FrontLine

[Java]

I just put this on all my cats, dogs, ferrets, and felt like I may need to put soemthing on my bird, but didn't cause I am not sure if it is safe for birds. Can frontline be used on a bird? I guess, what i wonder is, say one of my cats have fleas (which they do not and have not in years), can a bird get fleas? Should I even worry about it? Will it harm a bird to put frontline on them? Will it help to keep mites off him, even though he has no chance of getting mites that I am ware of?

[lzver]

I wouldn't advise using any dog/cat flea products (or any for dog/cat product) on a bird. If fleas become a problem with your bird I would consult with a certified avian vet to find a safe treatment alternative for birds. I've had 2 birds for over 4 years and never had a problem with fleas nor did I ever really consider that they could be a problem. Then again we don't have any cats or dogs.

[pchela]

This is an expert answer from a vet that I found online.


It's highly unlikely that your birds will actually get a flea infestation on them the way mammals do. However, they still should not be exposed to them nor be put in a position of having fleas running in and out of their cages and their bowls. You need to get the fleas under control on the dogs and in the house. You may also have to treat your yard at the same time to get them completely stopped. Of course you will have to be very careful about what you use inside the house and don't expose your birds to any kind of insecticide, fogger, etc. There is no kind of flea treatment nor repellant that is safe to use on, or anywhere near birds or parrots. If it turns out that you have them in the house, the foggers are the most effective. But, you will have to have a place to remove the birds, and all of their belongings, until it has totally aired out. One totally safe thing you can try inside your house is to put down a flat pan of water with a drop or two of cooking oil in it. The oil breaks the surface tension of the water so the fleas don't just hop in, float and hop back out. They sink and drown. If you have many fleas at all in your house, you should find a bunch in your pan every morning. If you have a lamp you can put a red light bulb in and having it shine on the pan, it will be even more effective in luring the fleas in. Any thing less than a massive infestation and this method could rid your house of fleas in a few days. Of course it's only going to be effective it you get them off, and keep them off of your dogs and treat your yard also. This is a tough problem for those of us with birds but I hope these suggestions will be useful to you. Patricia