Do flea collars really work?
Katie from Winnetka, CA
Yes, they do! I use flea collars for my three cats with the approval of my vet. I am quite happy with the results, i.e. no fleas.
I've heard they are really not good for your animal.
The products that have been recommended to me are the liquids that come in vials, and you apply to their back of their neck area once a month.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I put a flea collar on my cat. Will there still be fleas on her? Do I have to do more, like washing her up to get the rest of the fleas off? I cleaned my basement but I'm not sure if they are still on her or in the basement.
By kita
My vet told me that flea collars only kill the fleas on the pets head, neck & shoulders. You will need to buy a stronger (whole body) product to completely rid your pet of fleas.
Flea collars work when you shampoo your pet regularly & can't shampoo the face & head area with an anti-flea shampoo because you don't want to get the shampoo in their eyes, then the flea collar will kill the head & neck fleas.
I would recommend you buy Revolution or Advantage. It cost $15 to $17 for one dose, but it lasts for over a month killing fleas the whole time. Most vets only sell packages of 4 or 6, but if you call around & ask vets who sells individual doses you can usually find a vet who will sell just one dose ($15-$17) I would recommend you only buy one dose anyway because this way you can try the first dose to make sure your pet isn't sensitive or allergic to the medication. (my cat is allergic to advantage, but CAN use Revolution)
Also, so you don't tox out their system, give them half the first day then wait 2 days & give them the other half. Don't let any of it get on you skin! Buy plastic gloves at the dollar store & put it high up on the top-back of their head where they can't lick it off!
There is a pill called "Capstar" that costs $4 (for one) that is safe that will kill all of the adult fleas for 48 hours, but it doesn't kill the flea larva (baby fleas & eggs) so you need to use another flea product in combination with it. Capstar is great when used in combination with Revolution or Advantage because it takes 24 to 48 hours for them to start killing fleas & if your pet is really going crazy, this pill can bring instant relief.
My cat was doing crazy things like jumping & running when he was bitten & generally just acting crazy, so this pill was like a little miracle that calmed him down. We split it in half & gave him half one day & half the next. I did research on the net before I gave it to him (its safe) & read up on everything I give him. Most cats can safely use Advantage, but last year we had a close call after using it & almost lost him. These days, I'm super careful to read up on all pet meds & only give him a little at a time instead of one big toxic dose.
If you cat is still young & you can teach it to take baths, then bathe it every few weeks with a flea shampoo. Remember, when you clean carpets & wash pets bedding, there are still flea eggs that haven't hatched. There's lots of great flea information on ThriftyFun & on the internet. I recommend you do some reading.
For Cats, here's a good place to start:
www.vetinfo.com/
The product you need is called Advantix you use regularly once a month. Ask your Veterinarian the correct way to apply on Cat. Good luck.
Can a puppy wear a flea collar?
Christie from Japan
I assume so, because I have seen puppy flea collars for sale at stores. I think the puppy has to be a few months old though before they can wear it.
I wouldn't put one on any age dog. They have poison in them. There are many ways to prevent fleas naturally for your dog & your house.
Most flea collars are only for a dog who is six months or older but there is a brand that has one for younger dogs. I don't really reccomend one though because none of the ones I have found work. Sargents has a dip for puppies that is safe and they also have a topical that is the best thing I've found so far on the market for older dogs.
None of the home made recipies I've found so far have worked for my area, of course I havn't tried Borax yet since I have two kids that still play alot on my carpet.
From what I understand, flea collars for puppies is not a good thing. However, you can put olive oil on the pups. Soak as much as possible on the pup (avoid mouth and eyes, of course) and leave on for at least four hours and wash off.
We have, always, gave our dogs yeast tablets. Our dogs ate them like candy. These are very cheap. The fleas don't like the smell emitting from their skin. You can't smell this on the dog. We didn't like the fact that the collars were loaded with chemicals.
I think your vet would tell you not to bother with flea collars. To really be effective, you need to buy something that is vet recommended. It is very expensive to get fleas exterminated out of your house and if your puppy gets fleas and comes in the house, your house will have them, too. I use Frontline Plus from my vet. I pay more, but to know that it is working is worth it! I would rather pay more for the preventative and have it work than to put the money out to an exterminator to come and eradicate my house of fleas!
RE: what will happen to my 7 wk old pup if she wore a flea collar for about 20 hours until found we weren't suppose to?
I have a bad habit of taking in stray kitties so I now have 8 of them. In the past I have always purchased Front Line Plus for their flea and tick protection but it is getting really hard for me to come up with $80 each month. Does anyone know of a flea and tick collar that really works? Is there any type of concoction I could try putting in their food? Thanks for any advice.
By martie from Guyton, GA
I go online and put frontline spray in the search bar. I order a bottle for 24 dollars. It lasts all year and does better than the flea collar. I could not afford the shoulder stuff either we have a multiple pet household. Vets charge too much. Ordering online is cheaper. Robyn
Bless you for taking in the stray kitties and trying to care for them. I just placed a puppy in a rescue group myself. The world needs more people like you. Robyn
Whatever you do, DON'T buy anything by Hartz.
Why don't you try a dust for the cats? It's cheaper and actually works, unlike flea collars. Go to a vet and ask for VetKem flea powder. I KNOW it works, I sold it for 20+ years.
Flea collars don't work unless the flea walks on the collar and actually camps out on it! Most flea products are toxic to kitten. sorry frontline is the safest and only choice. Good luck!
I stopped using flea collars after my Rosie bit into it and died. Somehow it loosened up and she got it partially over her head. Heartbreaking! I prefer the spot on Revolution which handles fleas and heartworms. My vet prefers it also..
