FLEA, TICK & HEARTWORM MEDICATIONS

It's that time of year again when we get a lot of questions regarding what flea, tick and heart-worm medications we recommend. Please note that we are not veterinarians and we do not allow our dogs to spend much time in the grass or woods. They go on long daily walks, but do not regularly lie around in the grass. For that reason, we are lucky that we can go most of the year without any flea or tick preventative at all. That being said, we do have mosquitos and we do use a heart-worm preventative as recommended by our veterinarian.

We also do our best to only treat our dogs with natural products when possible because Cavalier have known sensitivities to strong chemical products. For those that have heard of recent issues with some commonly recommended medications, I would suggest you review the recently published information on the FDA website. We never recommend topical solutions or any Bravecto products for these dogs. Below are the products we use, but again please discuss these with your vet and consider where your pet will spend their time, your local climate, etc. Always ask your vet for the most holistic approach to use as little chemicals on or in your dog as possible. 

1. Diatomaceous Earth - If you have never heard of this product you will be amazed by everything it can do to prevent flea and ticks, as well as internal parasites, in your dog. Please note that you must use FOOD GRADE and should research and understand this product before using it. We suggest this article on Dog's Naturally as a good start. 
2. Wondercide Products - We learned about these products from one of our favorite Cavalier vet, Dr. Judy Morgan. We love their Geranium Shampoo Bar with Citronella for the LowCountry summer shampoo and their Flea, Tick and Mosquito Control Spray for Dogs & Home. We give our dogs a light misting if we're going on an outdoor adventure where we might encounter more pests than normal. This can also be used on your home. If you have a small yard where your pup regularly plays you might also consider their large Yard & Garden Spray which is great for patios and kennels too. Also helps keep mosquitos at bay. 
3. Flea Comb - If your pup was exposed, its wise to have a great flea comb on hand. This one can also assist with cleaning up under the eyes if you are dealing with tear stains. 
4. Prescription Products for Heartworms - If you live in an area with mosquitos, you need a heart-worm preventative. Dr. Judy Morgan, a Cavalier specialist, recommends Interceptor (not plus) as her first choice. This is often not stocked at your veterinarian; however, you can ask them to write a prescription and purchase online at Chewy.com. Please note that most puppies will use the package for 2-10 pounds and most full grown dogs will us the package for 11-25 pounds. You can save up to 30% on these medications by setting up auto-ship on Chewy.com. We do not use this all year long - only those months in which mosquitos are present. It's always wise to confirm your dog is not infected before starting a preventative. In the LowCountry, we use heart-worm preventative from March until October most years.
5. Prescription Products for Fleas and Heartworms - If fleas are also a problem and you are unable to control them with the natural alternatives mentioned above, Dr. Judy Morgan's second choice for prescription products is Sentinel (not Sentinel Spectrum). Sentinel is a monthly oral preventive prescription that guards against heartworms, adult roundworms, adult hookworms, whipworms, and prevents the development of flea eggs  This is the only multipurpose product she recommends and the only oral flea preventative we allow to be given to the dogs that we breed. Again, many veterinarians only carry the stronger multi-purpose products but Sentinel can again be purchased on Chewy with savings on auto-ship. Please use the Brown Box for puppies and dogs up to 10 lbs. and then the Green Box for full grown dogs. If you see any vomiting, depression/lethargy, pruritus, urticaria, diarrhea, anorexia, skin congestion, ataxia, convulsions, hypersalivation, or weakness in your dog after administration of this drug please contact your vet immediately. ​

No matter which product you use, please make sure to give the lowest dose possible. You can watch Dr. Morgan's video on this topic here. Please do everything possible to avoid the stronger chemicals in these dogs as they have known sensitivities.