Fleas, Ticks And Hounds...oh, My!

[Guest ellieb]

I use Frontline Plus on both the hounds. I put their first dose on last week and will continue until at least the end of September.

 

According to literature, FP kills fleas for 3 months and ticks for 1 month or more.

 

I have never seen a tick in our yard, on a human or dog.

 

My question: Should I re-apply the FP, monthly? Or go longer since we don't have evidence of ticks?

 

What would you do? Opinions, please!!!!

 

Thanks!

Ellie

[Guest Dillymom]

I would call your vet and see what they say. Are there wooded areas nearby? Do you take them to parks or other places where they could be exposed?

 

I was reading somewhere that the fleas now are more resistant and that treatments like Frontline need to be applied monthly to keep them away but I don't know how accurate that is.

[Guest Cris_M]

Ticks do not transmit disease until they are fully attached -- which takes about 24 hours. If you are good about checking your dogs, you could forego the Frontline Plus until it is needed for fleas.

[Batmom]

I have Extreme Bug Paranoia. In GA, I did every 30 days pretty religiously. Here in northern IL, urban lot that backs up to a semi-wild area, I do every 45 days unless I see a bug. If I see a bug, it's every 30.

[Guest CBDTherapyDogs]

I work P/T at vet clinic and have talked to all of the reps who come in. The Novartis rep for our area is very nice. I asked him the same question. His answer was that if FP is used every 30 days, it "builds up" in the canines system and works better on fleas and ticks than if it is used every three months. If you have "no problems" with fleas or ticks... and use Sentinel for your HW prevention... THEN I would personally say that yeah, you could get away with it for every three months.

[Guest ellieb]

I work P/T at vet clinic and have talked to all of the reps who come in. The Novartis rep for our area is very nice. I asked him the same question. His answer was that if FP is used every 30 days, it "builds up" in the canines system and works better on fleas and ticks than if it is used every three months. If you have "no problems" with fleas or ticks... and use Sentinel for your HW prevention... THEN I would personally say that yeah, you could get away with it for every three months.

I use Heartguard for HW prevention. Have never seen a flea or tick on the hounds.

Edited May 31, 2008 by ellieb

[Guest rosebudd]

I use a half a dose once a month for the hounds of FLP. They also get the revolution for worms. I have had no ticks so far "knocks on wood" and I am in CT tick capital of the world.

[RobinM]

We have no ticks on the south shore of LI so I do not use it UNLESS we are going to visit our Pocono home.