Why Does Frontline and Advantage Not Work For Fleas Now?

[linda rae]

My vet has offered Revolution to control my kitties fleas. It seems to be working well. The way he explained it to me is that Revolution does not kill the fleas that land on the kitty. The only way it works is when the flea actually bites the kitty and then it will kill the flea. It also makes the fleas sterile so they can't keep reproducing. One application will last 1 month per kitty at which it is just applied to the nape of their neck. You still may see active fleas for a  short time, but eventually those fleas get hungry and can find their host for their next nourishing meal. Once they bite the killing cycle begins. I have two kitties and when I was down to my last vial of flea medication I treated the one kitty hoping the fleas that bit it would die and eventually wipe out the other fleas the other kitty was carrying on him and then my untreated kitty would become flea free. Don't know if that really works ,but it was worth a try. I hated to purchase more Revolution as it can be costly and it was going on winter when the fleas wouldn't be a problem any longer and the cats would be pretty much indoor kitties until spring. This year my kitties are outside and maybe because we have had so much damp rainy weather I have not seen a single flea or noticed the kitties scratching so I think I do not have any flea problems yet. Knock on wood.

Also I do not waste my money on the Walmart brand of flea medication which they claim is the generic version of Advantage. I have heard that the active ingredients are not measured precisely and you may be purchasing a product that could either have a lesser or more potent amount of the active ingredients to kill the fleas. Not enough medication will not kill the fleas and you wasted your money and too much medication could prove toxic to you pet. I just do not trust the junk being produced in China. I would rather spend a little more and know I am getting the precise dose and not doing harm to my precious furbabies. I do not want to poison them.

 

[catspaw66]

A 40% humidity level is not a dangerous level for people or animals, but it is for fleas.  I cant see why it would cause any harm to a cat with a urinary problem.
 

URI is an Upper Respiratory Infection, UTI is the one for Urinary Tract Infection. URI is one of the problems that cats with Feline Herpes have to be treated for more often.

 

[kaat1220]

fjaffeux: You are going to kill your cats if you keep giving them Frontline or Advantage every two weeks. Even if you think it is not working, do not use those products more than once a month. These are pesticides, and you are actually risking your animals' lives. You will end up with dead animals, and the fleas will still be there.

Find another solution.

 

[catspaw66]

fjaffeux: You are going to kill your cats if you keep giving them Frontline or Advantage every two weeks. Even if you think it is not working, do not use those products more than once a month. These are pesticides, and you are actually risking your animals' lives. You will end up with dead animals, and the fleas will still be there.

Find another solution.

Welcome to TCS. I totally agree that she is risking her cats lives. However, if you will look closely, the poster made her original post last July and has never posted again. So, the problem was either solved or the cats have died since then.

 

[jerry9]

Have you tried the Soresto collar?  It works on fleas, ticks larvae etc, and it works for 8 months!  It's a fairly new product.  I got it for my three cats at Petco last year.  No bugs on my babies and it works out to be cheaper that Advantage or Frontline.  I also like the fact that you put it on and forget it - no monthly remembering needed!

 

[happybird]

If you read the warning label on Soresto, it advises to not let the cat sleep in bed with humans while wearing the collar and to not let children touch the collar. That sounds pretty toxic. When you think about it, flea collars are basically a ring of insecticide constantly near your cat's face for a really long period of time (8 months, in the case of Soresto). That cannot be healthy. Like most OTC flea products, they are mininally regulated and can be very dangerous. There are much better, safer alternatives for flea control. Then, there are all the scary human exposure studies that have been coming out over the last few years.

This is copied from an article I saw a few months ago:

The risk comes in when adult humans interact with or play with their pet while the pet is wearing a flea or tick collar. The humans get exposed to approximately 500 times the Environmental Protection Agency’s safe level of pesticides. This is according to a recent study by scientists at the Natural Resources Defense Council. Since children are that much smaller, their level can be 1000 times greater than what is safe for their small bodies to be exposed to. The study is a first of its kind.
External flea and tick products that contain certain pesticides leave residues on a pet's hair or fur that have the ability to cause brain damage and affect the nervous systems of both the pet and human being.
Read labels carefully because stores are still selling these products and the government does not have firm safety assessments in place to protect pets and pet lovers from the dangers the products possess.

And another:

Flea-collar manufacturers include warnings on the products to avoid exposure and to wash your hands thoroughly after handling the collars. Research has shown these measures are not enough to limit exposure. Studies have shown that, after just three days, residue from the collars on pet fur exceeded acceptable EPA exposure levels for children. Even after two weeks, 75 percent of pets still have unsafe levels of toxins.

 

[shoshanna]

The Vet told us when our cat was still scratching the fleas have to bite to die.  It seems horrible but unless the cat gets bit they do not have any way of killing the things.  I found out from an exterminator that I called about the carpet that to use 20MuleTeam Borax on the carpets was as effective as the sprays that contain harmful chemicals on them.  I did this every other day for 3 weeks and used Advantage II and my cat has been flea free for 2 years and the last year he has been treated by Sentry Fiproguard spot treatment instead of either Advantage or Frontline.  This is the generic type of Frontline but much cheaper in cost.  It works and the vet checks the cat every time he goes in and pronounces him flea free.  The 20MuleTeam needs to be sprinkled on lightly and worked in with a broom and left overnight before vacuuming it up and disposing of it immediately in a bag, not leave in vacuum.

Lots of work to get rid of the little pests but it can be done.

 

[segelkatt]

Revolution once a month on the back of the neck on each cat seems to work the best. Here in SoCal we sometimes have a weather condition called the Santa Ana Wind where the humidity goes down into the low teens which is low enough to dry out any fleas or their eggs, but you can't count on that. Diatomous earth sprinkled all over the carpet and left over night will dry out those on the carpet. Don't expect that to be a permanent solution as you will bring in fleas from outside on your socks or pants, so keeping Revolution on the cats is a necessity. I have not had an infestation in several years and at that time the clerk at Petsmart recommended a spray for the carpet and upholstered furniture that did wonders and was allegedly the least poisonous but I can't remember what it was called. I also do not seem to need Revolution during the winter months, at least I don't see any fleas on any of my 3 cats during that time, but as soon as temps hit 70 I start them on their regimen again and I have not seen any fleas in years. My cats are indoor only with a large patio on my 2nd floor apartment  where they practically live, sunning themselves on patio furniture and a tall cat tree and watching the birds. They also have a cat door next to the sliding glass door so I don't have to act like a doorman. These guys have it so good. 

 

[cliffc]

I've tried 20 Mule Team Borax (Boraxo) as described years ago, after having a flea infestation on the carpets.  It worked very well, and I haven't seen any fleas since.  I know someone who used Diatomaceous Earth  , it worked but it did clog the vacuum cleaner.  I have also used Nitenpyram capsules and it works well, but only kills adult fleas for 1 day at a time.  Lufenuron capsules reportedly kill fleas, eggs and larvae and, it lasts longer.

 

[shaw]

I am a US veterinarian who is also very frustrated with Frontline wasting client's money, we don't even carry it anymore. I recommend Revolution which still works well and I am also seeing resistance developing with Advantage. I flat out tell my clients that Frontline and Advantage are not working any more. It is safe to use Frontline weekly by the way, it is a very safe product. If you are still seeing fleas or scratching you need to use something else and you cannot wait for a whole month. Dr. Shaw

 

[angelinacat]

Our local talk radio has an 'Ask the Vets' hour every Saturday afternoon, and this question comes up all the time.  The recommendation is to use a product three or four times, then switch to another product for three or four times, then switch to another, and so on.  They also say that a flea's life cycle is three weeks, so use the product every three weeks.

 

[ivesm]

REVOLUTION! I CANNOT SAY IT LOUD ENOUGH! ONLY MEDICINe THAT WORKS 100% of the time. It is more exspensive but so worth it! I had a very bad infestation(eww) and first application plus extra vacuuming WIPED it oUT... Other meds was like water in a tube....FYI: can get double applications for smaller animals by halfing or measuring doses for smaller animals if you buy adult vials...as the active ingredient is same! Just a little tedious but so worth the savings!

 

[catspaw66]

I have never had any problem when I used Advantage or Advantage Multi. Also, if you buy a large dose and split it, make sure you are using accurate measurements, like a 1ml syringe.

 

[segelkatt]

I had used Advantage for a few years without any problems. Then someone told me that Revolution covered more pests and I have been using it ever since with no problem.  My 3 cats range in weight from 9 to 17 lbs so I get the same dosage for all of them. As they are strictly indoor cats and I live in Southern California where the climate is mild and hardly ever reaches above 85 F I use it from May to November (just in case I bring it in on my pants legs) and have never found a flea on any of them. Neither have I had any sign of ear mites. So far so good. Let's hope it stays that way.

 

[evlwoman3]

HI I you Cider spray from this site http://www.wondercide.com/?utm_sour...BRAND-Search&gclid=CNjC9-joor4CFWgF7AodaAIA5g     it works well.

I also have a flea problem nothing is working for my dog, and a have a few cats and frontline did not work.

Thanks

Toniann

 

[pangurban]

Revolution is pricey but seems to be worth if from the info here. Is it cheaper to buy Revolution online? Can anyone suggest a website?

 

[segelkatt]

I get mine from 1-800PetMeds which is just pennies more than what my vet charges and saves me a trip there, my vet is 12 miles away. They also have sales and let you know about them via e-mail. I just got (via snail mail) a Loyalty coupon  of $6.16 which I can use on-line or by phone on anything they sell.

Since the company has to get a prescription from the vet it usually takes 4 to 5 days to get the medication. I have never had any trouble with them and I would recommend them.

 

[roguethecat]

careful with Revolution - I had Rascal on it for years because he insists on going outside, then did bloodwork on him (he was having his teeth cleaned and the bloodwork was on sale, believe it or not). Turned out he had a seriously low count on white blood cells. Revolution is a bit like chemo therapy, works hard and fast equally on bugs and on the immune system.

Now I don't use anything on him, and Advantage on others if I have to. Some might need additional doses of the stuff.

 

[segelkatt]

How do you know it was the Revolution that caused the low blood count? Perhaps a coincidence? How is it now? How long has Rascal been off it? What did the vet have to say to this? Just asking. 

 

[roguethecat]

the vet didn't want to accuse anything and said it could be stress (Rascal wasn't on any other medication, but has been on the Revolution for at least 3 years). The people at FixOurFerals who use Revolution on ferals all the time say it's like chemo, and the ferals need it, but careful with too much. Rascal has been off anything for half a year now and hasn't gotten any flea, but I also didn't have any blood work done on him (don't have the budget, sorry).