Frontline not working?

[Belinda Stevens]

Just wondering if anyone is having any issues with Frontline? I have use Frontline for years in fact I never even needed to use it every month (more like every 2) and with this last pack I noticed after the 3rd application the fleas on my oldest dog are getting worse. When I went to Petco to find something to use inbetween the next application time I was told that I was the 7th person in telling them that Frontline was not working. Has anyone else noticed anything? Does anyone know if they have changed the formula or could there just be a bad batch out there. Is it possible that a dog will become "immune" to it and it stop working? The manager there really didn't want to say anything bad about Frontline since he loves it and recommends it all the time but he seemed the think that their quality control was going down hill. I just ordered a pack of Advantix (never tried it before) and hope that will do the job as soon as I am able to put that on them.

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

You know Donna, I had a similar experience with Advantix. When I used it for the first time last Spring, my Ginger acted as if I took a hot poker to her skin. She started yelping and trying to get at the area to get it off. I was in a panic and started washing it off her. I kept running cool water over the area and she finally started to calm. Needless to say, the rest went into the garbage. I know others are using it with no problems and my other dogs had no problems, but I'll never use it again.

[Kerry]

Hello......I really wanted to reply to your concern about Frontline.........and I am on this site at present as I have been looking for some info for my friend who has a labradoodle............it's interesting to see those comments about Frontline possibly not working as well as it used to because my friend has been saying the same for over a month now........her dog always seems to have fleas on him and she has been applying Frontline very regularly. Might be time to show our concern to the manufacturer, I reckon.....................

[Belinda Stevens]

I as just talking to my co-working about this problem and he posed the question. Where is Frontline manufactured? Does anyone know that?

[qkhu3zb7xv9n]

We've used Frontline for years and here in VA this is the first year we had any problems! We noticed them on our dog in August (he has since died) and he brought them in to our indoor cat. It took nearly 2 months but I think we have finally gotten the flea problem solved inside the house and they are not on the cat. It's funny because I was just having this discussion with some friends Saturday night and they too were having flea/frontline problems this year. We're getting our doodle this Saturday (hooray!!!) and are considering using Revolution.

I have no idea where Frontline is manufactured but I do know that for some reason it did not work for us this year!!

[20xlhzzaoccks]

We live in Central Florida and of course fleas and ticks are a problem year round. Frontline has never worked for us. The fleas and ticks just laughed at it and it didn't seem to help at all. Since I switched to Advantix I have not seen any live fleas or ticks. I wondered if the fleas had developed some sort of immunity to Frontline so thank you for starting this discussion. I get the Advantix from Drsfosterandsmith.com and they do not require a prescription. It has been much cheaper than getting from the vet even with shipping and it has been working great.

[Biddix Family]

We use frontline each month but also use Sentinel for heartworms that also includes a flea med. I have yet to see any fleas on either dog and they stay outside a good amount of time.

[2SCdoodles]

I am at my wit's end! I live in the South, so we can have 70 degree days in February! Twice during the last 4 months we have had flea issues when the weather has gotten warm. I have never missed a month of Frontline Plus! This is what seems to be happening. Two weeks after application, if the weather is warm, my dogs begin to itch, itch, itch. Then they scratch, scratch, scratch! I feel so terrible for them.

Today I was desperate. I went to the vet's and begged for assistance. He gave me Comfortis! I hope this will work. Has anyone used this with success?

[Joy Originator of GiantSchnoodles]

My flea regimine, journal & flea info from others.
1/21/09 85 degrees outside. Still no fleas. Not using program or capstar. Flea regimine still working.
My Flea regimine still working 9/20/08

My Flea Regimine Still working 6/19/08

Added apr 21 08
Wash dogs in Dawn detergent
Mix Dawn ½ & ½ Put on DRY dog. Leave on dog 10 minutes. The Dawn removes the greasy skin on the flea which kills it. After 10 minutes rinse dog.
Use conditioner. I like VO5. Slather on. Brush the conditioner in with a slicker brush while wet on dog. Let stay 10 minutes. This helps prevent mats. Rinse dog.

I put nematodes in the lawn in 07. Expensive but seems effective.

It is May 08 100 degrees outside. I have not used anything but garlic & yeast on their food. So far no fleas. I do have the Capstar at hand & ready to go but haven’t needed it so far. Also haven’t used Program. Haven’t needed Dawn.

July 15, 2007 Frontline Plus once a month. Doesn’t seem to be working well lately . the fleas seem to have become immune to it. I alternate it with bio spot or Adams (same stuff) None of them seem to work better or worse.
I now use Program, a once a month pill. This is birth control for the fleas so although they may get on the dogs, they don’t reproduce.
If I have a flea outbreak, I use CapStar. It can be bought without a RX but I forget where. I got it online. It kills the fleas in ½ hour but with the program, which sterilizes the fleas, it seems to last about 5 days & can be repeated with no ill effects. At least no one died yet.
I flea bomb the house & wash all bedding 14 days apart
I sprayed the lawn, then bought nematodes, trememdously expensive. I don’t know what actually works because I’m doing so many things. Apr 21 /08 Apr 21/08 I think the nematodes are working as I haven't had bad flea problems since I put it on the lawn. I think its about 2 years.

I feed garlic & brewers yeast on the dogs food daily.
I check for fleas on each dog daily. If there is one flea on one dog, they all get a capstar.
Hartz oatmeal flea shampoo also works for a quick fix

Capstar pill immediate kill but only good for 1 day. I actually found it worked for 5 days. Two days less than Frontline, biospot & Adams

Plan Give Capstar to everyone same day bomb house & spray lawn. Spray bed wi natural stuff.

Hi Sues, I'm thinking advantix this year bcs since we haven't had heartwork problem in socal in the past, I haven't been doing heartworm stuff. My vet says that heartworm will only become a problem if they get bitten by a misquito that has bitten a dog wi heartworm. Since we now have so many rescues here from the gulf, this could now become a problem. Advantix seems to be the only one that advertises that it protects against misquitos. So is it? Does it? Also, Frontline doesn't dissapear when you wash the dog. Advantage does. what about advantix? Also, Karma, my white poodle seems to have become immune to frontline. I used biospot last year. But I remember hearing some bad things about biospot but I don't remember what. She is now pregnant and I'm afraid to use anything. I'd love to hear his answers if you get to ask any or all those questions. Puppy love from Joy & furry folk

http://www.fleaaway.com/frequentlyaskedquestions.htm Flea away

It's petshed.com heart guard regular & generic. No rx needed. Frontline cheaper. From Australia. Shipping $6 comes in a week.


Foster Smith Mega tablets.. (think there's garlic in them, too) And if you don't believe they work to repel fleas... there still a great supplement good for skin hair etc (vitamin B's) Good luck Barb!!!

https://www.fleatreat.com/welcome.html


Home
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The Flea Control Center
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Counterfeit Flea Products
1: Why Fleas Are Bad
2: Flea Biology
3: Modes of Treatment
4: Is Resistance Futile?
5: Additional Questions




We learned long ago that insecticide use represents a selection factor in a flea population. The resistant individuals survive and pass their genes on to offspring. Eventually a resistant population is produced. We would like to avoid creating a population of fleas who laugh at our best insecticides and there are two ways of doing this:

The first way to avoid resistance: Change products periodically.

This seems simple and even obvious. If you want to make a resistant population then keep exposing the population to the same insecticide and after enough generations your population will be resistant. If you switch to another insecticide, the group will be totally sensitive to the new insecticide. After a few more generations, change again.

Working against this method is the fact that advertisers encourage people to continue to use a product they like and this is, in fact, what people tend to do. The power of marketing is strong though, technically, it is better in the long run if a household alternates between two flea products each year.

The second way to avoid resistance: Use a flea sterilizer.

A group of fleas that survives exposure to Frontline® or Advantage® cannot pass on their resistance genes if they have been sterilized by a second product. Program® interferes with the production of chitin (the hard material making up the insect exoskeleton). The adult flea has already made its chitin but its off-spring need to develop a chitin egg-tooth to escape their eggs after development into larvae. A larva whose mother has had a big drink of lufenuron-laden blood will not be able to hatch.

Another such sterilizer is Methoprene (the “plus” in FrontlinePlus®). Methoprene was developed as an additive to flea sprays and foggers. It is totally non-toxic (it does not even kill fleas) and represents a group of insect control agents called “insect growth regulators” or “juvenoids.” Methoprene mimics a youth hormone of the flea so that larvae who consume it in flea dirt cannot mature and eggs laid by female fleas who have been topically treated with it cannot develop. Twenty years ago, this compound was a miracle in flea control. It enabled the life cycle to be broken in two places for the first time. Now methoprene is rather “old hat” but it has been included in Frontline to prevent Frontline resistance.

Resistance is an important phenomenon and it should not be ignored. Our clients may inadvertantly be promoting resistance without realizing it.

Listen for this clue:

* At first the product worked really well but now I have to apply it again after 2-3 weeks. It doesn’t last the whole month anymore.

When someone starts to use the product more frequently in this way, they are increasing the selection pressure and creating resistance more rapidly. What they should do in this situation instead, is add a sterilizer or change to another product.

In conclusion, fleas are here to stay one way or the other. Know as much about this pest as you do about the dogs and cats that it feeds upon. You cannot know too much when it comes to flea control.

Last updated: August 31, 2002

Shampoo Away Fleas FAST
with NO Pesticides!!!!!!

BELIEVE it or not!
Home YES! I admit it! I use Dawn dish soap (the non-ultra kind) to kill fleas in my shop. ANY shampoo diluted with a little bit of water and applied to a DRY DOG will kill fleas! Dawn just works FASTER and BETTER because it is a strong degreaser. I started using this technique after a shampoo manufacturer that makes no flea shampoo told me that it would work. He didn't say use Dawn, he said use ANY SHAMPOO, but an older groomer friend of mine said it worked, so I tried it. I had been dipping and was getting concerned having seen poisoning by dips occur in cats and dogs. I wanted to prevent it from happening to ME. So this was the solution for me. I have not dipped or used a pesticide other than Di-Limonene in over 6 years. Now I do not even use Di-Limonene. I don't have to! AND I am NEVER Out of flea shampoo!
OK, hold on..... here is why it works.
Fleas have this ability to survive underwater. I have been told they emit a greasy barrier around their bodies forming a bubble to protect them from water and it holds oxygen in. By dissolving the grease bubble you allow water to get to the flea and they drown. Fleas are also very soft bodied. They DO have an exoskeleton that allows them protection, but soaps dissolve this and then they cannot breathe.
The way to use this product (or any other shampoo you choose) is SIMPLE! Take a bottle (I usually use an old dish soap bottle) and mix 50% water with 50% shampoo. Then, starting with the head of the animal, apply this mixture to the pet in a line that goes down the back of the pet. Then using your sprayer, add JUST enough water to get the shampoo to lather a little bit and spread around the pet. It does not take much shampoo to do this! Add more water and shampoo as needed to apply this solution thoroughly to the dog or cat. Allow it to sit for a minute or two, as many as 5 on heavily infested animals, and then rinse. I use my recirculating washer to rinse with as it also bathes the pet for me using the existing shampoo, which cuts down on water consumption, shampoo usage and time. I simply put fresh water in the tub while the pet is sitting and rinse it using the system after it has sat the required amount of time. This reduces the need for rinsing, washing and then rinsing again. I then rinse and using a soothing shampoo rebathe the dog to ensure that all the soap is removed and the skin is treated to prevent itching. Conditioner can be applied afterward if needed, but rarely if ever do I have to add this after I am finished.
DO NOT WET THE ANIMAL FIRST! If you do, the fleas will react by creating that grease bubble we talked about earlier and you will be fighting a harder to kill flea than if you never give them a chance to do that!
As this technique is highly effective, I never use pesticides in my shop. I do keep Capstar on hand and dogs that are HIGHLY infested get a Capstar when they arrive or as the go into the tub just to be sure all the fleas are dead upon the pets departure from my shop. I also always make sure I notify the owners f their pets condition and what we did to help them with the problem, as well as suggesting they do their part at home.

Advertising this non-pesticide approach to pest control can be of HUGE benefit to you in your salon. By showing that you care enough not to poison the animals and the environment and yet care enough to help eliminate the problem, you gain a market share of the client base that CARES how their pates are treated and wants a safe effective way to treat their animals. You don't have to share the secret of Dawn or the fact that all shampoos will kill fleas if applied to a dry pet, simply say, "We use NO DANGEROUS CHEMICALS to kill fleas." I tell people who want to know how it works, but most don't care as long as it does.
Holly F and Fs mom
Be careful, the Dawn may dry out thier skin
Mon Apr 21, 2008 12:21PM
65.244.105.130

Hi,

We use Dawn at the grooming shop if a dog gets skunked. It is pretty potent.

My fear would be that it could dry out their skin if you use it too often. I'm not sure I would use it more than every 6 - 8 weeks on a Doodle.

Also, make sure the fleas are dead. Something weird happens when fleas get wet - it is like they get paralysed.


Good Luck,
Holly

Foser Smith Mega tablets.. (think there's garlic in them, too) And if you don't believe they work to repel fleas... there still a great supplement good for skin hair etc (vitamin B's) Good luck Barb!!!

www.earth.google.com
Soogee (Sue G.) and Doc
I get my Frontline Plus from Australia...
Tue Aug 21, 2007 10:49PM
67.87.75.15

but you don't need a prescription to order from them. I found them to be the lowest on the internet...vetshoponline.com my heartguard I get from entirelypets.com also the cheapest I've found. I've been using them for years. I would hesitate to use the stores own generic medication. It might be fine....but sometimes the added ingrediants are not the same

Michele & Fur friends
repellant recipe
Sat Aug 25, 2007 12:27AM
72.2.76.112

Full strength essential oils:
Lavender, Tea Tree, Rosemary, Sage, Cedarwood, Peppermint, Sweet Orange, Eucalyptus, Citronella, Pine Needle.

Mix equal parts of all oils (Use colored dark blue or amber glass bottle). I got an amber bottle with an eye-dropper top from the phamisist. Use some this oil mixture to make the spray as follows and store the rest in a cool dark place to make more spray as needed.

In a 4 oz. spray bottle...I add 2 full droppers (between 1/4 to 1/2 tsp) of repellent oil mix and fill the rest of the way with water. Shake WELL before using.
Spray on the dog, yourself, bedding, carpet, ect.
Repels fleas, ticks and mosquitoes.

shanmcd
mozzies!
Fri Aug 24, 2007 9:38PM
71.32.58.78

we had loads of mosquitos where we used to live, here are some things i would do for the lab...

1. peppermint essential oil
2. skin so soft (makes his coat shiny...but maybe not so good for doodles)
2. in a pinch GIN!!!! just splash some on the doos and rub all over...moizzies hate it

Puppy love from Joy & furry folk

[Charnell Havens]

I've used Frontline Plus for years and never had a problem. We'll see what spring holds for us in Virginia.

Charnell Havens

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

US EPA Announcement Counterfeit Pesticide Products for Dogs and Cats

[Ginny Nightingale]

Just found this discussion and it is similar to mine from last week. I had no luck with Frontline after years of success and have now switched to Advantix--fleas are gone.