Flease - Can The Really Be Resistant to Frontline?

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

Any ideas?

I use frontline combo on my dogs as a preventative. Had the dogs for 6 and 4 years and never once had a flea.

A colleague is telling me that fleas are resistant to Frontline. So why are my dogs clear? Anybody else heard this?

What do you use?

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

Oh - fleas!

[CMOTDibbler]

We've never had any success with Frontline, on our cats or dogs, so maybe its down the the fleas you come in contact with

[tabulahrasa]

If they don't have fleas, then they don't have fleas...it doesn't really matter if fleas are resistant to frontline in some areas...

I think there is an issue with them being resistant to frontline in some areas, but, I couldn't swear on it definitely being frontline, because, um, well, I don't treat for fleas at all.

I'm in Scotland, I'm not in an urban area and fleas just aren't a huge issue...I assume partly because of the weather. None of my pets have ever had fleas, or previous ones.

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

tabulahrasa no I've never experienced fleas either! My dogs are in a health plan which includes flea, tick and worm treatment so we're administering it monthly - wondered if that makes a difference?

CMOT do you treat if you have a problem, or use a preventative treatment?

[tabulahrasa]

I treat sporadically... When I get a new kitten or dog and need to vaccinate I tend to buy a plan that comes with flea treatment, or last year for a few months because a neighbour's cat had fleas, other than things like that I don't bother.

I do worm routinely though.

[IHeartKingThistle]

Frontline stopped working on my cat after 15 years! Now have to use that hardcore stuff from the vet.

[LettuceLaughton]

IME it seems that frontline (and other Fipronil based treatments) will keep fleas away but won't get rid of them, IYSWIM.

I was a bit lax in preventative treatment over the winter and we've had to go with a flea treatment based on a different chemical to kill em off. Worked a treat.

[LettuceLaughton]

Oh. I have cats, thought this was in The Litter Tray or whatever it's called. I've no idea if dog flea treatments use the same chemicals as cat flea treatments do

[ender]

OP - perhaps your dog not having fleas isn't anything to do with the Frontline.
Mine have never had fleas either, and I don't use Frontline or any kind of treatment.
When I told the vet at their last injections he didn't believe me and said "All dogs get fleas", then he had a good look and agreed they were flea free.
I use the zoom groom every day to reduce the amount of dog hair in the house and check every week with a flea comb.
Also we've got all hard flooring in the house and leather sofas so perhaps less likely to harbour fleas, or maybe just been lucky so far.

[CMOTDibbler]

We use preventatively - everyone gets a monthly dose.

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

ender I have vaguely wondered if they're just not flea-prone. But DDog 2 is a rescue - found as a stray and was apparently riddled with them when they took her in. We have carpets, fabric sofas etc. They also socialise with other dogs a lot.

Lettuce no it's interesting actually - the friend of mine that was bashing frontline is a cat owner.

I'm thinking it might be fine as a preventative, but not so good as a treatment. Thanks for the input all!

[VeganCow]

No matter what treatment you use (decent ones like Advantage, Frontline etc I mean, not the crappy spot ons) you may still see the odd flea on your cats and dogs.
This is because the treatment only kills fleas that are on the animal, and it kills them within 24 hours.

So, your dog or cat may be flea-free today, however tomorrow, a flea egg that has been in your carpet, soft furnishings, along the skirting board, that has hatched and turned into a larvae then becomes a flea, jumps on your animal and he starts scratching...you see the animal scratching, see the flea and think 'that stuffs not working ' when in fact it is working, the flea has already been poisoned and left on the animal would die within 24 hours and drop off.

Eggs can be viable for months, and hatch at any time. With warm houses nowadays there doesnt seem to be the seasonal summer only flea thing that there might have once been.

[JoffreyBaratheonFirstofHisName]

I used Frontline for years and year with my last dog and never saw a flea.

Then about two years ago it stopped working. And when I say stopped working I mean - utterly failed. We switched to Advantage and now, no fleas.

I have seen that the makers deny it but it seems to be the experience of people all over the world who relied on it for years on end and now find it ineffective. Maybe there just are no fleas where you are. My dog went from never having any on her to crawling in them - whilst we were still using Frontline (plus hoovering every mm of the house, plus using that spray killer things for the house, from the vet's). I'd never use Frontline again.

[SevenAteNine]

Interesting times when fleas become resistant to Advantage as well.

I think really, the solution is to have a house without central heating or carpets. When I lived on a boat, the dog who was with me for 15 years never had a flea problem and only occasional flea treatment. My current dog, who lives in a centrally heated flat, seems to have them all the time.

Thank god I'm moving into a cold house!