Hi I'm currently trying to weigh up whether it's worth setting up the health plan with our new vets for my new puppy. It's £13.50 a month and covers fleaing and worming, annual booster, nail clipping etc. The flea treatment they provide is Advocate, which in on its own would be approx £11 a month, so in that respect it seems worth it. I always used Frontline with my old dog and I was just wondering what flea and worming treatment people use that you can buy off the shelf. What does this cost you monthly? Do you all flea monthly and worm 3 monthly? Thankyou in advance.
Personally I just don't see the point in treating an animal for a condition that is not present. Fleas I don’t use flea treatment regularly I only treat them if they happen to get fleas which is very rarely. Worms Again I rarely worm, I do my pups regularly, but once they are over a year I only worn if needed. I never understood the 'worming every 3/6month thing. The worming meds only kill any worms currently in the dog,If I worm my dog in January it's not going to keep them from getting worms in March or do them any good if they do get worms in March.
Similar but slightly different to @GsdSlave - I am not keen on giving dogs drugs that they do not need. I do not do annual boosters after the very first one at about 16 months. My vet has been using the 3-yearly vaccination protocol since 2004, so my dogs only have three boosters up to reaching 7 years, and that's it. However, I do not board my dogs. If you intend to use boarding kennels, you may find that your dog will only be accepted if he is within his annual vaccine cover. (I would of course, have a booster for parvovirus if there was an outbreak in my home area). I do not use routine flea treatments, and have not seen a flea on my dogs since 2004, when one of my Lurchers picked up a couple of rabbit fleas on holiday! I think it is important to groom regularly though, as fleas can be difficult to get rid of if you don't happen to spot the signs early enough. In the Summer, I sprinkle a little flea powder under the mattresses of their beds. I do worm, but only 6 monthly. I have a breed which has some disgusting habits, so I like them to have one treatment a year which also covers lungworm. The other dose is just a general broad spectrum tablet like Drontal. If I had young children, I would worm 3 monthly though. Re. Nail clipping and toothcare. If you start by snipping the little hooked tips of your puppy's nails while he is tiny, you are preparing him to accept nailcare as a normal part of his grooming routine, and you may well be able to clip or file his nails yourself. Similarly, if you buy an infants toothbrush, and let your puppy get used to having his teeth lightly brushed with dog toothpaste. It could help to prevent future dental problems.
I have to keep Tikva on yearly regular boosters and rabies shots, three-monthly parkworm shots, three-monthly flea and tick treatment [she now has Bravecto pills as she is too short-coated for Frontline, and six-monthly worm treatment, because she goes out in my unfenced front yard and there are too many stray/loose/dumped dogs around. It is doubtful if any of them have even had the basic puppy shots. My vet clips her nails if necessary when he comes here every three months for the parkworm shot and to leave the Bravecto pill for me to give her after her evening meal.
Fleas and locust bites are a headache. Some people say that using Bayer's flea collar can prevent fleas. I don't know if this is the case?
If you mean the Seresto collar made by Bayer, it is supposed to prevent fleas and ticks. Not locusts. However, under no circumstances would I recommend it.
Our dogs always have their boosters,flea treatment every 2 months and worming every 3 months, it's essential to keep them up. Can get fleas in the house and they're very difficult to get rid of. Our dogs always sniff and lick the grass when out for walks so it's important to worm them.
