Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I live in a heavily tick-infested area with a high rate of Lyme disease, so ticks are a major problem for my pup, especially because of the mild winter. Before using K9 Advantix II, I was using BioSpot (which works wonders for fleas). We went on a walk in the woods and over the course of the next four days, I picked 17 ticks off my dog! I was so grossed out, and she was miserable because I wouldn't leave her alone with the tweezers. Initially, I tried a lot of home remedies, but nothing kept the ticks away. After picking more ticks off her, I decided to try another topical treatment. I did A LOT of research on which product to use, and I finally decided on K9 Advantix II. However, before I put it on her, I researched every ingredient in K9 Advantix II to rate its toxicity. In fact, I even read hazard sheets put out by federal and state agencies. All the CREDIBLE sources (i.e., scientific entities, not ranting pet owners) agreed that the ingredients are relatively safe WHEN USED APPROPRIATELY. This latter point is the key here... I found that the ingredients in this flea medicine, as well as in others (e.g., Frontline, BioSpot), do not enter the bloodstream from the skin. However, if they are INGESTED, then you may have issues, including neurological effects and such. Most of these issues, according to my research, do go away after time, but we have heard enough horror stories to know that may or may not be true. You have to be particularly careful, though, because sometimes your dog many get dermatological effects (e.g., a rash) from this medicine, and his/her reaction will likely be to lick the spot to ease that discomfort. Anyway, the lesson here is twofold: 1) Read the instructions on how to apply this medicine so your dog cannot lick the medicine off. The directions specifically say to put the medicine at the base of the back in two to three spots. Try not to go too far down the spine because your dog may be able to lick around the base of his/her tail. 2) Watch your dog carefully for about a day after application. No, I don't mean stare at your dog all day or don't run errands, but try to put it on your dog when you are going to be around for most of the day, so you can just make sure he/she isn't licking the medicine or having an adverse reaction. If he/she does start acting goofy, give him/her a bath in dish soap and go to the vet. We pet owners have to remember that dogs are just like people in the sense that some have adverse reactions to medicine while others do not. It isn't always the result of a bad medicine (e.g., penicillin is a lifesaver for some people and deadly for others). This medicine saved my pup from Lyme disease or something worse, so I am thankful for it. Just read the directions and watch your pup!