# for those that are using comfortis



## I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO (Oct 4, 2006)

what are you doing for tick control? i am fed up with frontline plus, it has gotten to the point where i feel like i'm putting water on him, not flea control. i really want to switch to comfortis, but i'm worried about not having tick control (i do not want to do both comfortis and a topical like frontline plus). i live in florida and there are ticks basically year round. any suggestions?


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## gsdlove212 (Feb 3, 2006)

I use comfortis....but i have not really needed much in terms of tick control. even though i live in south texas, we aren't out in the brush much and i have never seen a tick on my dog unless we have been out in the brush. i always check over my girls when we come back from brush stuff....still no ticks. i do use adams flea and tick shampoo to bathe occasonally, but i doubt that would really do much. unfortunately i dont know what to suggest, what does your vet suggest. i have to head to the vets next week to pick up some more comfortis, i will ask what he suggests for tick control on comfortis pups.


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## srfd44-2 (May 20, 2004)

Try Advantix. I use it on both of my dogs and so far no problems. The reason Frontline doesn't work anymore is because the fleas have become immune to it. It has been on the market for 11 years and nothing was done with it.


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## BrennasMom (Mar 2, 2008)

I used preventic collars when we went hiking, but when I switched to comfortis it was nearing the end of tick season so I haven't had to worry much about it yet. I plan to get fresh preventic collars for them to start wearing in the spring.


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## I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO (Oct 4, 2006)

> Originally Posted By: BrennasMomI used preventic collars when we went hiking, but when I switched to comfortis it was nearing the end of tick season so I haven't had to worry much about it yet. I plan to get fresh preventic collars for them to start wearing in the spring.


oh that's a good idea. that way he isn't constantly on something else, only when he needs it. great! 

gsdlove, i was planning on asking my vet as well, we are due for an appointment soon, so i will definitely ask him! -but i do like brennasmom's idea!


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

On the Preventic, do you leave it on the whole time or can it be kept off and just put on and left on for a couple days or so while there is a concern, such as after a hike?


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## angelaw (Dec 14, 2001)

how is comfortis any different from program?


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## angelaw (Dec 14, 2001)

Oh did find this though:

June 24, 2008

COMFORTIS® and ivermectin interaction Safety Warning Notification

Today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is announcing that it has received reports of adverse reactions in dogs receiving the drug Comfortis® (spinosad) concurrently with high, extra-label doses of the drug ivermectin. The clinical signs of these adverse reactions are consistent with ivermectin toxicity.

Comfortis® (spinosad), manufactured by Elanco Animal Health, a division of Eli Lilly and Company, is a monthly oral, chewable tablet used for the prevention and treatment of flea infestations on dogs. Veterinarians who use high, extra-label doses of ivermectin to treat dogs with non-responsive demodectic mange and other conditions should be aware that some dogs have developed signs of ivermectin toxicity when ivermectin is used concurrently with Comfortis® (spinosad). 

CVM and Elanco Animal Health are advising veterinarians that dogs receiving extra-label doses of ivermectin should not receive concurrent treatment with Comfortis® (spinosad).

CVM is working with Elanco Animal Health as they address this issue. Additional information regarding this safety warning can be obtained on the Elanco Animal Health website.

Lilly Companion Animal Health Technical Bulletin: Spinosad and the Extra-Label Use of High Dose Ivermectin for the Treatment of Generalized Demodicosis in Dogs - http://elms.xh1.lilly.com/10788_03_tech_Bulletin.pdf


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

> Quote:extra-label doses of the drug ivermectin.


I discussed this at-length with my vet, it's basically seen when ivermectin is used to treat mange cases, NOT in heartworm prevention. I space Heartgard and Comfortis out by about a week and a half even though they only recommend a few days. I'm working to push it out to two weeks apart.



> Quote:how is comfortis any different from program?


Aside from the fact it only handles fleas, it handles them WELL. Within an hour, you can see the fleas are spazzing out and dying because they'll drop off the dog and the dog will start scratching like mad. By the next day, you're done and over with and the dog is flea-free. Anytime a flea jumps on and bites, the dog scratches a little for awhile, then nothing. When a flea bites a Comfortis dog, they basically have seizures where they go crazy, crawling around like mad, then they slow down and die. I've never seen anything work so well. Plus, it's a pill, so you don't have to worry about bathing a dog on Flea Control Day nor watching where you pet the dog. It works very well! It only kills adults though, not the other stages, but it seems to kill the adults rapidly enough.


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## angelaw (Dec 14, 2001)

I think it states for mange in the article?

Program handles only fleas as well. It's also a chewable pill, so again anyone know the difference?


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=0+1303+1463&aid=1471

I think the company recommends Program and Capstar be used together- Program to interfere with egg development and Capstar to kill the adult fleas. Comfortis just kills the adults before they have a chance to lay eggs (provided they bite first); Comfortis does NOT kill eggs, larvae, or pupae.

Different chemicals for different life stages. Comfortis = spinosad and Program = lufeneuron.


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## angelaw (Dec 14, 2001)

Ok, just saw you can use program as young as 6 wks, comfortis is 14 wks.


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## I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO (Oct 4, 2006)

> Originally Posted By: Angela_WI think it states for mange in the article?
> 
> Program handles only fleas as well. It's also a chewable pill, so again anyone know the difference?


angela, the major difference is that program does not kill adult fleas, only makes them unable to lay eggs, so i was told that unless all your pets are on program, and they have no exposure to other dogs/cats it doesn't work, because they can get fleas. comfortis is just like capstar, in that is kills adult fleas very fast before they lay eggs, but unlike capstar, it works for 30 days.


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## gsdlove212 (Feb 3, 2006)

That is also how my vet explained it to me. Before Comfortis we literally tried EVERYTHING on the market. Shadow suffers from extreme flea allergy. Program doesn't kill adult fleas, but it sterilizes them so that they can not lay any eggs. The adult fleas will eventually die on their own (meanwhile feeding on the dog for the remainder of their life cycle). Theoretically if no other fleas are introduced then eventaully the adults will die, the eggs hatch, become sterile and then they die, thus eliminating the fleas. But it is a process, because Program in an of itself does nto kill fleas of any life stage (only prevents reproduction, think birth control for fleas). Comfortis on the other hand works like Capstar, it kills the adults, except protects for 30 days. So any flea that gets on the dog dies, whether it is newly hatched, picked up from an outside source...if it gets on the dog it will die. Thus cutting down the amount of bites recieved significantly over that of a dog being treated by Program (because they can bite repeatedly until they die of natural causes). Hope that helps.


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## BrennasMom (Mar 2, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: DianaMOn the Preventic, do you leave it on the whole time or can it be kept off and just put on and left on for a couple days or so while there is a concern, such as after a hike?


The collars need to be on I believe 48 hours to prevent ticks. I'm planning to leave the collars on all the time once spring starts because as soon as I get a job we are moving out to the country where ticks may be an issue. If they are only an issue when hiking I'd put it on a couple days before and take it off a day or two after the hike.


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