Problems with Frontline

[Quillan]

We regularly treat our three cats and one of our dogs with Frontline as recommended (the second dog is allergic to spot treatments so has Capstar and Program tablets). One of our cats got a bald patch through constant washing, took it to the vet who brushed it and found flees. Now this is three weeks after treatment, the cat version works for one month and the dog for two, or so it says on the packet. I didn't bother to check the cats and dogs before because I had treated them and just assumed everything is OK. When I got home I used a flee comb on the other cats and dogs and they have a few flees also. Not that many though, you find one or two on the comb each time you stroke through with the comb so they are not exactly riddled with the things.

So has something changed with flees, do we now have a 'super flee' which is resistant to Frontline and if so should I change the make of treatment?

Just to add we washed all the animal bedding and used a couple of these 'bomb' things where you close all the doors and windows then let it off and leave over night.

[Christine Animal]

It has been said for some time now that fleas have become immune to Frontline (something to do with the fields being sprayed with a similar chemical if I remember correctly).

Fleas immunity

 

Our vet recently gave us Frontline Combo for the cats.  Not sure what the difference is with ordinary Frontline.  Maybe someone knows ?

 

[Val_2]

Ordinary (blue) frontline is less effective these days it seems, OK for a re-spray mid treatment but only Combo (green) seems to work as the fleas are getting more and more resilient. For my dog only Advantix has any effect, frontline and a couple of others were a total waste of money. Remember if you have more than one animal, i.e. dogs and cats you must do all of them at the same time or they will keep on infesting each other.

[Quillan]

The Combo is for flees and ticks, the normal is just for flees or so it would seem.

We do treat all the animals the same day although the one dog is treated bi-monthly. The one on Program is also treated monthly the same time as the cats. This one also has a few flees.

I think I will give them all a Capstan tablet each (kills all flees on the animal in 20 mins, don't have a clue how it works) and then treat with Advantix for a change and see how they get on. I seem to remember years ago we had a spray for treating furniture etc, can't remember the name but I wonder if they do something similar in France and what it is called. These 'bomb's' are quite good but it's a grief covering plants etc then leaving the place overnight especially when you have guests. They also leave a residue on everything not covered.

I was also interested in flee collars, anyone had any experience, do they work?

 

[Val_2]

Be careful with flea collars for dogs as they are toxic in the main to the cats as is Advantix. Unfortunately fleas are par for the course with all animals whatever they are, even my neighbour's cows suffered the year before last with fleas and I was in the vets last summer and found a couple on my feet in the waiting area.

[andyh4]

[quote user="Christine Animal"]

It has been said for some time now that fleas have become immune to Frontline (something to do with the fields being sprayed with a similar chemical if I remember correctly).

Fleas immunity

 

Our vet recently gave us Frontline Combo for the cats.  Not sure what the difference is with ordinary Frontline.  Maybe someone knows ?

 

[/quote]

 

Combo is a tick treatment as well as fleas. Well at least it is for cats.

[Judie]

Just to reinterate Val2's comment Quillan, Advantix is toxic for cats.

[Quillan]

[quote user="Judie"]Just to reinterate Val2's comment Quillan, Advantix is toxic for cats.
[/quote]

God you got me going because thats what the vet used on our cat. I just checked and yes it is available for cats.

[Quillan]

[quote user="Quillan"]

[quote user="Judie"]Just to reinterate Val2's comment Quillan, Advantix is toxic for cats.
[/quote]

God you got me going because thats what the vet used on our cat. I just checked and yes it is available for cats.

[/quote]

Sorry, I get it now, Advantix for cats is call Advantage yet apart from the picture and the name the package looks the same and made by the same company (Bayer). I should have gone to Spec Savers. [:(]

[Quillan]

[quote user="Val_2"]Be careful with flea collars for dogs as they are toxic in the main to the cats as is Advantix. Unfortunately fleas are par for the course with all animals whatever they are, even my neighbour's cows suffered the year before last with fleas and I was in the vets last summer and found a couple on my feet in the waiting area.[/quote]

Blimey Val, I would have loved to have seen what size Frontline pipette they used on those cows, must have been ginormous. [:'(]

[Christine Animal]

Both Frontline and Frontline Combo seem to treat fleas and ticks.  Only difference I can see is maybe that the combo also kills eggs and larvae ?

Yes, the Combo has methoprene which seems to be a larvicide.   http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/wnv/wnvfaq6.shtml

 

http://www.animapro.fr/chats/6756940-bte-3-pipettes-frontline-spot-on-chat.html

FRONTLINE® Spot On Chat :

FIPRONIL : 50 mg

Butylhydroxyanisole (E320) : 0,10 mg

Butylhydroxytoluène (E321) : 0,05 mg

Ethanol : 0,05 ml

Excipient q.s.p. : 1 pipette de 0,5 ml

Indications
Affections à parasites sensibles au fipronil.
Traitement curatif et préventif des infestations par les puces (Ctenocephalides felis) et par les tiques, élimination des poux broyeurs.
La durée de protection contre les nouvelles infestations est de quatre semaines contre les puces et de deux semaines contre les tiques.

 

http://www.conforanimal.com/antiparasitaires-chats_4_frontline-chat_fontline-combo-chats-6-pipettes__ftctcom6_1.html?PHPSESSID=c8b567163595fc998160fc63814e0804

Frontline Combo Chat

FIPRONIL : 50 mg

(S)-METHOPRENE 60,3 mg
Butylhydroxyanisole (E320) : 0,10 mg
Butylhydroxytoluène (E321) : 0,05 mg
Ethanol : 0,05 ml
Excipient q.s.p. : 1 pipette de 0,5 ml

 

Indications :

Chez les chats.
A utiliser contre les infestations par les puces seules ou des infestations mixtes par les puces et tiques et/ou poux broyeurs :
Elimination des puces (Ctenocephalides spp.). L'efficacité insecticide contre les nouvelles infestations par les puces adultes persiste pendant 4 semaines.
Prévention de la multiplication des puces par inhibition du développement des œufs (activité ovicide) et des larves et pupes (activité larvicide) issues des œufs pondus par les puces adultes, pendant six semaines après application.
Elimination des tiques (Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor variabilis, Rhipicephalus sanguineus ). Le produit a une efficacité acaricide contre les tiques qui persiste selon les données expérimentales jusqu'à 2 semaines.
Elimination des poux broyeurs (Felicola subrostratus).

 

[Quillan]

[quote user="Val_2"]Be careful with flea collars for dogs as they are toxic in the main to the cats as is Advantix. Unfortunately fleas are par for the course with all animals whatever they are, even my neighbour's cows suffered the year before last with fleas and I was in the vets last summer and found a couple on my feet in the waiting area.[/quote]

Now I have done the 'funny' my problem with one dog in particular is as I said he is allergic to Frontline and Advantix. He gets very distressed for about two hours after application. He also is very sensitive to flees and is either continuously scratching all over or nibbling at his back end just above the tail and they are causing him some distress.

[Christine Animal]

Advantix for dogs contains Permethrin which is highly toxic to cats.

http://www.petplace.com/cats/permethrin-and-pyrethrin-toxicity-in-cats/page1.aspx

http://uk.merial.com/pet_owners/permethrin_toxicity.asp

 

Many of the foggers and sprays for the habitat contain permethrin.  I am now trying to find one that doesn't!

 

[Val_2]

Quillan get some special shampoo from the vet and give a weekly bath. It soothes the animal and keeps the pests at bay at bit. We had to do this for two years,religiously every week with the dog to soothe his skin and stop him biting, in the end it was food and fleas that he had the problems with. Now his food is only one special biscuit and veg and he has Advantix he is looking amazing and has all his fur again.

As for the cows, unfortunately they could not be treated but my neighbour's son was getting dreadfully bitten by them.

[Quillan]

[quote user="Val_2"]

As for the cows, unfortunately they could not be treated but my neighbour's son was getting dreadfully bitten by them.

[/quote]

By the cows or the flees. [6]

[Quillan]

Seems I was wrong about the flees and ticks with regards to Frontline. Now I have bothered to read the label (yes I know) the Combo version sterilises the eggs and pupae so they don't spread round the house. I have no idea where I got my other idea from but I must of either been told by somebody or read it wrongly somewhere. That will teach me in future. [:(]

[Val_2]

It all gets very confusing sometimes with all the different potions and pills you can give your pets.

[val douest]

Just to emphasise what came up in a recent thread on this subject - cats can become very ill if they are in close contact with a dog which has been treated in the previous 48 hours with Advantix or any other product containing Permethrin.  So if you have a dog and cat that are inclined to cuddle up together then Advantix is a definite no-no for the dog!

[Val_2]

I rub it well in under his collar so that his best friend out of our cats who snuggles upto him won't actually be too subjected to the Advantix.

[Chrissie]

Both of our dogs get very distressed by Frontline and Advantix spot-ons, so I switched last year to Effipro, against our vet's advice, despite the fact that he sells it!  It seems to work OK so far (touch wood hastily) and gives them no nasty reactions.

There was someone on this site a few months back asking about various treatments for dogs, who mentioned she gave her dgos garlic pills to combat fleas and ticks.  Does anyone know if this actually works?  Or even helps?  And, if so, what the dosage might be? 

Chrissie (81)

[Val_2]

That would give meaning to the phrase "dog breath"[:D]

[Judie]

[quote user="Chrissie"]

There was someone on this site a few months back asking about various treatments for dogs, who mentioned she gave her dgos garlic pills to combat fleas and ticks.  Does anyone know if this actually works?  Or even helps?  And, if so, what the dosage might be? 

Chrissie (81)

[/quote]

According to what I've just found on the web, it should be half a medium clove per 10lbs of body weight per day either chopped or grated, with a maximum of two cloves for big dogs.

However, knowing that onions and the like can be toxic to dogs, I'll probably stick with the correct dosage of chemicals.

[Chrissie]

I did search on the Web after that, and found that garlic is not toxic in the same way as onions.  But it does contain a very small amount of the dangerous chemical in onions (name forgotten now) and so dosage should be carefully controlled.  I think I might give it a try, as my poor old dog has other problems that might be helped by garlic.  Will start with half a clove and see what happens.

Chrissie (81)

[Christine Animal]

It does look as if garlic can be dangerous (causing a breakdown of red blood cells), especially in cats and small dogs.

http://suite101.com/article/is-garlic-good-or-bad-for-dogs-a192130

 

Having recently heard of the benefits of Spirulina to the immune system, etc. I just looked to see if it could be used for pets and apparently it is very good for them as well.

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/benefits-of-spirulina/

Three times the protein value of beef!   http://www.doggiesparadise.com/benefit-spirulina.shtml

 

Not much good agains fleas though, except for the allergic skin problems caused by them.

http://www.alliedwaves.com/petsinfo_1.htm

 

[Jo]

Found fleas on one of our two dogs despite being treated with Frontline, can't use Advantix as we have cats and one is her special friend!! Have tried Advantage which doesn't have the same toxic effect on cats, and no fleas at all on her after the first treatment!!

Not sure but as far as I know it doesn't treat ticks, so we are being extra vigilant in checking her, and will treat her with Frontline now and then to vary it!