I stopped usiong any flea drops, collars when one of my cats began loosing hair around the sit of applicatio. They all had physical adverse signs so I stopped using them. I now have lemon grass and catnip which repels fleas and ticks and have not had a problem for the last 5 years.
---- Amani Oakley <aoak...@oakleylegal.com> wrote: > Hi Karen > > While I don’t have any reason to believe there is a link between use of the > Frontline Flea treatment and Cole’s problems, it is probably wise to be > cautious with a medication which is absorbed internally and probably > processed through the liver, etc. Just hypothetically, it might be possible > that cats with FeLV which is in abeyance (their body has managed to hold off > on the worst of the problems) may have the balance tipped to the negative by > something that might stress their body and which might, in other cats, not > cause a problem. > > However, I definitely agree you MUST control the fleas for Ash. As you know, > one of the worst effects of the FeLV virus is to cause an anemia, and a flea > infestation will no doubt hasten or worsen that problem. Fleas also often > pass on the Bartonella parasite, which infects and destroys red cells in the > host animal and causes other problems. If Ash is doing okay, you don’t want > to tip that scale. > > I recently picked up 3 stray kittens who had fleas. They were very small (3-4 > weeks old) so I didn’t trust any of the absorbed treatments since I figured > their little livers may well be damaged by such early exposure. I therefore > purchased a flea spray which was supposed to remain on them, but again, I > didn’t want to do that. I didn’t want that type of exposure. I simply bathed > them, sprayed them with the flea spray, killed the fleas by hand as they > leapt off into the sink, and combed out the rest, and then I washed the > kittens completely off with organic shampoo. Despite washing them off, I > found a few remaining fleas for the next day or so but they were all dead or > dying. When I go home tonight, I will get the name of the product for you, > but I suspect you can do this with any of the spray on flea products. > > One thing I did years ago when we got a very bad flea infestation (thanks to > a woman who insisted the cats I was taking from her to adopt out were > defleaed already!), was that once I washed each cat, I had previously made > arrangements for friends to take one of them for a few weeks. My husband and > I were doing some heavy duty fostering at the time, so we had about 25 cats > in the house. One by one or two by two, I cleaned them off, bundled them off > to friends I had prearranged with, and then when the whole house was empty, > we washed whatever we could, and we used some heavy duty flea killer on > carpets, etc. and my husband and I spent a few nights at a motel room. We > never had any more flea problems after that. > > You only have one cat so if the problem is bad enough, I suggest something > along the lines of what we did. Find a friend or a relative who will take Ash > for a week or so, when he’s out, wash everything in sight, and buy some high > powered flea stuff and spray the house. Leave for a few days. > > Hopefully, it works as well for you as it did for us. > > Amani > > From: Felvtalk [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of > Karen Harshbarger > Sent: August-30-16 3:24 PM > To: Felvtalk > Subject: [Felvtalk] Urgent help with flea treatment question > > As most of you know, we lost our Cole to feline leukemia and liver > complications this month. I don't have time to morn my dear sweet Cole as I > am struggling to save his brother Ash. Ash tested positive again this month > (4 years ago tested positive once and then negative twice). However his > blood work shows everything in the normal range and he is eating and playing > and going to the bathroom and seems healthy, so the vet has recommended no > treatment or preventatives at this time. They only suggest another blood > work check in one to 4 months and flea treatment. > > Ash and his brother have fleas. I know I must treat but that seems like > when Cole started going downhill----when I treated for fleas with Frontline > twice. > Frontline did nothing for the fleas, even though I threw away all beds and > blankets and cleaned their living quarters. I fear that the fleas or > treatment or both did something to Cole to take his life. But I know I have > to treat fleas too. I have tried combing everyday, but that does not work > either. > > Has anyone used Vectra flea treatment for cats. It has worked well for me > for other cats, but I fear that it might be too strong for our Ash with the > feline leukemia. As I said I used Frontline originally cause I was told it > was safer because it could be used on young kittens even. Ash is 4 1/2 years > old and I know I have to do something about the fleas. Please let me know if > you have used Vectra flea treatment. Or if you use something else > successfully or don't use flea treatment at all with feline leukemia. Ash > never goes outside, so I don't know where they got the fleas unless at vet or > we brought the fleas in from outside on shoes, etc. > > Please Help----this is urgent as I feel I must do something to get rid of > fleas that already seem out of hand since 2 treatments of Frontline did not > work, and I am so worried about anything with Ash with his positive on the > feline leukemia test at the vet and after loosing Cole. My heart just cant > loose another of my fur babies. Please Help!!! > > Thank you, Karen and kitties Ash and BJ and angle Cole _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
