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lilly316

Frontline Plus??

Lily316
14 years ago

Exactly one week after applying Frontline Plus to the dog and five indoor cats, I still found live fleas while combing all of them last night. What's up with that? I didn't expect fleas would immediately disappear, but after a week I thought there would be none. I didn't find many but at least one on each pet.

Comments (9)

  • mazer415
    14 years ago

    It takes about a week for the eggs that were laid by the living fleas to hatch. As soon as these fleas bite your animal they will be dead within 24 hours.
    You might have to treat your yard with nematodes if that is where your animals are getting the fleas from, since neighbors and wild animals also carry fleas. Keep an eye on things for the next week or so, you should see a decrease in fleas unless of course you purchased your flea control on line from another country - it could be a bogus product, other than that dont re-apply, just let the product do its job. Good luck

  • trinigemini
    14 years ago

    I live in Florida and have tried Frontline and Advantix....I still find the occasional flea on my dog. The vet said the fleas become immune to products sometimes. I hear Florida is bad this year with the bugs though, fleas, mosquitos. My next try will be comfortis. Supposedly though, the fleas will die once they bite your dog, so your don't have to worry about an infestation (frontline and advantix). I have also tried the nematodes outside but have not been having any luck there either. She still gets fleas.

  • Meghane
    14 years ago

    Frontline plus kills both adult fleas and prevents fleas from reproducing, but as mentioned any flea eggs, larvae and other immature stages you have in the environment will still be viable. It takes a couple of hours for frontline to kill fleas that get onto your dog, so seeing a few here and there isn't uncommon. My own dogs have been on frontline plus for 14 years (not all the same dogs) and I've never had an infestation. A few fleas here and there, but never a problem.

    I personally like frontline the most because it is not systemically absorbed into the dog like all other flea products.

  • trinigemini
    14 years ago

    meghane whats your view on comfortis?

  • Lily316
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks for the help. I have always liked Frontline Plus too, but thought enough time went by there would be no more fleas. The dog is also on Sentinel year round. Meghane , do you like that product? In addition to heartworm, doesn't that control flea eggs?

  • Meghane
    14 years ago

    Sentinel does prevent fleas from reproducing, but only if the flea bites the dog. Hopefully, the frontline will kill the flea before it has a chance to bite the dog. I consider sentinel expensive overkill if a dog is on frontline plus. I have always had at least 1 dog with severe flea allergies, so my goal has always been to prevent fleas from biting in the first place. I've seen sentinel work very well in households without dogs with flea allergies, without any additional flea treatments.

    Comfortis is a natural product derived from a bacterium, but it is systemically absorbed and stays in the dog's system all month. The most common side effect is vomiting, which most dogs get over after the first dose, but if my dog vomited a $6 pill I'd be mad. And I'm not sure I want something that kills animals to be harbored in my dogs' bodies continuously. It's a thing I have.

  • trinigemini
    14 years ago

    meghane thanks for the opinion. I was afraid to try comfortis mainly because how new it is. I just felt a topical was better than an oral....I have no basis for this belief. We were using frontline plus and my baby still got fleas so we switched to advantix and put nematodes in the yard. We still find a flea on her every now and then...more often than I would like. And we buy the product from the vet because he matches internet prices. I don't know what to do about the fleas. My last dog never had a flea, this one seems to get them all the time. ??? And everything is the same.

  • Lily316
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I'm getting quite sick of this whole situation. After a cool summer with no fleas (I comb often), we hit two hot humid days, and the dog has many fleas now when I comb him. This is after two Sentinel pills starting in June and Frontline Plus started 11 days ago. I even bought the stronger dose for him. He was on the borderline . I think it's over 23 pounds and he's 22.5. He even had a bath a few days ago. What's going on? I don't get why it's not effective.

  • trinigemini
    14 years ago

    lily from what I hear it has been a very bad flea season, many people who have their dogs protected are still finding fleas. (my dog is protected year round and I still see an occasional flea on her. You can try using DE Earth....google it...make sure you buy the correct type as one is dangerous, you need the garden type not the pool type. It won't stop fleas but it will kill them and you can put it out in your yard to help there as well. Also you can try going to Earth clinic where they have natural remedies, feeding your dog garlic being one of them.