Need advice please! Vet/flea related.

[meandmyself]

(I was going to put this in the pet box but I'd rather it wasn't searchable on the internet.)

Had to take my dog to the vet last week for a broken nail. Asked the vet for some flea stuff, and was sold some Frontline. I mentioned that I'd heard it wasn't working very well and was reassured that it would get rid of the fleas. It's been over a week now since it was applied to everyone (four dogs, two cats) and we're still overrun with fleas. Everyone has been wormed recently too.

The entire appointment cost me over £100 and I feel like I've been ripped off for the flea treatment. I'm just curious what other people would do about it. I was thinking of popping in for a chat. Any advice?

 

[Goldenstar]

You mean frontline spot on ?
In which case it won't work until the fleas move through their life cycle .

 

[smokey]

I got frontline flea and tick for ours. Two weeks after treatment, a very large tick fell off the dog. Pho ed the vet and they couldn't understand why it hadn't worked. They refunded me, and sent out a new treatment, the name of which es apes me. Its a treat, and works for 3 months. Frontline is working for the cats fine. Great service from the vet, perhaps you should ask?

 

[twiggy2]

was it frontline or frontline combo? they both are slightly different but yes there is known to be some resistance to frontline.

if you have a lot of fleas you really need to treat the house too not just the animals

 

[twiggy2]

I got frontline flea and tick for ours. Two weeks after treatment, a very large tick fell off the dog. Pho ed the vet and they couldn't understand why it hadn't worked. They refunded me, and sent out a new treatment, the name of which es apes me. Its a treat, and works for 3 months. Frontline is working for the cats fine. Great service from the vet, perhaps you should ask?

fleas will often still attach with frontline on board but die within 24hrs and fall off-so i would guess it did work-as far as i am aware there is only resistance with regards to fleas not ticks

 

[meandmyself]

was it frontline or frontline combo? they both are slightly different but yes there is known to be some resistance to frontline.

if you have a lot of fleas you really need to treat the house too not just the animals

Just checked and it was the Frontline Combo. The entire house has been treated and is still being treated. I've seen no reduction in the fleas at all. If anything, they're getting worse.

 

[twiggy2]

Just checked and it was the Frontline Combo. The entire house has been treated and is still being treated. I've seen no reduction in the fleas at all. If anything, they're getting worse.

what have you treated house with?

if the animals are going somewhere and getting re-infested it can be really hard to get on top of the infestation in the home, this is because the spot ons do not work immediately they take upto 48hrs to kill or sterilise the fleas depending on what you are using

 

[meandmyself]

We're using Indorex flea spray for the house. (Also from the vet.)

It's been over a week since we applied the Frontline. I'm sure it should be working by now.

 

[StormyMoments]

We found Frontline wasn't working anymore so we took the animals to the vets and we were given Advocate which lasts 3 months and works really well. We also used Indorex and we are now flea free it isn't cheap though I must admit.

 

[twiggy2]

We found Frontline wasn't working anymore so we took the animals to the vets and we were given Advocate which lasts 3 months and works really well. We also used Indorex and we are now flea free it isn't cheap though I must admit.

advocate spot on?
should be used 4 weekly

 

[StormyMoments]

I think so... One sec I will have a look I have it in the cupboard

its the Advocate spot on treatment yes. You should only need it for the dog as Frontline works on the cats... Its prescription only so your dog has to have been seen by the vet with in the last 6 months but other then that its all good

 

[meandmyself]

So back to my original question- what would you do? They're great vets and I don't want to upset anyone but I can't afford to pull out another £100 for stuff that isn't going to work.

 

[Dusty M Yeti]

On my last trip to vets with dog for vacs (less than a month ago) I asked for flea stuff and was told by my vet that frontline was getting less effective and she gave me some different stuff - I'll check the name when I get home! That said my dog doesn't have fleas, an infestation can be difficult to get on top of :-(

To answer your original question, I would go in and have a chat with them, if they're good vets they'll listen and give you some more advice or different medication

 

[meandmyself]

I was told the Frontline would work. Think that's annoyed me more than anything.

 

[StormyMoments]

Really? we were told 3 monthly... thats how I have used it anyway the house is flee free so I'm not too fussed

 

[smokey]

fleas will often still attach with frontline on board but die within 24hrs and fall off-so i would guess it did work-as far as i am aware there is only resistance with regards to fleas not ticks

i was assured by the vet that the dog should not have a live, engorged tick two weeks after treatment, and that the frontline hadn't worked. Treated the cats and the little one had a tick abandon ship within an hour!

 

[twiggy2]

ok wash all animal bedding at 60 or higher or chuck out.

wash curtains and soft furnishing where possible,

move all furniture and hoover thoroughly (this encourages flea eggs to hatch)

spray well in one room at a time, skirting boards, curtains (if cannot wash and they are long or cats sit on window sills), bottom edges of sofa armchairs, close the room up for an hour or so then leave to air with windows open for an hour (i prefer not to be breathing in fumes even if they are thought to be harmless). personally if i know my animals have favoured spots to lay in in the garden i would probably do them too.

you can get capstar tablets that will kill fleas that are on animals now but has no lasting effect. if it is more than 2 weeks since you last applied a spot on flea treatment then you can as a one of apply a second dose.

if you are still having problems in another 2 weeks then pop in to see your vet again, but if the infestation is that bad you may need to get the house fumagated.

breaking the cycle can be difficult and as i said if animals are constantly picking up more then that makes it more difficult.

 

[twiggy2]

Really? we were told 3 monthly... thats how I have used it anyway the house is flee free so I'm not too fussed

for fleas it is every 4 weeks but i rarely use anything i tend to only treat if there is a problem

 

[twiggy2]

I was told the Frontline would work. Think that's annoyed me more than anything.

there is NO known resistance to frontline COMBO it is a different product to frontline, FC is prescription only Frontline is not.

smokey i did not read that it was live in your last post-what can sometimes happen is an engorged tick can try to latch on to an animal an abandon ship before feeding again, they rarely but it does happen just use a host to move about

 

[meandmyself]

ok wash all animal bedding at 60 or higher or chuck out.

wash curtains and soft furnishing where possible,

move all furniture and hoover thoroughly (this encourages flea eggs to hatch)

spray well in one room at a time, skirting boards, curtains (if cannot wash and they are long or cats sit on window sills), bottom edges of sofa armchairs, close the room up for an hour or so then leave to air with windows open for an hour (i prefer not to be breathing in fumes even if they are thought to be harmless). personally if i know my animals have favoured spots to lay in in the garden i would probably do them too.

you can get capstar tablets that will kill fleas that are on animals now but has no lasting effect. if it is more than 2 weeks since you last applied a spot on flea treatment then you can as a one of apply a second dose.

if you are still having problems in another 2 weeks then pop in to see your vet again, but if the infestation is that bad you may need to get the house fumagated.

breaking the cycle can be difficult and as i said if animals are constantly picking up more then that makes it more difficult.

Believe me, we've done all of that.

I've just picked a large flea off my mostly white cat's face. The spot on clearly hasn't worked at all.

 

[twiggy2]

Believe me, we've done all of that.

I've just picked a large flea off my mostly white cat's face. The spot on clearly hasn't worked at all.

you could try advocate or possibly the infestation is such that the house needs fumagating-they can be a nightmare to get rid of

 

[dianchi]

I would call the vet and explain, hopefully they will give you advocate- very good stuff have to say!

 

[smokey]

there is NO known resistance to frontline COMBO it is a different product to frontline, FC is prescription only Frontline is not.

smokey i did not read that it was live in your last post-what can sometimes happen is an engorged tick can try to latch on to an animal an abandon ship before feeding again, they rarely but it does happen just use a host to move about

sorry, I wasn't clear, this was a live engorged tick, very much attached. The dog jumped up on my son, and he felt it, told me the dog had a tick, and could I get it off (yuck!) I tried to pull it off, but it was firmly attached. Half an hour later, we found it (double yuck!)

 

[meandmyself]

I would call the vet and explain, hopefully they will give you advocate- very good stuff have to say!

Yep, will give them a ring on Monday. I just didn't want them to think I was being funny about it.

 

[blackcob]

sorry, I wasn't clear, this was a live engorged tick, very much attached. The dog jumped up on my son, and he felt it, told me the dog had a tick, and could I get it off (yuck!) I tried to pull it off, but it was firmly attached. Half an hour later, we found it (double yuck!)

Frontline does not repel ticks - they have to attach and feed for it to kill them which may take several hours.

The only thing to actually stop them attaching is a Seresto or Scalibor collar.

OP, give the practice a call and leave a message for the vet that sold you the product, they may offer to replace with a different product or offer a full or partial refund at their discretion. Prescription Frontline Combo should still be effective - only the OTC Frontline is a bit rubbish as it only works on adult fleas, it doesn't render the eggs infertile (though the Indorex should be doing this anyway).

 

[SusieT]

Give them a ring, if it has genuinely not worked then the manufacturer should be involved to report it-not the vets fault.
Have you treated the house as well?

 

[meandmyself]

Yes, we're using Indorex on the house and the Frontline combi on the animals.

 

[Jay89]

As others have said there is a difference in the frontline and frontline combo, the combo being stronger and prescription only. It's difficult if you have infestations in the house as you have to try and break that life cycle!

There are several other products you can try as mentioned earlier, advocate (another spot on), can take up to 48hrs to work. Or there has recenty been some new products on the market called comfortis and trifexis. Both of these are tablets and kill fleas within in an hour. However, these don't do ticks.

If you want flea and tick protection you could try advantix or the seresto collar.

You could try applying another pippette. Remember they should be applied every 4 weeks.

I would ring the vet and speak to them, they may refund you and offer you another product.

 

[meandmyself]

It's been around a week since the last lot as applied. It just doesn't seem to be doing anything. I'm not so worried about ticks (never seen one around here TBH.) I just want the ruddy fleas gone.

 

[Umbongo]

As above there is no known resistance to frontline combo. Frontline and Frontline combo are different products, with the normal frontline being the one that doesn't work. I have been told recently by a rep for stronghold that it can take up to 3 months to break the cycle? So applying the product every month is key, and treating the environment.

If you are concerned the frontline combo hasn't worked, I would just ring up and ask for a different product, advocate or stronghold is what I use. Otherwise if your house is literally over-run with fleas....you may have to think about fumigating?