Can I use many dog flea treatments at once?
Is it safe to use a flea collar and a spot treatment at the same time? I treat my dogs once a month with flea and tick drop treatments and I was wondering if it would be safe to use a flea collar also.
![](/vets/common/images/gray_bottom_curv.jpg)
-
By: Kara McCarty El Segundo, CA
Replied on 04/19/2011It is not a good idea to use a flea collar and a spot treatment at the same time. Chances of toxicity would increase significantly. If you are using a spot treatment and still seeing fleas, treating their environment would be a good idea as the environment may have a large number of eggs or pupae that are maturing and therefore causing you to see fleas before the medication has a chance to work. If you are treating their environment, or are unable to treat it, some topical formulations can be used more frequently in heavily infested areas, consult with the manufacturer or your veterinarian. Another option is to change topical treatments to one with a different formulation as fleas can become resistant. Kara, DVM
![](/vets/common/images/green_bottom_curv.jpg)
More Questions on Flea and Ticks
-
Ant bites on dog - what can I do?
-
What drugs to you use for ehrlichioses and babesioses on dogs
Hello! I'm a Vet and I1m from Brazil Here ehrlichioses and babesioses are a big problem in some places. For treatment we use doxicicline amd imidazole, and of course fluids and other thongs when ot's necessary. I would like to know what drugs you use and for how long, and if the results are great. Here we are already having resistence of some drugs. Thank you and I read every article you published on twitter! That's awesome!
-
Last night I found about 30 tiny ticks had all fallen off my dog.
Last night I found about 30 tiny gray ticks had all fallen off my dog at once into my bed! what caused this? I checked him and found no ticks on him. Could it have been someting I fed him because I have not used any poisons or flea and tick controls. He is a pekingese with very thick hair and I had no idea these tiny things were even on him. It has really grossed me out .. I am afraid to scratch him now.
-
What treatment do you like best for flea and tick for dog
Why? Drops Shampoos or tick collars.
-
What are the clusters of bugs on my dogs ear?
my dog has small reddish brown bugs on the back of his ear. i dont see any inside but he does scratch and shake his head. they almost resemble tick eggs but i have yet to find a tick on him and these bugs actually seem to suck the blood they dont leave any dirt like fleas and they do not move around. i have to scrape them off to remove them and it appears like there are thousands of them. i have tried flea and tick baths and sprays and they do not come off. what can they be?
-
My puppy (4.5 months) chewed on his Biospot flea collar.
He vomited already, but his body is emitting the odor of the collar. It's been 2 days since the incident occurred. So far, he's lethargic, but eating and drinking water ok. How long will the collar chemicals stay in his system? Should I still take him to the vet?
-
Concern on using topical flea control for a child's service dog
Concern for use of topical flea control for a child's service dog I have a child with a service dog for seizure alert and she is very delayed-she is constantly putting her hands into her mouth. I am considering switching flea and heart worm medication (we currently use Sentinel) however am very concerned about the use of topical spot treatments for fleas as my child will handle the service dog then put her hands into her mouth. They obviously can't be separated to allow the topical to fade from the fur and you can't bathe a dog right after application. Am I over-reacting to using a topical or do I have valid reason to be concerned?
-
Can you wash the vectra 3d off a dog after 24 hours?
will vectra 3d work even if i wash my dog he has had it on him for over 24 hours now and i would like to wash him
-
My dog is taking sentinel can I also use frontline plus
my 5 year old jack russel terrier is 15 pounds and takes sentinel can i use frontline plus also she just had her sentinel dose 3 days ago she has been having a flea problem
-
Our dog has a half dollar size wound on his throat
Staph Infection Our dog has a half dollar size wound on his throat - the fur is gone - a little bleeding. 24 hrs after we noticed the wound, we went to the vet. Vet thinks that it could have been a bug bite that he kept itching? Vet said that it looked like it was or would become infected (staph) so she gave us antibiotics. We have an infant and I'm concerned that the dog could pass the staph infection to our baby. The vet said no, but I've looked online & seen where others say it can. What do you think?
-
Can you give flea cream to six week old puppy
please can you give me some advice on giving a six week old puppy flea cream, and do you have to give it milk Thank you
-
My dog has a sudden behavioral change... Is she ok?
My vet said I could give my dog frontline after 21 days, because I've seen a few fleas on her in the last couple of weeks. A few hours after I applied the frontline, around bedtime, she was acting really strange hiding in the kitchen in the dark, running into rooms she never does, hiding in the closet refusing to be touched. Gave her a bath and today seemed normal til we got back from our evening walk (where she played & ran as usual) and then repeated behavior like last night. Is she ok?
-
Can dogs treated with Frontline still get Lyme disease if bitten by a tick?
I have a 3yr old mixed breed that has been on Frontline since she was a puppy. She has never had any ticks on her, but I am planning on taking her camping this fall. From what I understand Frontline doesn't prevent tick bites, it just kills the tick. So is it possible for her to contract Lyme disease if she is bitten even if the tick doesn't remain on her? If so is there anything else I can do besides checking her for ticks right after hiking? Thanks for your help.
-
Is it normal for some swelling after a dog tick is removed?
Last weekend we took our 7 month old Golden Retriever for a hike in the woods. The next day we noticed a large tick light brown in colour above his eye and removed it. We think we got it all but it's been a few days now and the site off the bite has gotten bigger and looks like it has a head on it (almost like a blackhead pimple). There has been no puss from it and it doesn't seem to bother him. We are trying to get him into the vet but it's taking some time.
-
Dog still scratching despite flea medicine
my dog is going crazy. i just put this flea stuff on her and cant get her to stop scratching. i even tried to give her a bath now and it is still not working
-
Home remedy for flea bite on dog ears
The tips of my german sheperds ears have been bitten by flies. What can I use to clean them off at home? Can I use peroxide and Hydrocrodozine cream?
-
Dog head shaking from Freedom 45 Flee Control?
My dog (mini dashound) keeps shaking her head. I put Freedom 45 Flee control on her neck Sunday, and this started shortly after. Could this have caused a problem? What can I do?
-
Removing ticks from a dog?
i think my dog has an imbedded tick on the upper side not the pad. what can I do for it?he keeps licking it and the hair is gone,but a rounded blueish area remains.
-
Frontline for puppies?
4 days ago I gave my new puppy (then 8 weeks) frontline for fleas. It did not work. What can I do?
See all questions in Flea and Ticks
![](/vets/common/images/blue_bottom_curv.jpg)
Recent Articles
- Autoimmune Disorders in Dogs
- Natural Immune System Boosters for Dogs
- Graves Disease in Dogs
- Requirements for Therapy Pet Certification
- Pet Ringworm Treatment Options
- Feline Obesity Causes
- Mange Shampoo for Cats
- Determining Kitten Age
- Kennel Training a Puppy
- Homeopathic Remedies for Cats with Fleas
- Common Questions About Foster Care Kittens
- Common Questions About Queening and Breeding Cats
- Blastomycosis in Cats
- DHLPP Vaccine for Dogs
- Transitional Cell Carcinoma in Cats
- Warning Signs of Diabetes in Cats
- Pepper Spray Effects on Dogs
- Canine Lung Cancer Treatment
- Homeopathy for Cats
- Holistic Cancer Treatment for Cats
Please do not use our site to attempt to diagnose or treat your pet. Your veterinarian is the best source of health advice for an individual pet.
Please do use our site to become better informed about the medical problems your pet may have. We will do our best to ensure that information presented is accurate and up-to-date. The most current information will be at the top of each page. Remember that veterinarians often disagree about the best treatments for pets. There are often several perfectly acceptable ways to treat the same condition. Just ask a lot of questions!
For all emergency situations, please contact your local Emergency Pet Clinic or on-call Veterinarian. Answers are not provided in real time. We can not guarantee an answer to every question, nor can we provide timely responses to urgent questions in many instances.