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Comment by Rachel & Romeo on May 21, 2010 at 12:01am

^^ i should try the oral tablet comfortis when advantix fails but so far so good ;D.

Comment by Geri & Sidney on April 24, 2010 at 2:45am

We've done the merry-go-round of topical flea meds! Started with Advantage, until it stopped working. Switched to Frontline, until it stopped working. We used k-9 Advantix most recently. With any of these, you need to part the fur and apply a few drops right on the skin, in about 4 spots down the spine. I've seen that icky greasy fur when I got drops on the fur instead of on the skin. It goes away with time.

I finally decided, on advice from corgi friends, to get the oral tablet Comfortis. No greasy fur, no worry about applying it wrong or spilling, and it does work! No fleas!

Comment by christy fry on April 23, 2010 at 1:49pm

i used k-9 advantix for a while but my dogs would still have fleas on them and when i read the package i saw it didn't kill flea eggs so i took that to mean unless the fleas bite the dog they wouldn't die...i switched to frontline plus as that kills flea eggs also but doesn't do as many other bugs as the k-9 but i don't live in a real buggy area of the us(I don't know how anyboody lives in the south!!) so it was more important for the flea eggs to die. just remember it's water proof not soap proof so if he gets into something yucky before his next dose time and you need to use soap you'll need to reapply early =)

Comment by Beth on April 23, 2010 at 12:59pm

I wouldn't brush; it will naturally distribute with the oils in the coat. You do want to make sure that you apply it in 3 to 4 spots, and part the hair to get right down to skin.

We've used it for almost three years and not had any problems, and we've never had a flea or tick. All the spot-ons have potential for side effects and EPA is studying them more. I was relieved to find that Advantix was not listed among those that are most commonly purported to cause serious side effects.

Comment by John Wolff on April 23, 2010 at 12:23pm

You might find Joanna Kimball's blog interesting; I think she rants about insecticides in there somewhere. The gist I remember is to read and follow the directions when all else fails, bathe the dog at least 3 days before application because you want the dog basically clean but a certain amount of sebaceous skin oil is desired to distribute the chemical all over the dog' s skin.
ruffly speaking
I work in a laboratory, so I automatically treat all chemicals as dangerous when my brain is on; I wear nitrile gloves to apply that stuff, spill nothing, and I don't nuzzle the dogs or let kids pet them for a few days. Remember that children are generally far more susceptible to chemical insult than adults, and that corporations will sell us anything we're stupid enough to buy (eg., high-fructose corn syrup); it needs only to be safe enough for us tho have difficulty suing them.
We've used Advantiage and Advantix with no obvious ill effects.

Comment by Rachel & Romeo on April 23, 2010 at 11:30am

thank you for the information. I already brushed him but i hope it won't be a problem eek >./body>

Comment by Chris West on April 23, 2010 at 11:16am

The medicine should be applied in one spot right between the shoulder blades on the back of the neck. It takes awhile for the medicine to be absorbed. If you wait a couple days, it should dry out, maybe becoming kind of white and powdery. If you are really concerned, I believe you only have to wait 24 hours after application, and then you can give them a bath. It should say on the instructions. I would definitely not recommend using your brush on it, because that will just spread the medicine all over and you want to avoid that.

All medicines have the chance for side effects. If this is Romeo's first time, just keep an eye on him. If something suspicious comes up, call your vet. There are other options if he is allergic to the advantix. Be aware that with advantix, it has the added benefit of repelling mosquitoes, but the downside is that more of the chemicals are in his fur. Be sure to wash your hands a lot after petting him.

Comment by Rachael & Waffle on April 23, 2010 at 11:12am

That's normal for that kind of flea medication. Don't brush it out because that will only spread the greasiness and try not to touch it. It's a "side-effect". The goal is to get as much on the skin as possible, but no matter how much you get on the skin, some will get on the fur and make it look and feel greasy. It will go away in a handful of days.