I wouldn't bother with a fit adult dog showing no sign of infestation. If you groom your dog it should be obvious.
When we came back from the continent last year I found four ticks the size of zeppelins in the kennel so not sure how much use they are. And that was despite him being checked regularly. One of the other dogs in my party got a few as well but in more obvious places.
He would be given (non toxic amounts of) garlic and coconut oil in his diet which fleas are not meant to like and I have a little spray made up of tea tree, peppermint and eucalyptus oils which creepy crawlies hate.
I found a flea on me just after I moved into this house a couple of years ago (not in the house) so I did dose the place with Indorex to be on the safe side and haven't seen one since.

 

[PucciNPoni]

No one is dismissing them? However, the Facebook hysteria doesn't correlate in any way to the number of adverse reactions (and remember those aren't animals which die, they can be as simple as a skin reaction at the site of a spot on) that are reported officially. So someone is exaggerating/bending the truth on these online discussions - they suggest hundreds of dogs have died from Bravecto, frontline etc, if that were true it would no longer be on the market.

I've questioned my own practice closely about Bravecto is oarticular - since beginning to prescribe Bravecto they've not had a single adverse reaction. They're a large multi vet hospital with an orthopedic referral unit so not small numbers of patients being seen

Pretty much my experience and thoughts, too

 

[ycbm]

I only ever treat if I see fleas, or when they come out of kennels.

I have a flea magnet - My Mum! If there were fleas about, she would be bitten about 10 seconds after walking in the door! So, if she is flea-bite free, we are flea free!

I could hire myself out! Thin skin, hot blood. We got flea infested kittens and all I had to do was take my shoes and socks off and walk across the carpet to collect them. I did permethrin spray on the carpet (and Pets at Home cheapest on the kittens), dead cheap, and a hoovering every day until there were no more, and not seen one now on cat or carpet for three years There doesn't seem any advantage in the expensive house sprays???

 

[Alec Swan]

No one is dismissing them? However, the Facebook hysteria doesn't correlate in any way to the number of adverse reactions (and remember those aren't animals which die, they can be as simple as a skin reaction at the site of a spot on) that are reported officially. So someone is exaggerating/bending the truth on these online discussions - they suggest hundreds of dogs have died from Bravecto, frontline etc, if that were true it would no longer be on the market.

I've questioned my own practice closely about Bravecto is oarticular - since beginning to prescribe Bravecto they've not had a single adverse reaction. They're a large multi vet hospital with an orthopedic referral unit so not small numbers of patients being seen

You've made more of my post than I intended. I didn't use the words 'dismissing' nor 'hysteria', they're your words. What I said and intended to convey, was that there are 'some' animals which react to 'some' vaccines and flea treatments and that is a simple and undeniable fact. I've no doubt there's a level of hysteria regarding dogs, indeed all pets, which is whipped up via social media and manufacturers promoting their products, but simple common sense will or should, allay most of the public fears, I'd have thought.

As 'some' others, I don't treat for parasites as I never see or hear any evidence of needing to do so, though about 4 years ago, I bought in a cocker bitch who'd just had a littler of pups weaned from her and when I went to see her, she had a bald patch on the nape of her neck and she was terribly thin-coated. I asked the guy why and he said that he didn't know. I asked if he'd ever used Spot-on and he looked surprised, said that he had and that she had exactly the same reaction last year when he'd applied it! It took a couple of years for her to replace her coat in total, which was odd I thought.

Alec.

 

[Nettle123]

I really do not go along with the fb hysteria but if it leaves one more Owner aware of the possible dangers whether it be a skin reaction or death of a much loved pet it can only be positive. I also do not go along with the annual boosters that Vets push for, usually completely unnecessary unless you are travelling or using boarding kennels. A simple test can determine your pets immunity. Obviously not so profitable for the Vet though.

 

[satinbaze]

I use bravecto on both my flatcoats as Tiva reacted to advocate (it have her horrific diarrhoea on 3 consequative occasions) vet agreed this was a reaction to advocate and completed a yellow reaction form to send to the manufacturer. I have not had any problems with bravecto.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I could hire myself out! Thin skin, hot blood. We got flea infested kittens and all I had to do was take my shoes and socks off and walk across the carpet to collect them. I did permethrin spray on the carpet (and Pets at Home cheapest on the kittens), dead cheap, and a hoovering every day until there were no more, and not seen one now on cat or carpet for three years There doesn't seem any advantage in the expensive house sprays???

be careful with permethrin and cats-its toxic to cats in higher doses (it was the Bob Martin permethrin spot on that killed some of cats, it was for dogs but pictured a cat on the packaging).

Quarrie reacts to spot ons so I prefer to not use them-he had Bravecto with no issues. Fitz I have to be careful as he's MDR-1 affected but could have Bravecto/ Advantage etc. Although I should be in tick country I've not had anything bring in a tick in 4 years. so I'll treat as and when I need to-apart form the cats. I would use the collars but mine spend teir time wrestling and they wouldnt last very long!

 

[rara007]

Obviously not so profitable for the Vet though.

I think titre testing per dog would get more? What's the going rate- I know ours is around double a vaccine.

 

[AmyMay]

I think titre testing per dog would get more? What's the going rate- I know ours is around double a vaccine.

£35 a test at my vet.

 

[rara007]

£35 a test at my vet.

For Each test? So £35x4 for the core vaccines?

 

[druid]

The titre test (usually sent to Idexx) covers Parvo, Canine Distemper and Infectious Hepatitis runs about £35-55 depending on where it is sent and the vet's mark up