Do you keep your dogs inoculated against rabies?/Flea-tick protection?

[TomTeriffic]

I saw the film Cujo and have determined that rabies shots for dogs are a good idea. It can prevent many bad things from happening.

One more question about dogs. Do you like Frontline for fleas and ticks? One online source had Frontline for dogs at $145 for 12 doses. That's $145/year to treat one large dog. Is there a similar product that works just as well that's thriftier even?

I found one source that says Frontline might not even be good for dogs' health and suggests natual alternatives:

Natural Alternatives To Frontline

In this article, we are going to look at some of the reported side effects of Frontline and recommend some natural, safer alternatives to Frontline.

doggroomingnearme.com

 

[Sam Colt]

Never insult a man's dog. Your grandfather said he'd shoot it. Of course dogs prefer to be shot with .308 as a .243 is more of a cat round. That said, I'm more of an old time purebred man, myself. Always looking for a classic old savage husky.Don't like a dog without a finely engraved collar. No sir.

 

[tjones]

I saw the film Cujo and have determined that rabies shots for dogs are a good idea.

I watched Outbreak the other night and determined I don't want a monkey for a pet.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Dip the dog in permethrin.

Kidding. We went to Parastar topical and it's worked well for ticks. No ill side effects and not one tick all season. Hat tip to @VikingsGuy for the suggestion.

 

[TomTeriffic]

I did a little more research and there are these all-natural flea/tick tags that are supposed to last 12 months. The are some called Spectra Shield and Only Natural Pet. They seem much cheaper than Frontline but are they worth a hoot for flea/tick prevention?

 

[TomTeriffic]

Dip the dog in permethrin.

Kidding. We went to Parastar topical and it's worked well for ticks. No ill side effects and not one tick all season. Hat tip to @VikingsGuy for the suggestion.

Parastar is pricey stuff too.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Parastar is pricey stuff too.

Yeah, but it's cheaper than treating your dog for disease. My dogs are worth it, like, 80% of the time.

 

[npaden]

Not going to save anything over Frontline, but Bravecto actually works. We used Frontline for years and it did okay but you could tell when it was wearing off and even when first given it didn't really kill the ticks. Bravecto lasts for 3 months per pill and since we have switched to it we haven't seen a live tick period.

 

[Bambistew]

I don't normally recommend you move to Alaska, but no issues with heart worm or ticks here.

 

[Redman]

A picture is worth a 1000 words...or so I have been told.

 

[Gr8bawana]

I did a little more research and there are these all-natural flea/tick tags that are supposed to last 12 months. The are some called Spectra Shield and Only Natural Pet. They seem much cheaper than Frontline but are they worth a hoot for flea/tick prevention?

Just paint it with bug proof paint.

 

[TomTeriffic]

Not going to save anything over Frontline, but Bravecto actually works. We used Frontline for years and it did okay but you could tell when it was wearing off and even when first given it didn't really kill the ticks. Bravecto lasts for 3 months per pill and since we have switched to it we haven't seen a live tick period.

Back in the early 1970's, everybody's dog and cat in the family wore Sergeant's or Hartz flea/tick collars and then when the tags came along those were used. Those flea collars were smelly. Back in the day, late 1990's on up, when I owned a pair of Labs, Frontline was used and I later on realized I had paid an arm and a leg from buying it at the vet's office. I did not have Internet to shop for things back then. I did not get a computer and Internet of my own until 2005. Slow-to-adapt boomer but I digress. I have not owned dogs since 2004 because of financial situations. My two black Labs had to sadly be rehomed then. I'm considering getting back into dogs again. I've been out of the net for a long time regarding dog care and the cost of dog care. In the future, I want to avoid chemicals/poisons for flea-tick control altogether if I can. Google is now telling me there is all-natural stuff on the market these days and those non-tox flea/tick tags seem a lot thriftier than Frontline and topical stuff like it. The question is do those all-natural thrifty tags keep the nasty fleas and ticks away as well as monthly topical stuff. Outdoor dogs/hunting dogs/retrievers are often exposed to water so we need products that are not hurt by water for effectiveness. Until I discovered Frontline in 1999, I was pulling ticks out of my dogs with tweezers every day during wet weather. The Frontline did work magic for my swimming retrievers. Never hide nor hair of any tick or flea with Frontline on guard. I think I was then paying about $10/month per dog for Frontline protection back some 18+ years ago. The vets always recommended it then and they were making a profit on it no doubt. Nowadays it's even more expensive, even from online vendors, and I question it for safety as I'm now finding out it may have bad chemicals in it.

 

[TheTone]

Not going to save anything over Frontline, but Bravecto actually works. We used Frontline for years and it did okay but you could tell when it was wearing off and even when first given it didn't really kill the ticks. Bravecto lasts for 3 months per pill and since we have switched to it we haven't seen a live tick period.

Bravecto for my dogs. The amount of dead ticks I pulled off mine after they had a dose was unreal!

 

[recon6036]

Bravecto for my dog. Like others said, it works well

 

[TomTeriffic]

I might just TRY things out until I find the least expensive thing that actually works. Like working up a handload for match shooting or big game, work up a total pest control regimen for your domestic animals. This includes keeping kennels and bedding pest-free. I used to hear wash dog's kennels, houses and bedding with lemon Joy dish soap years ago. Don't let your wallet take any more "recoil" than it needs to take to get it done. Always attack the premise when considering something new. WHY do I need this? Ask yourself if there's something less costly and/or safer that works just as well if not better? I want to spend my money as efficiently as possible.

 

[Gellar]

I might just TRY things out until I find the least expensive thing that actually works. Like working up a handload for match shooting or big game, work up a total pest control regimen for your domestic animals. Don't let your wallet take any more "recoil" than it needs to take to get it done.

I was nervous, I thought you were working up a hand load for your dog as the cheapest alternative.

 

[HighDesertSage]

I watched Outbreak the other night and determined I don't want a monkey for a pet.

Yeah but a pet monkey would pick the fleas and ticks off your dog for you. Probably for free. Might even eat ‘em.

 

[MarvB]

Hmmmm…HDS makin some sense here

 

[Trial153]

A good bought of rabies never hurt anything, builds character

 

[hank4elk]

I use Frontline on Rio,once a year. He rarely gets a flea and I've only found 1 tick on him. He is always on rabbits & prairie dogs which are covered in fleas.
I rarely find a flea or a tick on NM elk. Do they use frontline?