Frontline (or Other Topical Flea/tick Treatment)

[RedFawnMom]

I meant to ask the vet about this last time we saw her, but forgot.

 

For those that live in cold-weather climates (we are in Connecticut), when do you apply Frontline? Do you use it in the winter? We will definitely use in the spring/summer/fall, but haven't been using it in the winter (and haven't had any issues). I'm just wondering if this is the norm.

Edited March 11, 2009 by RedFawnMom

[Moonsmom]

I'm just a bit over the border in NY..(was just in CT today shopping!). The only months I tend to skip the Frontline is December and January..and usually February. As it started to warm up the end of February ..(well..okay..I really didn't think 48 was warm..but Minty did..and laid on the deck in the sun!); I decided to go ahead and restart the application.

BUT... despite my attempts.. it's not 100% effective.. even along with looking for the little critters; (Minty's black..making it even harder to spot 'em). In April of last year, at her yearly exam the vet ran a tick panel..it was clear... In late September I brought her 'cause she didn't seem to be feeling right..and sure 'nuff... she had Lyme. And... just before leaving for Dewey...the doc put me on antibiotics after my not quite totally successful attempts to get the whole tick out my arm.

Darn little things.

[Guest greytful4]

I start Ky on Frontline during the month of March thru November, unless it's seasonably warm here in northern Virginia.

[Guest Alexandra_W]

I use it between april to october, to prevent from ticks.

[Guest vahoundlover]

We do March - December

[cleptogrey]

i live the the same zone as you. i generally cont. for one month after the first frost and resume in april if we have a couple of warm days in a row. yup, it is almost that time again.

[cello]

We don't have any tick issues in our yard, so we use Advantage. I split one weight appropriate tube between two dogs, and only use it every three months. We have never had any flea issues on this method of usage. Since the stuff is poison, we use as sparingly as possible. If ticks were an issue for us then that of course would be a different ball game. Since we are going to Sandy Paws tomorrow, and ticks ARE found on Jekyll Island, I treated everyone with Frontline yesterday.

[maryz]

March to Nov. or Dec. depending on temps.

[PrairieProf]

I thought I could skip December through February, but when I was in New York state with Beth over Christmas vacation, I found a couple of ticks on her after walks in the woods. So next year I will only pass on Jan. and Feb. in frigid Iowa.

[RedFawnMom]

I'm just a bit over the border in NY..(was just in CT today shopping!). The only months I tend to skip the Frontline is December and January..and usually February. As it started to warm up the end of February ..(well..okay..I really didn't think 48 was warm..but Minty did..and laid on the deck in the sun!); I decided to go ahead and restart the application.

BUT... despite my attempts.. it's not 100% effective.. even along with looking for the little critters; (Minty's black..making it even harder to spot 'em). In April of last year, at her yearly exam the vet ran a tick panel..it was clear... In late September I brought her 'cause she didn't seem to be feeling right..and sure 'nuff... she had Lyme. And... just before leaving for Dewey...the doc put me on antibiotics after my not quite totally successful attempts to get the whole tick out my arm.

Darn little things.

 

Oh no! Poor Minty (and you). Thanks for the reminder about it not being 100% effective.

[GeorgeofNE]

Frontline/Frontline Plus do not prevent ticks--it does kill them after 24 hours, but it doesn't prevent them from hopping on board OR sucking your dog's blood.

 

My vet advises Frontline Plus year round, because fleas can and do survive inside quite nicely.

 

I think the only topical that actually repels ticks is K9 Advantix, which my vet won't let me use because I have cats and they cannot get it on them. My vet worries that their close contact with George could be enough to make them sick.

[Guest SandOSU98]

I'm in Western MA and I use Frontline from March-November, skipping December, January, and February.

[KF_in_Georgia]

I'm further south than most of you, but I split a tube of Frontline Plus between my two dogs every month, all year long.

 

Ticks are an issue here, and my understanding is that ticks hibernate in cold weather, rather than actually dying off. That means they can be back in business after only a day or so of warm weather. And I'm a dog groomer who sees flea-infested dogs all year long at work. Maybe the fleas are in dog bedding in a warm house or garage, but they're still thriving locally in December and January and February. My view is that a tube of Frontline Plus is cheaper, more effective, and less toxic than bug bombs or other now-you-got-'em/how-you-gonna-get-rid-of-'em remedies.

[RedFawnMom]

I'm further south than most of you, but I split a tube of Frontline Plus between my two dogs every month, all year long.

 

Ticks are an issue here, and my understanding is that ticks hibernate in cold weather, rather than actually dying off. That means they can be back in business after only a day or so of warm weather. And I'm a dog groomer who sees flea-infested dogs all year long at work. Maybe the fleas are in dog bedding in a warm house or garage, but they're still thriving locally in December and January and February. My view is that a tube of Frontline Plus is cheaper, more effective, and less toxic than bug bombs or other now-you-got-'em/how-you-gonna-get-rid-of-'em remedies.

 

Just wondering, any reason why you only use 1/2 tube per dog?

[KF_in_Georgia]

I'm further south than most of you, but I split a tube of Frontline Plus between my two dogs every month, all year long.

 

Ticks are an issue here, and my understanding is that ticks hibernate in cold weather, rather than actually dying off. That means they can be back in business after only a day or so of warm weather. And I'm a dog groomer who sees flea-infested dogs all year long at work. Maybe the fleas are in dog bedding in a warm house or garage, but they're still thriving locally in December and January and February. My view is that a tube of Frontline Plus is cheaper, more effective, and less toxic than bug bombs or other now-you-got-'em/how-you-gonna-get-rid-of-'em remedies.

 

Just wondering, any reason why you only use 1/2 tube per dog?

 

I got that advice from other greyhound owners. The dosage (by weight) is designed for "regular" dogs, most of them with more hair than greyhounds have. Much of the product undoubtedly disperses in a lab's thick coat, rather than getting down to the skin. Even just half a tube on a greyhound, though, leaves a huge "oil slick" in a greyhound's much thinner coat, while still getting down to the skin. At any rate, the half-tube method has worked successfully for my guys for more than six years. If they're going to have baths, they get them before I apply the product. After it's on, the dogs can get wet (such as in the rain), but I don't use any soap on the dogs--nothing that will disturb the oils of their skin--until they're due for baths-and-Frontline.

[Guest TBSFlame]

I use Frontline Spray. Just picked up a bottle today. I also flea comb my hounds every day. I do use Advantage or Frontline during the hot summer months. I really don't have much of a flea or tick problem.