Allergic reaction to Frontline!

Oh my goodness!  But, can I just ask you. . .why did you go a size up if you've been using the same one for years?  Sorry, don't mean to be nosey I'm just curious.

That didn't come out right.  I've been using the frontline products for years (on previous dogs) and have used it on Misty since we got her 18 months ago, but Misty has only been her full grown size for about 6-8 months, and we did not use anything regularly on her over the winter other than using up the supply I had in the smaller dosage.  When I took her back to the vet in January for her checkup, we discovered that she was right over the limit into the next dose, and when I asked, they thought it was best that I go ahead and move her up.  I purchased one tube from them which I didn't use right away because I didn't want to use it until later, then I purchased the 3 pack we have now, and used the first one out of the package in late April, and the second tube I used June 1. I decided to not use the entire vial though, since she was on the lower end of the recommended weight.

Does that make sense?

Gee, I am sorry to hear this happened to your pretty girl.I gess with her right on the border line it was to much.   And chances are the weaker doese might not hae been strong enough.

 I had used Frontline or years and whent to the Frontline plus a couple of years ago.  BUT last year and this year it was not doing the job.  Mine would fleas within two weeks.  I tried the advanrtix as well, same thing.  Maye this Texas coast fleas are rougher tha most I don't know

That is heartbreakingI hope your dog heals soon.There is some very interesting information avalable on holistic aproaches to flea control at a website called shirleys wellness cafe.

Tena 

lisa4kids1pup

I guess we will go to Advantix now. 

How about Advantage instead of Advantix?

we live in a majorly tick infested area, so I worry about ticks too.  I guess we can just pick them off as we see them....she gets all kinds of love all the time, so I would think we would see one if it attached.  I hate to take any chances though...we are at risk for ehrlichia here.

Does anyone know anything about Revolution?

ick. I wouldn't use revolution. Never, ever.

I use ADV, but we don't have a tick problems here. I wouldn't wait for a problem to arise - I'd rather treat before, ie - go with a tick prevention, don't wait to pick them off.

What about vectra 3d? We've been using it at the shelter for a while now, and so far so good! We've got a ton of dogs and cats, and no allergic reactions so far.

erica1989

ick. I wouldn't use revolution. Never, ever.

Would you please explain why you would never use Revolution.  Sorry if you have posted reasons on other threads...just curious.

I've known way too many dogs that have gotten heartworms on revolution. That is my biggest bone with it.

It does not seem to work too well with fleas either. When we take in dogs from our AC, they use revolution. They almost always come in with fleas, does not seem to work.

I don't trust anything systematic for heartworms, I would not want that stuff floating around in my dogs system. Others can explain a bit more about the scientific stuff... I'm a bit short on time right now.

Hi i have a 2.5 yr old bulldog who has been on frontline since she was a puppy and this past week when i gave it to her she had a terrible reaction. It sounds a lot like your dog. She first had a "greasy" looking spot where i had given her the frontline that showed up about 2 days after i gave it to her. i bathed her right away by that evening it was 3-4x as big and i could see the skin underneath was red, i bathed her again by the next morning it was bigger i took her to the vet they shaved the back of her neck/shoulder area and it turned into and oozing, pussing festering mess over night and we went back to the vet today it has now spread all around her neck, she has a terrible bandage around her whole neck/upper back. She is on antibiotics, prednisone and benadryl. Since its a holiday weekend we need to wait till monday and if its not any better my vet wants to send her to a pet dermatologist. The worst part is that she is in so much pain! do you have any pictures of your dogs condition? i wanted to see if its the same. Good luck, i think i'm going to switch her to a collar or herbal remedy next month.

Yikes!

First.....a collar is not going to do much good. I work for a vet and we have people in all the time that say they used something over the counter...or a flea collar and their dog still has fleas....so a collar is not the answer. It will only send the fleas from the front of the dog to the back.

I also have seen a mess made of a few dogs on Revolution...so I know I would not use that.

I just used Advantix on Gibson....and where I put it he got scabs. I can't see his skin in that area because the fur is too thick there...but I don't like the scabs. Talking to my vet about it....he asked if I put it all in one spot ( which I did ) or spot it down his back because sometimes too much in the same place could cause a problem.  IF IF IF I use it again......I will try that rather than putting it all in the same spot.

I have read more problems with Vectra than any of them......in that the dogs still have fleas and it makes a greasy mess out of them.  I have not used it.

If "contact" bothered her I wouldn't use a flea collar -- they are VERY strong (and not very effective). 

Sentry Natural Defense - it's essential oils but you spray it on sparingly. 

Honestly I would NOT use **ANYTHING** until the skin is way beyond completely healed.  You may need to use DE (diatamaceous earth) around outside or even in the house (you want the organic kind that is "food grade" -- better pet food places carry it usually) - you can even dust that on the skin *IF* need be. 

I would assume that something else may be an underlying cause -- if it's been used that long then typically a reaction like that can be caused by the body being somehow ill-equipt to deal with it.   But you want to make sure an infection like that is GONE GONE GONE before you stop antibiotics -- you don't want it returning only to have the dog then resistant to the antibiotics. 

Have you used anything else that is systemic?  Changed foods?  Changed anything in your home?  In other words, allergies can take MANY forms with a dog -- and if something has changed and it raised the dog's allergy levels then the first irritating thing could have caused something pretty huge.  Does that make sense?

It's easy sometimes to just blame one thing -- but when you've used something for a long period of time and **suddenly** something changes you may need to look deeper, particularly if the reaction spread this badly.

I DO find it interesting that more than one person here says the same thing though........wondering if they could have changed their formula...or made up a bad batch or something like that.   We sell Frontline Top Spot where I work......and haven't had any complaints that I am aware of. But I must admit that we sell more Advantage than anything because its less expensive where I work.

Is your dog okay now (June 1, 2010)? What are you using instead of Frontline? My dog was using Frontline for Puppies (not the PLUS version) for 5 months and after the 6th month application she had paralysis of one of her hind legs. She had no feeling in it and dragged it around - really freaked me out! I tested all her legs and feet and the affected one didn't respond when I tickled the pads of her feet. Luckily it wore off and she is fine now, but my vet agrees that I should not put her back on this stuff. I'm very interested in what people are using instead of Frontline, Advantage, etc. After reading the EPA paper on Fipronil (active ingredient in Frontline) I am not at all surprised with this reaction. It paralyses the insect so why not the dog? Even though the claims are that this topical stuff doesn't enter the bloodstream I've read several legitimate reports of autopsies done on dogs that died from this and similar topicals (Biospot, for one) and the chemical was found in all the organs. Scary. My dog is small, only just now 28 lbs (9months) and it does seem that the smaller dogs are the ones most likely to have a problem. I hope your dog is fully recovered. If you do have something you recommend, I would really appreciate suggestions. Sincerely, Wendy (and Mollie)