[barqui]

DO NOT USE 'ZODIAC SPOT ON' flea and tick control on your dog.

It does not work and caused my dog a lot of discomfort. She is so moody now... I'm bringing her to the vet!

 

[RedGermanPinscher]

Thank you for the warning, however, I have used Zodiac products in the past without issue, it just might be that your dog is sensitive to the ingredients and/or you got a bad batch. Definitely call your vet and also you may want to call the company as well..

 

[Amaryllis]

If it's the cute little fluffball in your avatar, poodles can have very sensitive skin. Definitely take her to the vet, but washing her with a mild dish soap (and rinsing thoroughly) can help a lot in these situations.

Good luck.

 

[barqui]

Yup it might be because of the poodle's skin that's sensitive. I just gave her her third bath in 3 days... probably will do 1 more... definitely will try some dish soap on the areas I applied the product on. Thanks for the advice!!

Some update from the vet visit:
The vet says one of the active ingredients in Zodiac is exactly the same as what's used in Frontline but there's another active ingredient that's not. She said she only used Frontline on her patients and never had any problem, but since Frontline overlaps Zodiac in one ingredient she suggests that I use Revolution instead.

I ALMOST bought Revolution the past weekend but thought of trying the cheaper Zodiac instead and my dog has been acting odd since I put the product on her. After that I googled Zodiac and there had been a lot of negative comments about it... so I think I'll try revolution instead.

So if you dog has sensitive skin then probably don't use Zodiac...

The vet also mentioned that the chemical used in Zodiac/Frontline can be considered nuerotoxins???!!! More fatal to cats, but some dogs can react badly to it as well (having seizures, vomitting). Is there any homeopathic solution to flea/tick control? Like adding something (not of chemical origin, some herbs?) to her food?

 

[Nuclear_Glitter]

Dawn original dish soap is excellent for washing animals. Sorry your poodle had such a bad reaction! =[ good luck in getting it all taken care of.

 

[RedGermanPinscher]

I currently own a Lab mix who has allergies to what seems to be EVERYTHING INCLUDING himself, I have also owned a Chi mix that was the same way. I currently use a spray comprised of one or two of the following essential oils and witch hazel. Citronella, Neem, Lavender, Lemon grass, Peppermint or Cinnamon. I also add AppleCiderVinegar to their water daily and occasionally small amounts of garlic to their food.

 

[JulieK1967]

I don't use a spot on chemical flea/tick treatment on Molly. I've been using an all natural spray from Pet Naturals called Flea + Tick Repellent Spray: http://www.petnaturals.com/vitamins_supplements/flea-tick-repellent-dogs-cats-spray.php I have been using it since March and I haven't seen a flea or tick on her and my vet says our area is very bad for fleas. I spritz her before walks & so far, so good. She also smells like cinnamon for a while, which is nice, LOL.

 

[Abbylynn]

Also ... I love revolution! Not only can I skip the Frontline Plus ... but also skip the Heartguard Plus ... and it is not a huge amount of liquid on their skin to get all over everything. It may be a bit more expensive ... but works very well ... at least for Abbylynn. Next season I am switching the other two dogs to the same.

 

[barqui]

She's still trying to bite her tail... so I think I'll wash her tail again tomorrow.... might try out the spray thingy... just to give her some added repellent during her walks.. but I'm really lost how to clean up my home... I can't possibly throw out all our sofa covers/bedsheets and whatever that's made of cloth right?

I'm thinking if I keep her on anti flea/tick stuff like revolution/frontline that goes into her blood stream, those things will eventually die out... am I right here?

 

[Abbylynn]

I believe the effectiveness of the product(s) wears off in a month. Maybe a call to the vet or someone else on here knows for sure about the bloodstream question?

 

[RedGermanPinscher]

I believe the effectiveness of the product(s) wears off in a month. Maybe a call to the vet or someone else on here knows for sure about the bloodstream question?

Yes, depending on the product and the severity of infestation the effectiveness lasts anywhere from 1-3 months.

 

[Willowy]

If your dog has sensitive skin, maybe go with an oral med like Comfortis or Trifectis instead of a spot-on.

Also, Zodiac is nothing like Frontline. I'm not sure why your vet compared them. Zodiac contains permethrin, which is known to cause reactions in dogs and is very toxic to cats. Frontline contains fipronil which is mostly toxic to invertebrates, not mammals.