Frontline Plus/Advantage Warning

[ugadog99]

Actually, the length of effectiveness can also depend on the area where you live. We are in the deep south and overrun with fleas. I never apply the next dose until I see evidence that it should be given again. As far as baths, we bathe and wait 72 HOURS before applying the frontline or advantage.

As I've said, many dogs (including ours for a while) can tolerate the frontline/advantage with no side effects. However, there are WAY too many stories from people all over the country about using the frontline and seizures following. What I'd like to see is the companies and VETS: 1) ADMIT it can cause seizures and 2) put a WARNING label on the products. That way, consumers and pet owners can make an INFORMED decision regarding the use of the products. I was a champion of frontline/advantage for years, but after the events of the past several months, I am now a confirmed adversary. Next week, I will be contacting the makers of both products as well as the FDA and any other agency I can think of. I'm sure my efforts will amount to nothing against big business, but I must do what I can for the sake of my pets and others.

 

[ticktock]

Do you have info to back that up??? There is no way they would sell a product to use monthly if it was effective for 3 months. I can also tell you it isn't true, because it doesn't even last a month on my rabbit, so I am going to have to find something else.

Suzanne

I know that my aunt worked at a vets years ago and the vet told her the heart worm pill you're supposed to give your cat/dog every month is actually effective for 3 months.

 

[lisajl]

First, the frontline came from the vet. Secondly, we wait at least 30-35 days between dosings. Third, no flea collars or baths. The vet says it's not frontline/advantage, but hey, they sell it in the office. Do you think they will tell you a product they sell causes seizures? I don't think so.

All I know is that we will never use it again. In fact, the elderly dachshund had another seizure from the time of the original post. This time it was much shorter and not as severe, but still just as scary.

Don't fool yourselves, people, the vets will never admit to it causing issues in some dogs. Until something is done about a warning on these products, this will continue. If I had any idea this could have even possibly been a side effect, we would never have bought the stuff in the first place.

Wow! You are painting a mighty wide brush there with that statement.
I, too, work for a vet. We get the info directly from the companies themselves about what can happen with these products. For the people that use it at our clinic, we have not had one have a seizure from frontline.
Plus, you have an elderly dach. Unfortuantely, they are a breed that has seizures. Did anyone tell you that when you got your dog? Dach, Huskies, heck, any dog can have a seizure. If you have not spoken to your vet or called the drug company I would do that. Was that the first time your dog had a seizure? When you FIRST applied it? The older a dog gets the more succeptible it is to health problems. With that said, I do not use Frontline all year, just for tick season.

Just saw your post about contacting the companies. You would be surprised at the help they will give you. Don't count them out because you are going to complain. They will listen and take down your info regarding the seizures. If your dog has used it before with no issues, they are going to want to know what has changed. You may need to get bloodwork done on your dog, if it has not been done within the last few months.
Good luck to you...I hope your dogs are doing well now.

 

[airhead]

We used Frontline Plus on our nine year old black lab three weeks ago for the first time. She had a seizure (her first ever) about six hours after I applied it. She didn't have anymore for two weeks, and then had at least eight within three days. She spent those days in the animal hospital ICU and aspirated fluid into her lungs during a really bad seizure, and passed away that night. We are hearthbroken over her loss.

I have said to dh many times over the last few weeks that I think the Frontline was involved. She first saw the ER vet, and then was taken over by the neurology team. I also took her to see her regular vet after the initial seizure. I told everyone about how the first seizure happened shortly after the Frontline, and not one of them think it has anything to do with it.

She did have an MRI at the hospital which showed a small growth along the base of her brain, but the neurologists also didn't think that it was big enough to be causing such significant seizures. In the end she was on three different seizure medications, a steroid and a valium drip.

It just seemed very coincidental to me, that hours after applying the Frontline this began.

So sorry about the loss of your dog!

 

[darlak]

We switched from Frontline to Comfortis (a pill given once a month) last summer because the Frontline just didn't seem to be working anymore. It's only for fleas, but we've been thrilled with the results so far. It starts working in 30 minutes and keeps them free of fleas for the whole month.

We did notice that one of our dogs, my biggest (22 pounds) male dachshund, seems to get an upset tummy after his dosage. Now we always give with food (which is recommended), but we give him his pill 1/2 at a time over a 2-day period.

When we first switched, we had such an infestation that we planned on bombing the house for fleas, but we noticed that within a couple of days after all 3 dogs had their pill, the house also seemed to be free of fleas.

The cost is only slightly higher than the Frontline and at least in my area, it can only be purchased at the vet's office.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Research shows that Frontline Plus kills fleas up to 3 months and ticks up to 1 month. We don't have ticks here so I can easily go 3 months before reapplying. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=7200 has more info on that.

I have used it on my 3 dogs and 2 fosters and haven't had issues but anytime using chemicals, there is a risk of reaction - sometimes fatal. We use Neem Spray for mosquitos but it's also useful for fleas and ticks and other biting insects. I even use it on myself for summertime walks at night! Keeps me mosquito bite free. Might be worth looking into for your pups. It's all natural and safe to use.

I'm sorry about your dogs =(

 

[ChewyWimpy]

I have a five month old puppy that had three clusters of seizures between 9 weeks and three months. They were very bad and he was in the emergency center for all of them. We have run tests and haven't found anything so far. I am terrified to use Frontline because of what I have read on the internet. I tried tea tree oil and lavender but it doesn't work. Any natural suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[jen7233]

That's interesting. I used to have a dog that I used Frontline on and she had canine epilepsy. She has passed on, I had her all her life until she passed at 13. Anyway, we now have an English Bulldog. She absolutely hates Frontline. I have tried several different flea meds with her, including Bravecta, Nexguard, and Frontline. She has not had a problem with Frontline medically, the only thing I notice is that she seems to pout all day when I put it on her, and it's as if she knows the flea med is about to go on her if I snap the lid and so I have to snap the lid in another room or she'll go hide. She can't use Nexguard well, when using that we had a few throw up instances and I wasn't entirely sure if it was related but it happened the same day she used it, a few different occasions.

Anyway, interesting about the seizures, I wonder if Frontline had anything to do with my sweet girl that used to be with us. I'm about to pull my bully off Frontline anyway, I get sad seeing the way she pouts just all day when it's on her, tries to wipe the wall with her back, and am wondering if it feels a certain way on her skin or what, or if it's the scent. I'm going back to Bravecta I believe. I should edit here that my dog that had canine epilepsy had it starting at age 5 onward. She was a Boston. Before this post, I had been planning anyway to switch off Frontline and nothing to do with my thought of association with seizures. But, that's a very interesting bit of information!! My reasoning is simply what I've personally been noticing in my experience with my bully. She has shown no indication of seizures, only that she seems depressed for a full day when Frontline is on her and maybe it bothers her skin.