Bloody fleas

[WomblingThree]

I’m at the end of my tether and going round in bloody circles. Someone help please!

I’ve got 3 dogs, 2 l/h and one s/h. We’ve used Advantage reasonably regularly with and occasional swap for Frontline for the last 15 plus years of owning dogs. None of the dogs have ever had fleas. That’s not a stealth boast 😉, just a bit of background.

About 6 weeks ago, I did the Advantage on schedule, and a couple of weeks later noticed the two l/h dogs were itchy. Didn’t pay much attention as they’d been playing in a field that had been harvested, so figured they had got spiky bits in their coats. A week later, while brushing them, I saw live fleas, so I bathed them, brushed them, and brought forward the Advantage dose. Hot washed and tumbled all their bedding and ours, then sprayed literally everywhere with Acclaim. A week later, still crawling with fleas. Dosed them with Frontline and repeated the deep cleaning process twice more. This was on Friday.

I’ve just checked them again, and they have STILL GOT BLOODY FLEAS.
What am I missing or doing wrong please? I’ve literally never had to deal with this before, so I’m at a loss.

(I’m happy to take them to the vet if I need to, but I figured they will just give them Frontline anyway).

Thanks if you got through my essay!

[WomblingThree]

Oh, forgot to say, the short-hair doesn’t have any fleas at all.

[Wolfiefan]

Frontline doesn't work!
We use advocate or nexgard.
Indorex the house.

[BiteyShark]

Over the counter flea treatments are not as good as prescription ones from the vets. I use a monthly one called Nexgard which also treats/prevents certain worms and ticks. My vet also recommends advocate but it's isn't suitable for my swimming/poo rolling dog as it's a spot on whereas Nexgard is in tablet form.

Frontline is known to not work in a lot of cases.

[Elphame]

I also use Nexgard. I gave up on Frontline for the cat years ago as it stopped working. I guess they get resistance.

[japanesegarden]

There are many new treatments available now, as others have said. I’m a vet and never use frontline now for regular flea treatment as it doesn’t work. This is common knowledge on the grapevine these days.

[BiteyShark]

OP I would ask your vet for some prescription treatment. Not sure but maybe they also sell stuff to treat the house as well as the dog.

I haven't tried frontline or advantage but seen lots of people say that it stopped working for them and quite frankly having to deflea the house is my idea of hell

[WomblingThree]

That’s the thing though, we only use Frontline about twice a year, and Advantage the rest of the time. We’ve been flea-less for more than 15 years.

What suddenly changed? 😥😥

[Kurkku]

We got the Seresto collars for our two pups this spring after having problems with Advantix and Frontline. We had been using spot on treatment for years without issue, but my inlaws have recently started feeding a colony of stray cats off their garden, and since we go over to help out every fortnight, the dogs get exposed to fleas often and needed a new application pretty much every visit, which is obviously too often.
Collars have been on for 6 months and we have not seen a flea on the dogs since. No adverse effects either.

[wheelwarrior]

I use bravector as my boy loves water including puddles so spot on is no good

[Wolfiefan]

Nexgard isn't a spot on.
I would avoid Bravecto.

[VioletHornswaggle]

I'm just discovering this. My dog has got fleas and I have sprayed the house, hot washed all that can be whitewashed and he is regularly treated with frontline. I washed him in flea shampoo the other day and about 8 fleas fell off and died. I've just rung the vet and she said 'oh frontline doesn't work anymore!' I'm going in on Wednesday for Advocet I think its called but I will mention that my dog is a swimmer so will see what they think is suitable.
I hope you get your flea problem sorted too OP.

[BiteyShark]

VioletHornswaggle I used to use advocate but found it was a pain in the backside as my dog would roll around in anything smelly he could find (I think to mask the horrible smell of the advocate) plus it was summer so my dog walker liked to take him swimming. We therefore changed to Nexgard spectra which has been great and it's so easy to give as the tablet appears to be quite tasty to him

[WomblingThree]

So, the consensus is Nexgard then? How long should it take to work?

[Floralnomad]

Bravecto is fine , it causes problems in some dogs , so does Nexgard , every drug has its issues .

[BiteyShark]

I haven't had fleas but we get lots of ticks and they are dead within 24 hours of biting him and I can pull them out with my hand, I think it works the same for fleas so it kills them when they bite the dog.

Lots of people use advocate but it just didn't work well for my circumstances so don't discount it if you think it would be better for you.

[VioletHornswaggle]

Thanks for the heads up Bitey I shall discuss options with the vet.