Now that there are off-brands of Frontline Plus ingredients...

[4catsncounting]

This year I notice that the patent for the "Plus" in Frontline Plus has expired, and generics/other manufacturers are now legally allowed to produce their versions of it.

In most stores including my local Walmart this means that the ingredient S-methoprene is now indeed the IGR you can get as the One-Two punch I think we all prefer for peace of mind.

Pet Armor Plus

and

Pet Action Plus (both at leat $10 bucks cheaper)

both contain the same Fipronil and S-methoprene as Frontline Plus, both for dogs and cats,

but I notice that all, including Frontline Plus for DOGS has added that dire "DO NOT USE ON CATS" symbol on the front of their packaging.

I think they're on to us. 

Meaning, I suspect they realize a lot of cat owners use the large dog option, and want to steer you to buying the cat formula.

Now,

that's what I *suspect*, but I want to be sure.

I can't seem to find any details of what other inactive ingredients might warrant the warning.

Perhaps there's an oil or something that is harmful... or perhaps Frontline et al have changed their formula slightly.

I just would like to be sure before I load up on my yearly supply.

Anyone dig into this and know for sure it is still OK and the other brands are kosher?

I could call the 1-800 number... but Meh, I hate doing that, and pressing them for answers.  Done enough of that in my time... I will if I have to...

 

[4catsncounting]

Actually curiosity got the better of me, and  just now I did call the number for Pet Action Plus (TruRx) --- 1-855-844-4375,

and sure enough,

the dingbat wouldn't tell me anything other than for consumers we tell them "don't apply dog products on cats and viseversa."

She wouldn't talk about ingredients. She sounds like she was 15 yrs old.  lol

and 1-888-908-8425 for Pet Armor Plus (Sergeant's) gave me a big ol' goose egg of info as well.

 

[4catsncounting]

I'll just keep talking to myself.  heheh.

I also just called Merial who makes the name brand Frontline Plus for Dogs,

and that representative was a little more forthcoming.

She tells me that they have the bolder logo with NOT FOR USE ON CATS this year only because the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency for the U.S.) is demanding they make it more obvious.  (They have for years now said in the fine print on the box not to use it on rabbits or any other animals.)

She also answered something else for me that thrifty cat owners and cat shelters have been relying on but questioning-

Why is the S-methoprene a higher concentration for cats?

She states that is because for self-grooming cats, it's needed to allow for the loss when cats lick off a portion of it (that ingredient alone, apparently) before it dries.

So it is not because cats have less pores, as was speculated somewhere.

Interesting to know.

 

[4catsncounting]

Bumping for the folks in the other Frontline Plus thread that missed this.

 

[jacquie mathis]

Thank you I was wondering the same thing and you did it all for me.Great post.

 

[pharside]

Thank you very much for this post. That's very interesting to know.

 

[pharside]

Just out of curiosity, considering the Frontline Plus dose for adult cats is .5ml.. what would be a safe dose for kittens...in extreme circumstances? (if it can be used on them at all..)  I ask because we have 5 adult cats, as well as 5 kittens.. (and 5 kids and 2 dogs, and a partridge in a pear tree..) and we usually have fleas pretty bad around here in the summer. The adults go outside and bring them in... I have dealt with /severe/ flea infestations a couple times in the 5 years we have lived in this neighborhood, and don't wish to go through that again in this lifetime... So far, this summer is not looking too good... every critter we have, now has bugs.. I need to get rid of them before they get into the carpets. If that happens, it's a full evacuate and bomb scenario... It sucks! I don't want to do it!

Help me please!!!

 

[4catsncounting]

If the kittens are 8 weeks old or older,

they can have Frontline Plus or equivalent applied on them.

It really is a magnificent cost saver for someone like you and me who have a big brood.  the "Plus" portion of such products helps keep the eggs in your carpets/pet bedding from hatching, so definitely go for that kind.

In desperation when I rescued a newborn squirrel, I used about 3 drops on it and the severe flea infestation died out on the little squirt within a few hours.

It is amazing.

If you see the kittens are infested similarly and they are not yet 8 weeks, I'd risk it and give them each a few drops - but keep them away from momma for a few hours to let it soak in as much as possible - because she will attempt to clean them off.

Let us know how it goes!

 

[kittencatlover]

This post is good information as I have seen the commercials for this and wondered how it does work.  I do have a question - I have 3 cats 8 lbs and up - so should I get the cat or the dog formula?  Little confused by your post on using the dog formula for cats.  I do agree that the fleas are extremely bad this year!!!!   Thanks.

 

[4catsncounting]

Well, it just depends on if you are willing to spend three times as much (if I did the math right) to get the manufacturer-recommended amount of S-methoprene IGR ingredient that is in the Cat formula.

I just place faith that if I apply it a little more liberally than the .5 ml per adult cat, (like, .6, or .7 for my husky cats) the S-meth in the Dog formula will do its thing.

After all, this cat dosage is for "any adult cat or kitten over 8 weeks" - so that is a wide weight range for the same dosage supposedly to work effectively.

And look at the breakdowns of weight range for the Dog options - over 40 lbs range for one Size group ...

So I think the overdosing to toxicity is not too much of a concern.  I think there's a reasonable amount of wiggle room, for Cat and Dog formulas.  Just don't go squirting an entire Large Dog dose on an 8 lb cat ...

Long story short - I recommend saving money and buying the Dog for several Cats, and storing it in a secure vial with screw-on cap. I rubber-band my 1 ml. syringe I dedicate to administering just the Fronline for, to the bottle.  I have 5 felines, so it's a real savings.

 

[4catsncounting]

And just another note - I think I mentioned this in another Frontlline thread that is floating around here somewhere -

The concern some have at the moment, since the generics are so new and there hasn't been hardly any feedback on cat reactions using the cheaper Dog formula,

is that the other "Inert" ingredients may be, and likely are- different than the brand name Frontline Plus,

those may be toxic to cats.  Since they are "proprietary", manufacturers would not reveal to me in the phone calls I made what exactly they are.

What they likely are- the oils or liquids that are used to suspend the active ingredients, and soak into the skin.

I read a while ago that previous fipronil generics (that didn't contain the IGR) had a much stronger, pungent smell, and were far more oily; not as absorbable and seemed to create a greasier, wasted mess on the fur.

I haven't tried the Pet Armour Plus or the Pet Action Plus, so I don't know if that is the case for those cheaper brands.

I bet after in the coming year or two we will start to see shelters and pet owners with large broods giving feedback on such details with the generics,

and also feedback on bad reactions of those "inert" ingredients that "may" be bad for cats.

I hate to say they're my guinea pigs - but frankly I would like to see safety and efficacy proven on the cheap stuff, more or less.

 

[valh]

I would refer you to youtube before recommending using dog flea meds on cats.in a public forum. Your argument to use dog products safely on cats is not based in fact, and irresponsible to suggest the product meant for dogs is safe to others that will blindly use it on cats to save a buck, as evidenced by the replies to your post. Watch cat owners that have posted on youtube to share what is happening to their cats, many of them twitching uncontrollably, having seizures, and usually dying or needing to be euthanized after 24 hours. It will break your heart, the owners hugging their twitching cats that meow faintly as if saying 'help me....I'm so scared', and telling them "mama's so sorry", as they sob.  

 

[4catsncounting]

You are apparently ignorant of the well established fact that the product we are talking about contains Fipronil and S-methoprene with suspension, which according to the manufacturer itself is the exact same product as their cat version, but with slightly less concentration of the IGR.

Other flea and tick medications which contain far DIFFERENT ingredients indeed are toxic to cats, such as Advantix II, Vectra3D and so on.

There is literally over a decade of safe experience using Frontline/Plus on cats; most notably animal shelters in their written protocols and recommendation between themselves of doing just this substitution.

This is a VALUABLE cost saver for those of us who want to protect as many cats as we reasonably can.  This is a sound way to give more cats that are suffering from these parasites genuine relief.

 

[lsr71751]

I told the vet tech today I have used advantage? From Wal-Mart and she informed me to be very careful using generic brands as they have caused seizsures in pets.

 

[gkhoosier]

The problem with this type of post is that there are some very ignorant people out there who would screw it up even when given the exact measurements, and harm their cat. When one says .5 ml, there are too many knuckleheads out there who would "guesstimate" how much that is and possibly overdose. I have been using this method for years with our three cats with great success (.5 ml in a syringe) but you might be surprised at the number of people who think I mean an actual injection when I tell them this. 

 

[4catsncounting]

Well, ya see-

To my mind there is no "problem with posts like this" - we shouldn't refrain from giving tips and advise and sharing personal experience just because there are knuckleheads out there who can't comprehend or bother to read clearly.  Otherwise, what's the point of forum like this.

I could swear some of these people haven't actually read the entire thread; (multiple threads on this subject, actually) it is not sinking in that there are *different* active ingredients in flea and tick products.  Lordy, they are spectacularly, willfully it seems, ignorant.

I'm not going to refrain from sharing hard fought knowledge, anecdotal though it may be, to others with common sense who would like to know and gain great benefit.  I've learned ten times as much on online forums and available literature as I have from veterinarians.

 

[lsr71751]

I desperately need to know what to do, I know I have written this subject several times, but the situation keeps getting more and more complicated.

As I explained before about my fur baby is this point a quadriplegic and is unable to use the litter box or sit up to eat on her own. We have had her on Onisor, Burpherine, laser treatments but are unable to afford a 3,000 MRI plus the treatments that might or might not have any effects. After today's finding and rushing her into emergency health hospital at 4am this morning and going to the reg vet  for xrays and begging the doctor at Bush Veterinary in Va to help there seems to be nothing left to do for our baby. She is having trouble breathing and could crash at any moment. My husband refuses to let her pass peacefully. Legal there is nothing I can do but watch her suffer. He said he would take her on his time. I said do you realize what you are doing? He is adamant and I can't stop him. He is committing slow murder and he thinks it is right. Do I want my baby to be put to sleep ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!! Can I stop this crazed man who is just sitting watching TV like nothing is going on. HELP! WHAT CAN I DO!