frontline???

  • Okay so I FINALLY went and bought Frontline to get rid of these fleas!!!
    My question is:
    I put over the counter drops on my cat about two weeks ago, and they did NOTHING, didn't kill even ONE flea...
    Is it okay for me to put Frontline on him now? Or should I wait 30 days? It's been two weeks already, and a couple people told me to just give him a bath, and then put the Frontline on. What do you think?
  • Okay, I was a bit off, it isn't absorbed into their blood stream, but into their skin and coat. If it were me, I'd still talk to a vet. Here is a link to Fontline's FAQs.
  • I would call a vet, but i am pretty sure it is NOT absorbed into the actual blood stream. It is a topical treatment that is absorbed into oil folicles on the skin/hair shaft.

    It is best NOT to bath your dog/cat before applying frontline...it works best if it has oil to disolve into. If you bath the animal you are removing a lot of the oil. My vet recommended that if i bath my dog, i need to wait at least 48 hours before applying frontline. She recommended, if they need a bath, it is best to do it a week AFTER applying front line.

    Call the vet to be sure, but i dont think it should be a problem to apply the frontline now. And it should take care of your flea problem. That is the product i use and i love it. Works great. It takes a while initially, especially if you have eggs and larvae in your carpet or around your house, so it will seem like it is not working for a few days, but once all the present eggs hatch and get on the animal...their days are numbered. Be patient...it works. Oh, and you can get it WAY cheaper on ebay...that is what i do.
  • Call your vet to make sure. Some of the over-the-counter drops can be very harmful to your pet, so I wonder if it might react with the frontline. It's always best to call your vet and make sure first.
  • I work for a vet...

    I would honestly suggest going to your vet, purchasing a pill called Capstar - it effectively kills all fleas on your dog starting within 30 minutes...but is only effective for about 24 hours. I would bathe my dog and then 24 hours after the bath put on the frontline. I would also let you know that if it is not possible for you to get the capstar pill...then you should be fine to put the frontline on to your dog...some dogs actually use frontline or similar products every 2 weeks because they need it that much....however, definitely do not bathe within 24 hours prior or after applying the frontline (and you should attempt to limit bathing to once a month at that). I also highly recommend that you NEVER use otc products for flea control - they are simply out dated methods that do not work and waste your money. Please note that for prevention of fleas, there are other products out there (Advantage - like Frontline, a liquid applied to the skin or a new product in pill form called Comfortis which is great for people who like to bathe more regularly or dogs who swim a lot) that are more effective because they focus on flea control - whereas Frontline focuses on both Flea & Tick control. For your regular monthly prevention, unless you have ticks, I would recommend going with one of the other products I mentioned above....

    One more point...if your dog goes in your yard - you will likely need to have your yard sprayed by a pest control company - and your house will need to be help out too...there are some home flea sprays that you can get from your Vet (Frontline and Adams) that are great - but you can also use Borax (followed by a good vacuum job)as long as you keep your pets away from the product while it is on carpets,couches, etc....

    HOpe this helps! Good Luck!
  • i am a vet...i would highly recommend bathing your animal in a mild shampoo to get all the OTC off first. The OTC can have a derm reaction if applied in conjunction with Frontline. Then wait 24hrs and apply the frontline. Capstar is a great product but its for short term. But i'd highly recommend it to get the initial fleas off. You will need to get your house under control. If you see one flea...there's a heck of a lot more. You need to treat your house and yard..and repeat in 3-4 wks due to the lifecycle of the flea. I also recommend a product for the carpet called Flea busters. Its help prevent flea larva from going to adult stage. It does work immediately but will work for long term control. You need to keep up the frontline every 4 wk to ensure no more fleas.