Review: PetArmor Plus Flea, Tick Treatment for Dogs

In Georgia, where the fall and winter months are warmer than other parts of the U.S., the battle against fleas is year round. Our family has used many flea control products over the years. Our search for a superior, no-fail product continues.

Our Papillon Lucy and Shih Tzu mix Shelby help test PetArmor Plus for Dogs and puppies weighing 4 to 22 pounds. It is advertised to kill fleas, ticks and chewing lice for up to 30 days. It's waterproof. It contains the same squeeze-on active ingredients fipronil and (s)-methoprene found in more expensive products, such as Frontline Plus.

PetArmor Plus for Dogs cannot be used on cats; it will kill cats.

What I especially like about this flea treatment is the applicator. Each product package contains three doses, or three applicators. You clip off the top portion of the applicator with scissors, which is marked with a line, and simply apply the dose to your dog between his or her shoulder blades.

I use an electric shaver to shave a section of fur to ensure the liquid flea treatment reaches the skin. The product must be absorbed through the skin -- into your dog's bloodstream -- to work.

Hound and Home gives PetArmor Plus for Dogs 4 stars because it is more affordable than other brands, works just as well as more pricey brands, and is easy to use. The reason it did not earn 5 stars is because we've had failure with the product in the past, though infrequent.

What PetArmor Plus for Dogs Kills

The product's formula kills the following pests:

• Adult fleas, and flea eggs and larvae for up to 12 weeks
• Ticks that may transmit Lyme disease
• Mites that may cause sarcoptic mange
• Deer ticks
• Dog ticks, including American dog ticks and lone star ticks

PetArmor Plus for Dogs by Weight

The product comes in four different doses for the following dog weights:

1. 4-22 lbs
2. 23-44 lbs
3. 45-88 lbs
4. 89-132 lbs

Why Flea Treatments Fail

We have used this product in the past with varying results. It works most of the time, and I believe the success is because we treat all of our pets at the same time and the environment. We wash our dogs a day before, apply the flea treatment to all four dogs at the same time, and also buy a separate flea treatment product for cats to apply to our cat Cash. We vacuum the carpet, treat the carpet with a flea spray, and mop our hardwood floors. We wash pet bedding and our own bedding as the smaller dogs tend to sleep with us. It's a major chore, but if everything is done the same day, you'll have success.

The product has failed, though infrequently, and I believe the reason was that we did not follow all of the steps outlined in the paragraph above. Also, if you apply the spot-on liquid without making sure it reaches your dog's skin, it will not be absorbed and therefore not work. Dog breeds with thick coats, like Golden Retrievers and Alaskan Malamutes, are especially challenging. I recommend that you shave a small section of the fur between his or her shoulder blades and apply the flea treatment there so you know it is absorbed through the skin.   

Lastly, the flea medicine could be expired, causing it to fail. Be sure to check the expiration date on the flea control product.

Have you used PetArmor Plus for Dogs? What has been your experience? Share your thoughts and experience in the comment section below. 

Review: Bausch & Lomb Flurbiprofen Sodium Ophthalmic Eye Drops

If you are the dog mom or dad to a Shih Tzu, Pug, Pekingese, Chihuahua or other dog breed with bulging eyes, chances are you have had to cope with eye injuries and inflammation. My Shih Tzu Shelby, 12, has had two cornea ulcers during her life and frequent irritation caused by eyelashes that grow inward; toward the eye. When she suffers an eye condition, her way of dealing with it is to skid her face across the floor, furniture or bedding to wipe or itch her eye. The activity causes delayed healing, more irritation and, at times, further injury.

Our recent visit to the veterinarian was about a cornea ulcer on her left eye. The veterinarian prescribed Flurbiprofen Sodium Ophthalmic Solution USP, 0.03 percent, which is a sterile topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory product for ophthalmic use in both humans and animals. It is made by Bausch & Lomb Incorporated. Flurbiprofen sodium is a phenylalkanoic acid that has proven analgesic antipyretic and anti-inflammatory properties in animal inflammatory diseases.

The product worked well. 5 stars. This product is prescribed for ophthalmic use only. It costs approximately $12.99 at veterinarian clinics and supply stores.

Shelby's Review

Shelby's prescription reads to instill 1 to 2 drops in her left eye every 12 hours for pain. The eye drops are supplied in a plastic bottle with a controlled drop tip in the size 2.5 mL.

The eye dropper delivers the medication quickly and easily. The medicine works very well at lessening Shelby's eye inflammation and pain. The product receives 5 stars.

Avoid touching the bottle tip to the eye or any surface as this could contaminate the tip with common bacteria known to cause ocular infections. Contaminated solutions can result in serious eye damage and, eventually, loss of vision.

Flurbiprofen Sodium Ophthalmic Solution Ingredients

• Flurbiprofen Sodium
• Citric Acid Monohydrate
• Edetate Disodium 
• Hydrochloric Acid 
• Polyvinyl Alcohol  
• Potassium Chloride 
• Water  
• Sodium Chloride  
• Sodium Citrate 
• Sodium Hydroxide 
• Thimerosal

Flurbiprofen Sodium Ophthalmic Solution Side Effects

Burning, stinging and other minor symptoms of eye irritation have been reported, though Shelby seemed fine after receiving her eye drops. Other adverse reactions reported include miosis, fibrosis, ocular hyeremia, hyphema, and mydriasis.

Flurbiprofen Sodium Ophthalmic Solution Warnings

As a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), it may slow or delay healing and should be used with caution in pets who recently had surgery, injury or other health problems.

It is also possible that a cross-sensitivity to acetylsalicylic acid and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs could occur.

Have you or your pets used Flurbiprofen Sodium Ophthalmic Solution eye drops? Share your experience in the comment section below.