Frontline Plus

[Barney's Mom]

Just wondering how often I should apply Frontline Plus to Barney. The product packaging says it works up to three months, but I get a reminder card in the mail every month from my vet to reapply. Do they do this to sell more Frontline to me or does Barney really need it once a month in the summer? We live in town and not in a wooded area, and he isn't outside all the time, just for an hour or so in the morning and afternoon. I don't want to put any more chemicals into his body than I have to, so I would like to know everyone's personal opinion on this.

Thanks so much!

Mary

Barney's Mom

p.s. Barney is doing great and is 100% back to normal! Yea, normal is that brat puppy I wrote about in weeks previous....

As my husband and I have been saying the past few days, "He's BA-ACK!"

[avusblue]

Frontline Plus works for 3 months on fleas, and 1 month for ticks. So, depending on Barney's exposure, you can adjust the application accordingly. Doesn't have to be a fixed schedule, but just note the date of the last application.

We used to apply it about once every 2-3 months in the winter & early spring, and about once a month in the summer when we were living in Chicago. I try to stretch it out as much as I can, so sometimes in the summer, its about 1.5-2 months in between. Now in the tropical weather here, its about once a month, but I still do try to stretch it, as their hair does tend to get greasier after an application. It is quite effective, as I sometimes only see ticks on them if i've pushed my luck too far, so then I'll apply it immediately.

Frontline Plus is safer than the grocery store brands, as it is one of the two flea/tick products that do not enter the bloodstream (Advantix is the other). The grocery store brands such as hartz, etc. enters the bloodstream and has been known to cause deaths and epilepsy (google it). Frontline spread using oil glands, so sometimes it may not be as effective on their extremities such as their paws, but I have yet to experience this. The only poisoning concern would be if you had more than 1 dog, as they could theoretically lick it off each other's neck, but I don't think they would, since I don't think its that yummy.

We save a lot on the cost by buying the largest size (purple, for large dogs), and storing it in a vial, then measuring and applying the right quantity for Axle and Cami, which is 0.67ml each. Each large dog application is good for 6 small dog applications, while it only costs about 1.5x times more. Funny how that works. But we do try to not store it for too long, so sometimes we get the medium size, good for 2 small applications. Now, there's another excuse for having 2 cairns!

[we-love-izzy]

I've noticed that after about 2 weeks I will see a few fleas on Izzy and I know you are not supposed to reapply the Frontline less than 30 days between.. does anyone know of anything natural I can use to help between times? I've done the carpets, the cat who comes in and out wears Frontline.. I don't know what to do next? Any ideas??

Thanks!

kasey

I forgot to say, Barney's Mom, I'm so glad he's back to his normal "bratty" self! I know you must be so relieved!

[savannahsmom35]

I live in Georgia and my vet advised that we should apply every month because of our mild winters. I follow his directions and apply every month. He also advised that the fleas are worse this year than they have been in quite awhile so this year I have been extra concious of applying once a month. The vet also indicated that fleas and dogs are like people and mosquitos (sp?). You know how you can be standing outside with a group of people and some of them are being eaten alive by mosquitos while someone else may not have a bite. It is the same with dogs and fleas. Some dogs are prone to getting fleas while others are not. The vet indicated that this could change from season to season and just because your dog was not bitten last year, doesn't mean, he/she will be so lucky this year.

[goforette]

You know I've heard that frontline works up to 3 months and heartworm meds I've heard is either every 2 months or 3 months too - although they tell you every month. Me, personally am a firm believer of not overmedicating children or pets - I'm just kind of an anti chemical person - if it can be avoided. At the same time I still recognize that you know the girls need to get rabies and things, but I'm not going to do it yearly - I'll do it every 3 to 7 years depending upon the effectiveness of the particular vacination and the levels of their natural enzimes and antibodies. And I don't do frontline because the girls aren't allowed in the mountains yet and they have really little to no tick exposure in the city. I would consider it though if we were going to travel and such.

[Barney's Mom]

There are lots of natural products out there, and here is a website that I am planning on ordering some things on. Looks like these products would work well.

Here's the link for the site called Only Natural Pet:

http://search.onlynaturalpet.com/search.as...cks&click=5

[goforette]

Barney's mom,

Thanks so much for the info on the natural pet stuff - that's so me! I'll definately have to check that kind of stuff out. I never used to be that way, but the more I learn the more I'm pushing organic/natural. My family thinks it's so funny that I'm trying to do organic/raw/natural with the dogs - but I'm just trying to give them the very best I can. I even told Chris's mother that I got the dogs pet insurance and she looked at me like I was crazy.

[Eliz222]

We use Frontline Plus too. I applied it every 3 months last year and Scout and Finch did well with this schedule. I heard that fleas are really bad this year, so I have been using Frontline Plus every month.

[jodi0553]

For those of you considering natural remedies for fleas, keep in mind that being "natural" doesn't always make it a safe in-between regular meds option. Some natural products contain the same chemicals as the synthetically derived compounds that you find in your regular monthly treatment, just derived from a naturally occuring source. Others contain no proven effective treatment at all, or such miniscule quantities that you are just buying a placebo. Of course, then there are some others that are just great. The problem with natural products is that they are not regulated like the ones you get from your vet. Make sure to read those active ingredients and know what and how much of it you're putting on your dog before you use it. If the label has a bunch of un-intelligible chemical names on it, google them or ask a vet! (But don't ask me, I'm just a chemist!)

Jodi