Furry Little Problem

There's an old saying I know in Spanish, which goes "Lo barato sale caro", or loosely translated, cheap things end up expensive things.

Well, I had this experience dealing with cheap flea medication. I thought I'd hit the motherload when I discovered Target and Wal-Mart both had started selling those drops you put on the back of your cat's (or dog's) necks to kill fleas and their larvae and eggs. They cost a mere $5! Well, that was a huge difference from the vet's medication (Frontline, for example) which cost upwards of $60!

But unfortunately, saving a few bucks ended up being a high price to pay when Mr. Julie developed eczema, most likely from still having fleas on him despite my applying the cheap drops all summer (thus far). His fur got mangy and scraggly, where before it had been long and pretty. I didn't know what was wrong with him and I noticed red spots that looked like abrasions so I took him to the vet today. Thank the LORD it was only this skin allergy due either to having fleas or me applying that flea medication maybe too often because I noticed he was still scratching and licking or maybe it could have been food-related because I did switch him out for a couple (or 3) weeks. At that time was when this all started. But...he's been back on his old diet for a bit now and he didn't get better skin- and hair-wise. Hopefully the frontline and the two shots (and two types of pills!) the vet gave him will work. He has to take them twice a day!

In total, the Frontline, the two shots, the two vials of medication and the consultation were $160! Next time I'll stick to Frontline and save myself a hundred dollars!