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Post by messigizmodougal on Mar 6, 2014 15:01:32 GMT
Hi newbie here!
I have three cats and have used frontline on them for flea treatment - however I have noticed that recently they are 'cured' for a week or so then get fleas back and shed eggs? is anyone else having trouble like this? can anyone recommend anything?
thanks
Louise
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Post by scallywag on Mar 6, 2014 15:19:36 GMT
Hi messigizmodougal you could take a read thru THIS THREAD its long but both cat and dog owners have posted their experiences on there, or wait till someone comes on and answers Welcome to the forum too
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Post by lotsofcats on Mar 6, 2014 15:30:37 GMT
Welcome to the forum to you and your 3 cats. I used to use Frontline and ended up the same as you and my vet now sells Advocate which is expensive but works. I was told at the vets that many people have had the same problems with Frontline. You can only buy it at the vets or on prescription but it is really good. I had a spate of fleas with my cats just after Christmas and had to buy Advocate for 7 cats and 2 dogs and also pay for an injection for my one cat, Kiba-Khan, who has an allergy to fleas and won't stop scratching. Let us know how you get on. Don't forget to wash all the cats bedding on a high temperature and use flea powder to kill any eggs.
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Post by tonib on Mar 6, 2014 16:45:04 GMT
Welcome to forum messigizmodougal. Our vets' website says that they supply Fiprocat as its cheaper than Frontline but the same effective ingredient However I seem to remember overhearing that they now recommend Effipro as they have found that Frontline is not working as well (fleas seem to be getting an immunity). Could have misheard this as its the one we use & has the same ingredient as Frontline & Fiprocat. We'd already switched to Effipro as it was cheaper (internet suppliers) than Frontline anyway. Although one cat has Advocate as he seemed to have developed a reaction to Frontline (bald spot at application site). However that doesn't cover ticks & he got one so now has Effipro in tick season (with no reaction) & Advocate otherwise. As lotsofcats said don't forget to clean the bedding & house as well. Luckily I've not had any experience of flea infestations (despite 4 rescue cats who go out) so can't recommend anything for the h9ome.
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Post by petitsfilous on Mar 6, 2014 18:47:29 GMT
I think that Frontline has just been around far too long and fleas HAVE become immune to it. Fiproline and Advocate are both very good
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Post by vonnie on Mar 6, 2014 19:22:19 GMT
The active ingredient Fipronil has been around for 20 years or so and fleas are becoming resistant to it.
-Are you using Frontline or Frontline combo? The combo combats eggs and grubs in the home and on the pet.
-You must use it once a month for 3 consecutive months for it to make a difference.
-As lotsofcats mentions. Wash all bedding and sofa covers, human bedding etc on a high temperature wash to kill eggs.
-Remember Frontline does kill but it takes 24-48 hours and the flea must bite the pet to get the dose (this goes for ALL but one product on the market. Activyl is the only treatment where the flea does not have to bite)
If you have done the above and still find lots of fleas;
-Take the packaging and receipt back to where you bought it. The Frontline company may give you a refund. Especially if you bought it from a vet.
-Many products still work. Advocate, Stronghold and Activyl are the better ones. They are prescription only through the Vet but these products work better then pet shop/ supermarket cr*p.
-Stronghold and Activyl work around the home as well as on the pet. Again must be used once a month for 3 months to break the flea cycle.
-Activyl is a very new product. It is a safer chemical. The pet can lick and won't become badly ill like with other products. Fleas absorb the chemical through their skin. The chemical only then becomes an active insecticide and kills. So the flea only has to hop on the pet or carpet etc to get coated. It is new so not sure how many other Vets supply it yet. I've used it on my girls and it does linger a day longer than frontline did but that's all.
Bit of food for thought for you! x x
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Post by smilesbetter on Mar 6, 2014 21:31:40 GMT
-Remember Frontline does kill but it takes 24-48 hours and the flea must bite the pet to get the dose (this goes for ALL but one product on the market. Activyl is the only treatment where the flea does not have to bite) Heya, sorry, how does Activyl not require the flea to bite the cat to work? Do you or any one else on here have experience with it? I have a cat back home who is horribly allergic to fleas and even one bite causes her huge problems so would be great to hear more about Activyl. I'd never heard of it before but could be the perfect thing for Bramble!
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Post by vonnie on Mar 7, 2014 10:27:55 GMT
With Activyl the flea absorbs the chemical through the skin. Other flea meds require the flea to ingest it. It mixes with the fleas enzymes (if I remember correctly) and only then becomes an active pesticide. So the flea may not even get the chance to bite before dying. Around the home any eggs will be coated and as soon as a grub hatches it is covered. It is a monthly treatment and at our vets is also cheaper than other flea meds. Smilesbetter, ask you vet if they can get it in. It comes in 2 sizes small cat (under 4kg) and large cat (over 4kg). X x
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Post by tonib on Mar 7, 2014 11:28:23 GMT
Thanks for that info vonnie, might be worth speaking to our vet about it as well.
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Post by smilesbetter on Mar 7, 2014 12:13:44 GMT
Thanks vonnie ! I've asked my mum (who the cat currently lives with) to ask our vet about it as it sounds like it could be the perfect thing for Bramble! She just looks so depressed when the allergy comes back and she gets great big bald patches and cuts all over her skin from scratching, I'd happily try anything to be able to relieve her of the yearly suffering!
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Post by vonnie on Mar 7, 2014 14:28:03 GMT
Glad I could help. They do have a website so google it n it'll ggive you more info. X x x
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Post by messigizmodougal on Mar 8, 2014 23:30:26 GMT
thanks for all the advice, Messi and Dougal are going to the vets for their booster jabs soon so will talk to the vet...i am guessing the best way to get products that work is to buy from the vets?
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craigb
Newbie
Posts: 4
Pets I own: St.Bernards and a Amazon Yellow nape Parrot
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Post by craigb on Jun 24, 2014 14:28:12 GMT
Hi There, I have had to study a bit on this, and Frontline is one of the best on the market. The reason they come back is not because it's not working, its because you need to kill the cycle of the flea, and just using the product on the cats will not kill the cycle. Once a cat have fleas, it can be a nightmare to stop, as one flea can lay 1000 eggs, and when the cat shakes it lays 1000 eggs (just from one flea) all over the house, the eggs hatch and jump back on the cat. Try reading this article on fleas, it was a great help for me!
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Post by zahada on Jun 24, 2014 22:28:37 GMT
There is a new, very impressive product for cats called Broadline from Merial. Anti external (fleas, ticks, lice and mites) AND internal (roundworm and tapeworm). A simple spot on applied monthly. Worth asking your vet about it.
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Post by tonib on Jun 24, 2014 22:57:06 GMT
Thanks zahada - had a look but sadly it won't help our Roman as it contains fipronil which he seems to be getting more reaction to - bald patches at the site of application between the shoulders. We tried Advocate & that was the only time he got a tick - so use in winter but may need to use it in summer & keep an eye on him for ticks.=, but will check with the vets for anything else.
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