For those who use Frontline for flea control

[Pea-n-Me]

Check your pets for fleas! (Use a flea comb to see if you find any fleas and/or flea dirt.)

My vets told me yesterday they've been seeing TONS of fleas in dogs and cats this year, many who've been treated with Frontline (which they sold to their clients, including us). They think fleas are developing a resistance to flea treatment, Frontline in particular. (There have apparently been rumors about this for the last couple of years, but little scientific confirmation.)

Unfortunately, my dog is one of the affected. This is the first time in over 21 years we've had a problem - and never in this house. I thought maybe she was developing a food allergy or had some residual from ragweed that was so prevalent this fall. Nope - just plain ole fleas.

I was really surprised since she was groomed a couple of weeks ago and there was no mention of fleas and my DH wet her down in the tub at home this week to relieve her itching and there were no fleas or blood in the water there, either. The vet thinks they were just starting. But still...

So now we have to treat the whole house - on a rotational basis. We already washed all of her bedding, vacumed and sprayed upstairs. Today we revacum upstairs and then do downstairs, including damp mopping all non-carpeted surfaces. What a PIA. Poor hamster has to move room to room so he doesn't get sick from the spray.

Now I feel like a bad doggy mommy. She was driving us crazy with the scratching - now we know why.

Check your pets if they're scratching, even if you've used Frontline.

 

[WDWisTheBest]

Thanks for the update.

 

[sjs314]

Wow thanks for posting this, it is the first I have read about this. Funny thing is DH picked up our dogs flea treatments this year at Petco or Pet Smart I forget which and he came home with K9 Advantix , and we had a slight disagreement over it since our dogs have always used Frontline, used the K9 with no problems

 

[escape]

A few months ago, I told my vet that I didn't think the Frontline was working any more. I asked him if my cats could be building up a resistance and he didn't think so. I thought maybe I just wasn't keeping their area or house clean enough or perhaps I needed to spray for fleas more often. This just confirms my theory. Unfortunately, I recently bought several months worth of dosage for my pets and I can't really afford to throw it away.

 

[bballmom56]

Yep we were having a problem with fleas a couple of years ago and none of the usual products were working. Vet told us they were becoming resistant. So I did some research to look for something that used a chemical different from what was in the most popular ones at the time. I went with Advantage for the cats and it has worked like a charm. No problem with fleas since (and we do have a bad flea problem in this area). I can still use the supermarket brands on the dog. They still work on her.

 

[bballmom56]

I asked him if my cats could be building up a resistance and he didn't think so.

The cats aren't building up a resistance, but the fleas are!

 

[webprinter]

A few months ago I noticed fleas on my cats after treating them for a few months and was frustrated that I couldn't get control over them. I switched to Advantage and they disappeared. I guess I know why now.

 

[CookieGVB]

We've been having a problem the last couple of months. I hadn't heard about Frontline - we've been using it, but have added flea baths weekly with Adams shampoo...will do a little more research on this. Thanks for the head's up!

 

[Agri]

If you look at the directions for most flea treatments like Frontline, you can treat them more than once a month with them (I believe Frontline is actually once a week). I still treat my dog once a month, but I make sure I overlap by at least a few days. She gets a Capstar (which kills all the fleas on her) and then a nice long bath (she LOVES to get a bath!). Once she's dry, I put the Frontline on her. (We have both cats and dogs, so we have to be careful with who gets what.)

You can also have your yard treated for fleas. We have not done this yet quite honestly because my mom's health has been crazy this year (aftermath of brain surgery last December), and getting the yard treated hasn't been quite a high priority.

I do not disagree that fleas are developing a resistance to anti-flea treatments, but this is what seems to be working fairly well for us.

 

[PatsGirl]

And I don't think this is just with fleas but also with ticks. I had the vet come look at my cat because he had bumps all over his head area. She found he was infested with the tiniest ticks, looked almost like tiny scabs (not deer ticks though) and asked if I was using the Frontline as directed. I was/am but she told me to start using it in three-week intervals rather than monthly. He is due tomorrow for another dose and they were no ticks on him these past weeks.

 

[John VN]

Had to take FIL's cat to vet for fleas. Also took 3 treatments in house to rid the house of them.

This was 2 months ago and vet did mention the Frontline situation. Used K9 on the cat.

 

[Kath2003]

Our vet won't prescribe Frontline any more as they've had reports of it being ineffective. For the past year they've been prescribing our cats something else - which seems to be working just fine.

 

[ilovejack02]

We've been having a problem the last couple of months. I hadn't heard about Frontline - we've been using it, but have added flea baths weekly with Adams shampoo...will do a little more research on this. Thanks for the head's up!

Flea shampoo and Frontline or any other like med, don't work together. The flea shampoo strips away the natural oils in skin and the oils in skin is what makes the neck meds work.

My biggest defense in keeping away the fleas is keeping my yard treated , Dang it is a pain, but is the best help I have found. Also using Capstar regularly.

 

[Dax]

I have never used Frontline, I have always used Advantage. This year though was a BRUTAL year for the fleas, and it seemed even the Advantage had trouble with them.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I don't use anything. Anyone else? I have 2 dogs and no fleas.....so far. I am sure now that I have typed this they will get fleas.

 

[DebbieW]

I have no experience with using it on animals, but you might want to investigate Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth.

 

[gracie1]

I use frontline plus on all three of my dogs and haven't had a problem. I have been using it for about 13 years now and we live in the woods. I switched one time to promeris that my vet had recommended and it was so strong that it burned my dogs skin

So I went back to frontline plus

 

[PrincessBelle39]

We have had the same problem with Advantage. It just wasn't working anymore. I've moved onto Advocate and this seems to have made the difference.