Recent EPA Report regarding Spot On Flea preventatives

[Adina P]

In case anyone is interested... http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/petproductseval.html

The recent increased reporting of issues really bothers me because I don't believe in most natural remedies for preventing fleas/ticks. So now I'm afraid of Frontline and am afraid of NOT using Frontline.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Those are good points. For me, your point about the weight range is reassuring, because Jack is around 85 lbs and his Frontline Plus is for dogs 45-88 lbs. So he's close to the top limit.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I will try to read what the FDA has said when I can. But nothing, from oxygen to healthful food and downhill from there is without side effects. Babies have suffered eye permanent damage from too much oxygen and we all know the effects of too much or too little food. Even though we cannot exist without these things they need to be given in the correct amount. From the little I have read it seems, particularly for small dogs, the dosage of spot preventatives needs to be looked at, according to the FDA. Ambiguity is all too common. The beneficial versus side effects need to be weighed for any treatment. As physicians, we do this all the time. The first question is whether the medication is needed. Then we need to look at the pros and cons. Careful titration of dosage may increase the odds of a good outcome. My decision to date has been to use Frontline. I have seen the effects of Lyme disease in people and a dog. There are other serious tick borne disease as well. I have already seen one tick on Calla this spring. The first of the month is Frontline time here. From what I've read the natural substances don't work as well. I have used Cedarcide but I really don't like the smell. Also, I seem to remember some recent negative about that. More surfing the web to be done.

[F, Calla & Luca]

You can buy larger doses of Frontline and then combine the vials in a small jar. Not only is it cheaper but it gives you the ability to titrate the dosage. I have done this using a very small syringe designed for liquid medications. Since Calla weighs 51 pounds I give her a little more than Luca who weighs 41 pounds. Calla is only, at last check, one pound over the weight limit for the 50-100 pound dog packaging, which I saw as too large a range. The smaller dog dosages contain the same percentage of active ingredient in a lesser volume. I found a guideline for this on the web. I feel comfortable doing this but clearly caution is required. If you do not feel comfortable about this then do not do it! I am relating my solution but certainly not recommending or encouraging anyone to do this. Decide for yourselves.


Here is a guideline I found on the web:

Frontline is the same concentration but just a different prepackaged dosage sizes for the convenience of the pet owner. They are color coded so pet owners that have multiple pets of different sizes don't get confused.

If you bought the BLUE PACK (1.34 mL), it is twice the size of the ORANGE (.67mL). Look at the little notches on the pack and just use 1/2 the package. This is actually a great way to purchase Frontline if you have several dogs, as it is much cheaper to buy 1 Blue pack than 2 orange packs.

Here's the proof (note the concentration is the same just the dose increases):
USA Version, EPA Reg. No. 65331-5 0.023 fl oz (0.67 mL) –orange pack 9.8% Fipronil & 8.8% (S)-Methoprene (by weight) Up to 22 lbs
USA Version, EPA Reg. No. 65331-5 0.045 fl oz (1.34 mL) –blue pack 9.8% Fipronil & 8.8% (S)-Methoprene (by weight) 23-44 lbs
USA Version, EPA Reg. No. 65331-5 0.091 fl oz (2.68 mL) – purple pack 9.8% Fipronil & 8.8% (S)-Methoprene (by weight) 45-88 lbs
USA Version, EPA Reg. No. 65331-5 0.136 fl oz (4.02 mL) –Red pack 9.8% Fipronil & 8.8% (S)-Methoprene (by weight) 89-132 lbs

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

It is interesting that it has mostly affected small breeds - chihuahuas are a big one.
I hate to not use a Spot On flea/tick treatment mainly because of ticks in TN. This past weekend we went hiking. No ticks found on my guys. My cousin's terrier was in town, was not on flea/tick prevention, and had over 15 ticks, already starting to imbed between his paws, etc...talk about scary!
I know this is wasteful, but what if I just don't put the entire vial on them (if the weight is too high for their actual weight)??

[F, Calla & Luca]

I think that is a very good idea. If you only need half the vial for Taquito you might just carefully save the rest for the next month. I think dispensing just half would be hard though. 15 ticks, ugh, that is scary. At least in people, it's said that the ticks have to be imbedded a while, I think maybe overnight to transmit Lyme, for instance.

[Christina and Cooper plus Benny]

I didn't see anything about Advantage on the site. Unless I missed it? It was my understanding that Advantage was supposed to be safer than most of the other products out there. Am I wrong? I just started Cooper on Advantage, as we don't use anything during the winter here in Oregon, but we are at the start of flea season, and my sister has already found several ticks on her dogs. I know Advantage doesn't help with ticks, but I thought it was safe for fleas? I also got a Preventic collar for Cooper to wear when we hike in areas that are tick infested. I figured that way he can wear it only when needed, and I will remove it the rest of the time. I don't know about everyone else, but I am discouraged and confused....

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I am following this discussion to glean information from those of you who are doing the research. Like Adina, I am afraid not to use Frontline. My dogs got lice last year and that was no fun. I think they got them at the dog park when they were on the last month of the 3 month time frame. I am afraid not to use Frontline every month during the 'season.' We don't have any fleas or ticks in our yard. If I didn't go places and take my dogs, I would use nothing or spray like Lynne does.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

My last dog went nowhere except out in the yard on leash to go potty; she weighed 20 lbs and got her exercise indoors. A townhouse in a suburban neighborhood, with a very small unfenced yard, grass kept manicured by the association's landscapers, and that's where she got one of the worst flea infestations our vet had ever seen, just going out for 5 minutes a few times a day to do her business. I had no idea there were fleas in my yard.
I'm afraid not to use Frontline, too.