Frontline reaction

[flutterbee]

I'm not being a snob, but I've never had an issue with fleas until we moved into this house. My cats are indoor only and the dog only likes to go out to potty and go for walks, but other than that she's in the house with use. This house had been empty for a couple of months and I'm thinking there were some fleas in here. I didn't think they could live that long without a host, but according to the vet they can.

Jewel (the dog) started scratching a lot, but the furnace is running and I figured it was dry skin and added some oil to her food. Til I had a flea jump on me in bed. LOL I lived in the south before products like frontlilne were available so I know all about what it takes to maintain flea control. It was a constant battle in Georgia. But, since I didn't recognize it for what it was it's gotten a little out of control.

Anyway...I picked up some frontline this morning from the vet. I checked with the vet first to make sure it was ok for little Abbey with her kidney disease and he said it was as it's not broken down by the kidneys. So, I get home and first did Jewel, then Abbey, then Puddles, then Baby Kitty.

Within minutes - literally no more than 3 or 4 minutes - Abbey starts acting very strange. Licking her mouth a lot, licking her paw then jerking to a stop, trying to scratch then jerking to a stop, jumping up in the air and running around. Looked like she was trying to get away from something.

So, I called the vet and they said that there are very few reactions with frontline; that it was likely that she had active fleas and when I applied the frontline they started to scurry and it was making her nuts. She said if I wanted to I could wash it off. I waited about 10 minutes. By this time she was curled up under my nightstand, her eyes at half-mast and I could just tell she wasn't feeling good at all. Abbey never hides under the furniture either.

So, I had easy child get her and hold her while I washed it off. Now I know she wasn't feeling good because she doesn't like to be held, but she didn't resist at all. And I was very thorough in washing it off without no complaints from Abbey. Immediate difference. She perked right up and was fine.

So, I'm thinking it burned her skin rather than a reaction to the pesticide as she wouldn't have bounced back so quickly. The vet recommended Advantage because it doesn't have as much of the chemical in it (it doesn't kill flea eggs.)

I'm just wondering - after this long story - if any of you have had a similar experience and then have gone on to have luck with another product. I don't want to put her through this again and I really can't afford to spend the money if we can't use the product. If that's the case, I'd rather just get a flea comb and pick them off her one by one.

I also got a spray from the vet to do the carpets and I'm leary on using it now. Even though I would keep the animals off the sprayed area until it was dry, she seems very sensitive to things.

 

[Hound dog]

Betsy is also very allergic to frontline. First time was just vomiting/diarrhea. Second time it was awful and by then I'd figured it out.

She did however use another product, can't recall the name, and had no problem. I'd recognize it if I saw it.

But because of her reaction it just makes me nervous. I've went back to older methods of flea control Mine get baths reg, and I buy a spray found at TSC that is for horses dogs and cats. It's about 8 bucks for a huge spray bottle but the stuff works for fleas, ticks, and those darn biting flies. Has always done the trick for us, although it's more work. Plus i'll vaccum twice a day til their gone from the house. Or shampoo.

I even spray the stuff in Rowdy's kennel during warm weather. Those biting flies are horrid. They'll eat the skin right off his ears. But the spray keeps them away.

Got rid of my problem in the fall and won't have to worry again til spring.

 

[Star*]

OH BABAAAAAAAAY!!!!! kitty hugs. (pets kitty and hands new mouse toy)

You know - I have an albino dog - and he couldn't take frontline so well so we do put it on him but give him a break in our home in the winter months - we still have ticks to worry about - but it makes him itch - it's either itch from the medicine or itch from the fleas.

I don't know how bad your situation is - but I can tell you if you want to know how bad your situation is flea wise -= put a white dish with a rim on the floor. Put water in it and add DAWN dishwashing detergent. Then put a lamp on the floor so the light reflects in the dish - the fleas will GO for the light and hit the white dish and can't get out of the Dawn.

If they are in your carpet - they will live for months on nothing - no food, not water - and get into your vacuum. Change the bag constantly.

THey will get in the couch, in the baseboards - and they will be back with eggs not usually killed by the spray - in a about 45 days - so you will have to spray again - BUT BUT BUT -------

DO NOT SPRAY THAT CARPET WITH THE KITTIES IN THE HOUSE _ IT CAN KILL THEM. Put them in their cat carrier and take them to your Moms or something -

ALSO - if she's sensitive about the Frontline - we have FLEATASTIC results with the shelter dogs with Dawn detergent. THe regular blue kind. You wet the animal - and then soak them in a thick paste of Dawn. Leave it on for about 10 minutes - use a flea comb and then - rinse with tepid water. The fleas can't breathe through the Dawn, but the buggers get in between toes and in places you don't think of - so even after the bath - flea comb again -

If you use attachments to vacuum furniture - wash your attachments out with dawn too for flea eggs.

They make electronic flea traps that work pretty good - and you can BET if I rented there - I would be calling the landlord, showing my vet records and telling them the cost of a professional bug spray will be coming off my rent - argh

Sorry for you
Hugs
Star

 

[Abbey]

I'm just laughing as I thought it was me...Abbey. I really dont' have fleas.

Then, I thought it was the show, "Frontline."

I'm so clueless.

Abbey

 

[flutterbee]

LOL Abbey. My daughter is the one that named her. I wanted to name her Bella.

But, we got her just a couple of weeks after my beloved Cassie passed and I told difficult child that this was her cat; that I wasn't ready to get attached to another. Which, of course, lasted all of a day and a half. She was the runt and we soon learned why. At 11 weeks old she got a nasty kidney infection and we discovered that her kidney's are malformed. She was literally fighting for her life and I didn't think she was going to make it.

The only one that calls her Abbey is difficult child. I call her 'The Baby'. In fact, when I call out, "Where's the Baby?!!", she comes running. I started that when she was so sick and was at the vet's every other day getting fluids. They'd bring her back to me and I'd say, "There's the Baby!". easy child calls her Jables. His friend started it. Don't ask, cause I don't know.

But, anyway, because of her health issues I watch her carefully. She's doing well and goes back in next Monday for more blood work to see where her kidney function is currently. According to the vet, they do fine with at least 25% kidney function.