# Any alternative to frontline plus?



## JRC (Jan 27, 2016)

Dixie turned 5 months yesterday and we are getting into spring.so as much as I hate to its about time to use front line.
My German Shepherd Buddie :halogsd: Was lost to cancer last May.He was 5 1/2 years old.
So I'm watching what and when I put something in Dixie.
Thanks


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

That's so young! I'm so sorry for your loss. What kind of cancer was it?

Wondercide works, but you have to constantly reapply it every time you go outside. It has no staying power.

I've had dogs get to 12+ using Advantage 2/Advantage Multi.

What are you using or HW prevention?


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

I use Seresto flea and tick collars.Not one tick or flea bite on my dogs for the past two years.They really do work and last for eight months.


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

I use BioSpot


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## Augustine (Nov 22, 2014)

Butters had a bad reaction to Advantage II, so our old holistic vet put her on Sentry Fiproguard. It's cheap, but amazingly enough, it works really well. The only downside is you have to put it on every 3 weeks as opposed to the usual 4.


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## GypsyGhost (Dec 29, 2014)

We quit using chemical spot ons last year after Bash started having terrible GI problems. I don't know if the spot ons had anything at all to do with his problems, but better safe than sorry. I use Wondercide daily. It's kind of a pain in the butt to constantly reapply it, but it does seem to work pretty well. I just ordered an herbal collar and an herbal spot on from Mercola (Dr. Becker is affiliated with this site, and I trust her products). I'm hoping that will work well, too, so I don't have to haul a bottle of Wondercide everywhere I go.

Repellent Kit for Large Dogs - Mercola.com


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Fiproguard is fipronil -- same ingredient as Frontline (it went off patent). It's also in PetArmor (sold at Walmart), and lots of other brands now.

There are anecdotal reports of insects developing resistance to fipronil -- that's likely to be very regional though. I think the manufacturers dispute that resistance is real, but I don't know any rescues or shelters down here that still use it (and 5 years ago, many were still using it).


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## Findlay (Jan 8, 2015)

we live in the city but have a cottage in Maine. 

I always used frontline on my dogs and never had a problem with fleas or ticks.

Last year Finn was treated for hot spots by the vet in Maine and she recommended Braveco which is an edible prevention and lasts 3 months. 

I don't know which treatment is more dependable. 
He's 19 months and he's never had a problem with fleas or ticks.
He was on Frontline till early August, 2015...
then on Bravecto from Aug till now.

Ps. I don't know about giving Bravecto to puppies.


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## Springbrz (Aug 13, 2013)

Seresto Collar. Not a flea or tick since we started using Seresto 18 months ago. Frontline didn't help with ticks for us.


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

I've used a couple of different "Natural" things.

*Wondercide

*Essential Oil mixes

*Fresh Garlic. 
A lot of folks on here use the Springtime Bug Off: https://www.springtimeinc.com/product/bug-off-garlic-dogs I believe it is Jocoyn who has a thread on there keeping record of how great this has worked for her.

*Two non-chemical tags: 
Must be put on collar BEFORE fleas or ticks attach 
Only Natural Pet EasyDefense Flea & Tick Tag for Dogs & Cats
TickLess Pet Ultrasonic Tick & Flea Repellent Device Pendant for Dogs & Cats (has a battery...don't submerge in water)

*This past spring thru fall, I'm pretty well convinced the high quality MSM that I use along with garlic kept all the "little bugger's" away! :laugh: (because of the sulfur properties they contain) 

Moms


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

Our ticks are like something out of a horror movie. I have gotten 5-7 off one dog after 1 walk. And Lyme is endemic here (hope that is the right word). I hate dumping chemicals on them but feel I have no choice.

Last year I was using Advantix II and finding engorged ticks. My neighbor said Frontline Plus was working for her so I tried that, although I hadn't used Frontline in years because the fleas in FL are totally resistant to it and we got an infestation while using it.

Anyway tried Frontline, no luck, still plentiful y of engorged living ticks on my dogs. I tried one round of Vectra 3d on my puppy last fall because it was a free sample the vet gave me, and I did not find another attached tick on him, but it was near the end of tick season anyway.

Have done 1 round of Vectra this spring and have gotten 1 fat, living tick off pup. It was right after I applied so I am hoping it hadn't had time to like spread around or whatever. If Vectra doesn't work, Seresto and the chewable are the only things I haven't tried.


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

Ticks are awful here in Oklahoma too. I pull ticks off my dogs every single day. I've used Wondercide and Springtime garlic and it did nothing. I put Vectra on the dogs this week. It's what my vet says they are seeing results with. I have no clue what to put on my yard since the Wondercide made no noticeable difference.


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## NorthwindsGS (Mar 23, 2016)

We live on 30 acre hobby farm in Wisconsin. The ticks are bad by us. In the past we have used Vectra from our vet with good results. This year we are trying the Seresto collars. So far they seem to be doing the job. We already had found one attached tick before we applied the collars this spring. None found since the collars however it is early yet. This will be the first time using collars for us. Biggest concern with them is when our dogs play they tend to grab each other on the neck. Hopefully this won't be a problem.


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## ruger123 (Feb 24, 2016)

Another vote for Seresto collars. I have 5 dogs and 3 cats, all with Seresto collars. This is our first year with them. Even in the winter in Michigan, we have a very low level flea issue. I had the animals on Advantage and it helped, but didn't eliminate the problem. I put the Seresto collars on them about 6 weeks ago and not a single flea!!! 

--I tend not to take my dogs into tick infested areas (and there are a lot of them) but seeing how well these work, I think we're going to have to go on some hikes!!

OH ALSO I saw some "off brand" seresto collars at Sam's Club. I didn't get a chance to compare ingredients, but worth checking out if you have a Sam's membership. They came in the same type of packaging.


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

I tried fresh garlic last year and I think it works....plenty of ticks here and I don't know that I pulled more than just one off her last year.


SuperG


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## JRC (Jan 27, 2016)

Magwart said:


> That's so young! I'm so sorry for your loss. What kind of cancer was it?
> 
> Wondercide works, but you have to constantly reapply it every time you go outside. It has no staying power.
> 
> ...


He had lymphoma. Heartguard 

Thanks for all the info everyone:gsdbeggin:


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## KMH (Jul 24, 2013)

I just got Bravecto and so far am loving it! With all the warm, wet weather we've been having the fleas have been truly horrible. Nothing worked. The Bravecto is great and it's such a relief I can watch the dogs enjoy laying in the sun relaxing instead of scratching and biting at fleas.


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

Nexgard


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I used a Seresto collar last year and have used Advantix in the past. Both release the same chemical into the bloodstream, just a different way.

I'm very sorry for your loss. It's devastating to lose a dog so young. 

But here is my view on tick diseases. They are chronic, debilitating and deadly. My BIL almost died from lyme disease and will die early because of it. Dogs are no different, they just can't tell us when they are sick. My vet has told me stories of dogs with no symptoms of Lyme's until they were in kidney failure. And at that point there is nothing that can be done. So I, who feeds a raw diet and does minimal vaccinations and natural meds whenever I can, will slap that poison on them every month. It's just one of the things I feel strongly about and don't mess around with. 

I also prefer Advantix over Frontline. Frontline repels and kils only after the tick is on the animal and biting. Advantix repels them so they don't get on the animal. My vet recommends it over Frontline because of that reason.

Weigh your risks in your area to the risk of the chemicals carefully.


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

I usually use Frontline Plus or Advantix. We hike in the woods a lot and see deer so I assume there are ticks around but I have not found a single tick on my dogs for probably close to a decade. I still get fleas. It is very hot and humid here, so come the third week I start giving them Capstar in conjunction with whatever topical I am using until it is time to reapply. I have used the off brand Frontline products and found them far less effective.

I tried the Soresto collars last year and found them to be junk. Did absolutely nothing for fleas. I also tried Revolution on my cats last year and saw amazing results. I might give it a try on the dogs this year.


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## Muskeg (Jun 15, 2012)

All the dogs are on Advantix II while we are in tick country. I've had two dogs get sick almost to death from tick illness, one from Ehrlichia, the other Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. I don't take chances with herbals or anything natural. I know the ticks can kill my dogs, but haven't seen any problems from the topicals. 

A long time ago, I used Frontline and it completely stopped working. Advantix seems to work to actually repel ticks, and as a side benefit, to repel biting flies, and black fly season is just starting. 

I wish there was something similar for people. I've picked a few ticks off my socks (crawling) and the black flies can be very persistent. 

My mother, mother-in-law, sister, dad, and myself have all tested positive for Lyme at some point after a tick bite. I also came down with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, which didn't present with the rash, but changed blood values a whole lot and caused enough fatigue that I actually went to the doctor and he tested for RMSF. 

So, I just don't take chances with my dogs.


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## eddie1976E (Nov 7, 2010)

Gretchen said:


> Nexgard


This stuff is unbelievable. I have seen ticks on his bed that must have just bit him and they are half dead and skinny, its not like they have been feeding off him for days. Never had a negative reaction to it and we have been using it for almost 2 years.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I use the Scalibor collar. It lasts 6 months even with swimming every day. I chose Scalibor over Seresto because of the swimming. Seresto is reduced to 4 or 5 months if water is involved. In three years, I have not seen a flea and I found one dead tick that fell off one of the dogs. There are ticks everywhere here and we go hiking quite a bit without issue. I used to use frontline, but I stopped and switched to the collar.


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## Pipersmom (Jul 22, 2015)

I'm using Trifexis. One huge pill that my dog hates and I have to push it down her throat but it works. As soon as she smells it she refuses all bribes of treats and canned food. Thankfully, she allows me to open her mouth and push it down. It treats heart worm, whip worms and a couple of others plus flea protection. No tick prevention though but luckily we dont have a tick problem. Only seen one tick in 15 yrs. We used to do heart guard and frontline plus but the vet stopped selling the frontline plus. The regular frontline didnt keep fleas away so we switched to advantix and that worked for a bit so when I saw fleas again we switched to trifexis. I should add that I couldnt find the frontline plus for months after my vet stopped selling it. I see it in the stores all the time now, but I'm happy with the Trifexis. Plus, I hated that oily mess on her coat.


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Trifexis can kill dogs! :surprise:

You are very lucky!

You may want to consider changing!

From Trifexis site: "Additional adverse reactions observed in the clinical studies were *itching*, decreased activity, diarrhea, *inflammation of the skin, redness of the skin,* decreased appetite and redness of the ear."

Reporter Jim Strickland from Atlanta has obtained the detailed clinical reports on the adverse events from Trifexis®. In its short life, (its been on the market for about 3 years) the drug has resulted in the following reports:
Emesis (vomiting): 23,360 number of times reported
Lethargy: 7,366
Lack of Efficacy: 5,707
Vomiting: 4,570
Ineffective, fleas: 2,870
Diarrhea: 2,468
Behavioral disorders: 1,448
Seizures: 1,363
Pruritis (defined as an unpleasant sensation of the skin that provokes the urge to scratch): 1,044
Anorexia: 1,028
Itching: 1,017
Ataxia (lack of muscle coordination): 953
Shaking: 930
Ineffective: hookworms: 916
Ineffective: heart worm larvae: 810

*Owners blame 700 dog deaths on Trifexis:* Owners blame 700 dog deaths on Trifexis | www.wsbtv.com

“Trifexis® and Comfortis® both carry warnings about this on their websites. 

Vomiting, loose stools, bloody diarrhea were the most common adverse reactions during Comfortis® trials. There are also some reports of seizure like symptoms, lethargy, weight loss and respiratory issues.”

https://www.facebook.com/TrifexisKillsDogs 





 This video is my My 5 year French Bulldog after taking Trifexis, she had seizures for three months, acted disoriented like this in between seizures. Trifexis admitted their med caused this reaction and paid for her care up until the point came where the vet knew she would die. She never had seizures or any other neurological impairment before this med. Please take a hard look at this video before you put your dog on this drug. I don't want my dog to have died for nothing, I hope her video saves other dogs from this.

Pets at Risk 

Moms


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

Just back from the vets and had this discussion with a new vet. She told me it is safe to use Frontline Plus every three weeks and she also said no swimming or bathing three days BEFORE or after application as the dog's oils in the coat are necessary for the topical to spread and for maximum effectiveness. She said most people make the mistake of bathing the dog first, and when dry, applying the topical rendering it far less effective.


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

There are areas of the country where flea populations have developed a resistance to Frontline. My area being one. We use K9 Advantix II. At first my vet gave me a bunch hooey about not treating the yard, I was putting it on wrong and so on. A couple years later the vet finally admitted Frontline wasn't working.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

The fleas became resistant to frontline plus I remember the vet insisting that wasn't the case but it was I think he just was trying to get rid of his endless supply of frontline. Advantix II - we use and happy with it it takes care of the fleas and helps ward off mosquitos. It also prevents ticks. Last year I think was the worst year for ticks in my life so I would still have to scan him for tick checks everyday occasionally finding a tick or two- mind you we live in a very heavily wooded area. This year I have seen no ticks so far. We always used advantage on our dogs and cats in the past and had no issues. all our dogs/cats living long lives and dying of old age-dogs 9/12/13 cats -19/20/21


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

Lol! I know I was so frustrated with my vet. I had been using frontline for years. I know how to apply it. So what changed, the fleas did!

Btw I remember I was in Florida when Frontline first came out. It originally worked for 3 months, now it's down to 3 weeks.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Lol! revenge of the fleas.


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## Laura66 (May 1, 2016)

I use Trifexis as well. My dog has been on it since she was 14wks and have never had a problem. When my vet suggested it I had heard about all the deaths and I voiced my concern. She stated that if a dog has a seizure disorder heart problems or any other medical condition they should not take it. It is only for healthy dogs. She did state if they have increased vomiting, seizure, or lethargy they need to stop right away. She has her dogs on it without any issues. She said fleas and ticks are developing resistance to topical treatments. Its expensive but works for me, no fleas.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

For those of you using Advantage II, plus Heartguard or some other separate HW prevention, you might look into switching to Advantage Multi instead (which is the same flea ingredient as Advanatage II, plus a topical heartworm preventative). You'll save some money -- the Multi is around $14/month through KV supply. That cuts $5-$10/month off the cost of separate products (or Trifexis, which is the most expensive HW/flea "all in one" on the market currently). 

We've used the Advantage Multi on more dogs than I can remember in rescue (they all get it), without a single adverse reaction.


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