Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Spot on Flea Treatments

If anyone has information about spot on flea treatments and/or alternative flea treatments including the tablet form, I would really like to have the information. Juliet always hated the flea/tick treatments with Frontline and maybe she was trying to tell me something! But she also had had a rabies shot 2 months before her diagnosis. I had one nasty flea infestation from a rescued cat several years back (it was so bad that I had to get rid of a sofa - even after multiple bombings) and have always used the treatments to avoid that again. Studies, alternatives, any info would be appreciated...since we are likely to rescue a dog or cat in the future. My heart is with all of you. Thanks. Pat

Pat Vermont

Hi Pat, I do not and will use any topical or tablet form flea and worm treatments on my IMHA dog Millie. I do use them on my other dogs and cats however. I need to make sure they don't get fleas or worms to prevent any possibility that Millie might catch them off her canine siblings. I have not done a lot of research on them, however I do believe they could be a trigger for IMHA. I have heard others mention that Frontline has an ingredient called Fipronil, which is of particular concern, so I steer clear of this brand. There are some natural remedies I have heard mentioned - Avon Skin So Soft spray for one, some herbs that can help, but nothing that definitively works. There have been other older threads on here discussing this topic, so it might be worth searching the archives too. Glad to hear you are thinking about rescuing a furbaby in the future. I hope you are going OK Pat, Sam & Millie.

Samantha Geelong Australia

Samantha, Thanks for responding. Clearly, would not use anything on an IMHA dog, but good to know you use on other critters. If you don't mind my asking, what do you use in place of Frontline? Advantage? Or something else. I have also recently learned that collies and collie mixes cannot tolerate the ingredients in heartgard and must use Interceptor by Novartis. Will also look at the archives. I'm doing OK...still begin to cry whenever I look at a photo of Juliet and that may never go away. But I think we have concluded that the only way we are going to overcome our grief is to consider saving another dog from a kill-shelter. All ours in VT are no-kill, but our 4H has a rescue project for dogs from the Southern US where there are still big over population problems. We'll see. But will also try to do what I can to learn more about and assist research on IMHA. It is just ghastly! Pat

Pat Vermont

I was a bit concerned about using a topical, but it has been what we have always used on Summer in the past, and we know it is not what caused the IMHA. Revolution only has one active ingrediant, my vet called pfizer and they said it they have no had any reported incidents. So, we used it a couple of weeks ago, and there has been no problems. Tics, Mosquitos, and hookworms are really bad here. Because Summer never had a reaction to Revolution before we went ahead and used it. Better that than, an infection she could not fight! Carrie and Summer

Carrie DFW

Carrie - Great to hear that Summer had no reaction to Revolution. I am lucky that we have no problems with ticks and worms, so I can get away with not treating Millie. Pat - I use Advantage for my other dogs, and Advocate for the cats. It's good to hear from Carrie that Revolution has been good for Summer. I think it's a catch 22 though, clearly there are some instances where you need to use some prevenatative measures, as we don't want them getting sick with tick disease or something else nasty. I know it seems like there are so many dogs with IMHA, but I do believe the risk of my other dogs coming down with IMHA from topical flea and worm treatments is negligible. I'm lucky that I don't have to treat Millie (my IMHA dog). Sam & Millie.

Samantha Geelong Australia

Hi Pat, Dr Dodd's recommends using topical flea medications rather than systemic. She recommended Frontline Plus for our IMHA puppy, Henri. We have had no problems with using it on Henri. Additionally, we use Sentinel, which is similar to Inteceptor. I used it before Henri's diagnosis and after without problems. Dr Dodds does not like these systemic medications though. If I didn't need the systemics, I would solely use the Frontline Plus for flea control. I think the motto of less is best is the way to go. Furhugs, Ella Henri, West Highland White Terrier, 2-yo, diagnosed at 5-months with vaccine-induced IMHA, meds: Pepcid, Sentinel, and Frontline as needed.

Ella Seattle

For what it's worth, my 9 year old cocker spaniel was diagnosed with IMHA two weeks after I used Frontline Plus on him for the first time. I still don't know if there is a connection, but I know come spring/summer I will be looking for other alternatives!

Sharon PA

My cocker spaniel, Gracie developed IMHA after she was treated with Advantage after switching from Frontline. She had a terrible bout of fleas and my vet said I could give her dosages two weeks apart. Gracie always raced around trying to wipe it off when ever I put it on her. I am pretty sure these treatments caused her IMHA because she had her vaccinations 6 months before. I don't know what I will do once flea season begins. My vet said I should treat my backyard if I go away in the Spring but I am not sure. I have been combing Gracie all winter and she is flea free as of now. I am very wary of spot on treatments. I think I'll contact Dr. Dodd for some info. hugs, Gwen and Gracie I think it is great to adopt a dog form a kill shelter.

Gwen Rhinebeck

Actually our main concern here is mosquitoes, ticks, heartworm and other internal parasites. The FDA website has tons of good information on trials. Nothing is perfect. We went with Revolution, because it treats or prevents everything, it is one chemical that does it all. It is systemic, but anything you use for internal parasites has to be. It also seems to be the most effective. I read the FDA study among several others. Plus, it is what we have always used, we have never had a problem with it. But it is, like anything, a chemical. If I was only only concerned about fleas, I probably would look at alternatives. Please research, if you find something interesting post it here, I am sure we would love to see what you find. Carrie and Summer

Carrie DFW

This thread was discussed between 24/01/2011 and 23/02/2011

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