Review of FRONTLINE® Spot On for Dogs
Recently we got a puppy, Nicky. A lovely bouncing bundle of fur and fleas! We have other cats and dogs in the house but have not struggled with fleas before. We have a regular flea routine that we stick to. We vac daily, we ensure we get behind the furniture monthly. We use household flea spray and the dogs have a spot on every month. We are well averse in flea eradication. With young children in the house, you do not want to end up in a flea invasion, we have always used Effipro, that we have bought from the RSPCA and the occasional Advocate that we bought from the vets to mix it up a bit.
On arrival, Nicky the puppy had his little book with his jabs, wormer and flea history. He had been flea’d with Frontline. I went to get his second jab and mentioned that I had found a few fleas, so the vet gave me another spot on to give him, which was also Frontline. As the puppy had fleas, I was very aware that they would now be in my house, so I got some Frontline for everyone, the cats and dogs. I got a household flea spray and was going crazy (an unfortunate victim of my spraying was Bobs “pet” spider that had taken residence in his bedroom). So here we are, happy that the fleas do not stand a chance!
A couple of weeks later and still no disappearance of the fleas, I have by now developed a perverse satisfaction with picking them off the puppy and putting them in boiling water.
Jump forward 4 weeks, and the fleas are still rampant. Crawling over Nicky and now the cat has scabs on him! I am leaving plates of washing up liquid out with a lamp over to try and catch the ones that are crawling round and feeling like the nightmare will never end. I have double dosed everyone over the month and they are still going crazy. I have now bought some Bravecto (Fluralaner, an oral tablet that was approved by the EU in 2014) to try for everyone, so watch this space.
Pros
Easy to use. A spot on pipette.
Available over the counter without prescription.
Cons
Cannot wash or get pet wet for 48 hours after administering
Must part the hair and get on the skin
Doesn’t appear to work.
Product Description
Fleas and ticks are nasty parasites that can transmit diseases and your pet can pick them up in various places. FRONTLINE Spot On is an easy-to-use flea and tick product from the UK's No.1 flea and tick brand*. Used monthly, it helps keep your dog protected from fleas and ticks, and the diseases they can transmit. (http://uk.frontline.com/frontline-spot-dogs)
Active Ingredients
Fipronil
Is it safe to pets?
A close examination of the published and unpublished information concerning Fipronil use in the dog and cat would suggest that Fipronil-containing products are generally safe to use in the healthy target species at recommended dose rates and route of administration.
Cost
Dogs 2-10Lb £18-£40 for 6 Pipettes
Dogs 20-40lb £25 -£45 for 6 Pipettes
Summary
I am fairly sure that it will become proven that frontline no longer works. This is already the view of many when you have a quick google search. I think the vets still sell it so that people who drop in without their dog can get it as it is not prescription and unless you have your dog with you, you cannot buy the prescription varieties. I do feel though, that I will never again go for a prescription free variety, once bitten twice shy!