Frontline harmful?

[Gracie2006]

I find it strange that I gave the article to my vet a week ago. She said she would call me to discuss and I have not heard a thing. I wonder if she is doing additional research? Or if she was just appeasing me?

[Ellie May]

Originally Posted by heatherlee143

Has anyone talked to their vet??? My vet sells it to me so I doubt I will get the truth. I want to know what I should do about this. I will not use this on my monkeys if it is bad for them. Please ask you holistic vet what they think. I was also told by my vet to try and use it year round because the fleas in MI are really bad in the summer and to prevent anything lingering on in the winter it is good to just continue it.

A lot of vets say that. Some because they believe it and some because they want the money from the sale. In my opinion, most dogs in MI do not need Frontline in the winter. If you have your house sprayed and your Yorkies are inside most of the time, Frontline may need to be used only rarely. I have only needed to use it one time in the last 2 or so years. No way would I give it year-round in MI unless I lived in the woods or something.

No vet can tell you it is perfectly safe because it isn't. It is a pesticide and Group C human carcinogen. So they'd be lying if they told you it was perfectly safe and couldn't harm anything.

[heatherlee143]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

A lot of vets say that. Some because they believe it and some because they want the money from the sale. In my opinion, most dogs in MI do not need Frontline in the winter. If you have your house sprayed and your Yorkies are inside most of the time, Frontline may need to be used only rarely. I have only needed to use it one time in the last 2 or so years. No way would I give it year-round in MI unless I lived in the woods or something.

No vet can tell you it is perfectly safe because it isn't. It is a pesticide and Group C human carcinogen. So they'd be lying if they told you it was perfectly safe and couldn't harm anything.

Oh great!!! I feel very bad now. Mia ended up having a flea on her 2 summers ago(Giavanna wasn't even born yet). I flipped out!! I hate the thought of them in my house, in my bed, or on me!!! Ewwwww!!!! I have a phobia. I am fine with bugs landing on me outside and being outside, just not in my home. Anyways... I tore the whole house apart. Thank God we have no carpet in our house!! I would of replaced it ALL!! Just from seeing one flea. But then Mia had another flea. I bleached all the floors, took couch cushions apart and washed them and ruined a $5,000 couch, treated Mia, gave Mia a bath, and I also cut off all of Mia's long pretty hair I washed every single linen in my home. Including throw pillows, bedroom pillows, EVERYTHING!! I still haven't taken my sheep skin area rugs to get cleaned. I have no clue where I can take them, so I have them packed away. I am not throwing them away they were only 1 year old and thousands of dollars. It was horrible. I NEVER itched so much in my life. What should I do?? If I don't treat them and I get fleas, I will go mad. Seriously!

Also... My Dad owns a pest company that sprays for bugs and so on. He will not even deal with customers that call with flea problems because they are too hard to get rid of. He turns business down. He actually told me what I needed to do to treat my house and so on. I haven't seen a flea since. But my monkeys are on that frontline too.

[QuickSilver]

How interesting, I got Frontline today at Thor's vet visit. She told me that I didn't necessarily need to get it, but I'm considering enrolling Thor in doggy daycare, and some of them require that attendees use flea preventatives.

This vet was totally upfront about what she thought Thor needed and what she thought were nice to haves. I really did not get the impression that she was "money hungry."

I know we all want what's best for our pets, but I am not sure I would take one online testimonial at face value, particularly if it is seven years old. I was talking with the checkout woman about how much pet care has changed in the past thirty years. We had an indoor/outdoor cat when I was growing up who was constantly infested with fleas. I remember we used to just get flea powder at the grocery store and cover her in it. She would groom herself and get sick. FYI, she lived to be 24 years old.

It's always a delicate balance when you want to kill living things (fleas) that reside on other living things we don't want affected (pets). I would prefer not to use anything on Thor, but keep in mind that there isn't a substance on earth that someone somewhere doesn't think is deadly, be it corn, zinc, tuna fish, vitamin A, and so on, ad nauseum.

This excerpt also recommends another product, which adds a grain of salt in my eyes.

[Sandysbabies]

I hate chemicals of any kind. I have never used them on my dogs but a couple of years ago a friend told me maybe frontline would help Mandy to quit itching so much. She had allergies. I would just give her Benedryl and not much of it. After a couple of hrs. of putting the Frontline on her she was dragging her back legs. Toes turned under. I almost freaked. The vet denied it was the Frontline and said it was nuerological. No way. I still believe it was the Frontline because as it finally got our of her system she was able to walk. We lost her to cancer just before Thanksgiving. She was my baby and I loved her soooo much. I will never put anything but something natural on my dogs. I don't know about Intersepter. I have one mini schnauzer that has been on it all her life. She is 11yrs. old and we have our yorkie, Kayla, that is 1 and Lexi who is 7mo. She is a mini schnauzer. I sure don't want to give them anything that will kill them, so what do you do about heartworm perventative? Everything scares me. I don't want to use anything that would harm them in anyway.

[Rockdiva]

Originally Posted by heatherlee143

Has anyone talked to their vet??? My vet sells it to me so I doubt I will get the truth. I want to know what I should do about this. I will not use this on my monkeys if it is bad for them. Please ask you holistic vet what they think. I was also told by my vet to try and use it year round because the fleas in MI are really bad in the summer and to prevent anything lingering on in the winter it is good to just continue it.

My hollistic vet is Dr Messionnier and he is a very well respected vet who practices a combination of hollistic and natural methods but also feels there is a place for conventional medicine when used properly. What he has told me is that there is unfortunately no natural preventative that is really effective, so he is not completely against using Frontline. He just doesn't suggest using it as often as the directions state. He also says you must consider the dogs lifestyle. A dog running around in the country is going to need it more than a dog who stays in the house all the time. I will put Frontline on Wookie just a couple times a year when fleas are more 'in season'. And I use Frontline, not Frontline Plus. Here is an excerpt from a Q&A section of Dr Messionniers website:

"Dear Dr. Shawn:
"I'm interested in preventing fleas on my pets this summer. My veterinarian recommends applying chemicals to the pets, but I prefer not to use these if possible. Do you have any recommendations for a safer, more effective approach?"
Answer:
”With summer upon us, many of my clients are interested in controlling external parasites (fleas and ticks) as naturally as possible. In my practice I see way too many pets being treated with chemical flea and tick products. Most of these pets have very little chance of ever seeing a flea or tick! However, the warmer months do increase the chance of pets coming into contact with parasites. While I don’t like to use chemicals as a rule, IF a pet really needs these chemicals, I’ll use them short term (1-3 months as needed.) Also, instead of applying them monthly (as the directions state) most of my clients find that applying them every 45-90 days work well.
Usually, conventional flea control involves chemical collars, sprays, topical spot-on products, and dips. Collars are notorious for being ineffective in controlling external parasites on pets; however, a new tick collar containing the chemical amitraz is effective in preventing ticks from attaching to the pet and is usually safe to use short-term. Sprays, spot-ons, and dips are effective. However, many pet owners worry about health hazards to themselves and their pets from exposure to the potent chemicals contained in the products.
I prefer to prevent fleas and ticks by treating the yard with beneficial nematodes (they work better than chemicals; natural pyrethrums or diatomaceous earth can also be used.) I then recommend an herbal flea and tick shampoo containing citrus oils; the pet is bathed 1 to 2 times weekly for several weeks until the parasites are controlled. Remember that fleas and ticks do not die upon contact with shampoo. Rather, the shampoo works over time. This is why I suggest leaving the shampoo on for at least 20-30 minutes before rinsing. Also, pay special attention to the area between the toes and around the ears, since ticks love to hide here! Between bathing, I recommend either an herbal collar (containing an herb such as citronella,) a natural insecticide spray, or an herbal powder, containing natural pyrethrum made from chrysanthemum flowers. Readers who desire my handout on natural flea control can receive it by emailing me. Taking this more natural approach helps prevent and control parasites without the concern for toxicity often seen with some conventional methods.”

[Ellie May]

Originally Posted by heatherlee143

Oh great!!! I feel very bad now. Mia ended up having a flea on her 2 summers ago(Giavanna wasn't even born yet). I flipped out!! I hate the thought of them in my house, in my bed, or on me!!! Ewwwww!!!! I have a phobia. I am fine with bugs landing on me outside and being outside, just not in my home. Anyways... I tore the whole house apart. Thank God we have no carpet in our house!! I would of replaced it ALL!! Just from seeing one flea. But then Mia had another flea. I bleached all the floors, took couch cushions apart and washed them and ruined a $5,000 couch, treated Mia, gave Mia a bath, and I also cut off all of Mia's long pretty hair I washed every single linen in my home. Including throw pillows, bedroom pillows, EVERYTHING!! I still haven't taken my sheep skin area rugs to get cleaned. I have no clue where I can take them, so I have them packed away. I am not throwing them away they were only 1 year old and thousands of dollars. It was horrible. I NEVER itched so much in my life. What should I do?? If I don't treat them and I get fleas, I will go mad. Seriously!

Also... My Dad owns a pest company that sprays for bugs and so on. He will not even deal with customers that call with flea problems because they are too hard to get rid of. He turns business down. He actually told me what I needed to do to treat my house and so on. I haven't seen a flea since. But my monkeys are on that frontline too.

Fleas may be hard to get rid of but we just don't get them because our yard is sprayed before they have a chance to come live with us.
Of course that is more toxic chemicals but at least it isn't put directly on Ellie. I hate bugs also and will not live with fleas. We just don't have the need to medicate for it. Remember also that Frontline may last up to 3 months. It is sooooooooo cold in MI right now. I'm sure your pup won't get lfeas when going outside during this time of year.

[heatherlee143]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

Fleas may be hard to get rid of but we just don't get them because our yard is sprayed before they have a chance to come live with us.
Of course that is more toxic chemicals but at least it isn't put directly on Ellie. I hate bugs also and will not live with fleas. We just don't have the need to medicate for it. Remember also that Frontline may last up to 3 months. It is sooooooooo cold in MI right now. I'm sure your pup won't get lfeas when going outside during this time of year.

I do take my girls out a lot though. Other dogs have fleas, even in the winter. When Mia had the flea a while ago.. it wasn't from our yard we get it sprayed also. We had been to one of our friends houses and found out her dogs had fleas. The next day Mia had one and she had never in her life had them before that. I called my friend and told her about the flea and she said before we came over she had just given her dogs flea baths. Well a flea bath isn't going to kill fleas, eggs, etc. that are living in your carpet. They can be dormant for up to 6 months. So that is how Mia got them the first time. Even if we let them stay at home and never took them anywhere with us, we still come in contact with fleas by petting other peoples animals or sitting on someone's flea infested carpet. My friend has a million dollar house and she isn't dirty at all, so it doesn't matter how clean you are. You will get them. She won't use the frontline on her dogs. She still has Fleas in her house and on her pets. She has had companies come out and so on. She cannot get rid of them. Basically this is why I have to treat my girls. Even if she comes over to our house we run the risk of her having an egg on the fur of her coat or something and it falling off on to a rug in our house to hatch later. Boom now we have fleas.

I just wish there was an all natural way that you could really avoid them without having to wait until our babies actually get the fleas to treat them. I have been putting the Frontline on Mia every month and a half. I have only put it on Giavanna one time. I don't know what to do. I may have to tell my friend I cannot see her anymore until she gets rid of her flea problem. LOL!!! Hahaha!! JJ

[Ellie May]

What I meant was, fleas can't live outside right now. If somebody already had an issue (like your friend), then that will easily transfer to your dog. The same goes for taking dogs to the vet. Ellie stays home most of the time though and I try not to take her places where I know they may have a flea issue.

Most flea baths are worthless and toxic in my opinion.
I guess it comes down to how often you take your dogs out.
If I lived in a warmer state, Ellie would have to be medicated at least every three months or never walk outside. There are no natural treatments that work as well as chemicals and there really isn't a way around it.

Have you tried Advantage though? Maybe that's a bit better?

[heatherlee143]

No hun, I haven't tried advantage. Why would it be any better for the health of my babies as opposed to frontline?

[mstrooperwife]

Originally Posted by xoxodoglover89

Wow, that story is both sad and frightening at the same time. I use Heartguard once a month for heartworm and fleas. Does anyone know if this's ok or no?

It seems Heartquard for heartworms is ok.........i've been giving it to my two rat terriers. one is almost 12 years old and the other one is 3 years old. Never had any problems with them.



I was wondered about Frontline...??? I have used it, but i will just have to find something else. The dogs outside have to have something because they just can't take it here in the summer. Fleas are too bad

[Lexi Rae]

this scares the heck out of me. i only treat lexi with frontline from the end
of may till the end of august..

[Ellie May]

Originally Posted by heatherlee143

No hun, I haven't tried advantage. Why would it be any better for the health of my babies as opposed to frontline?

Isn't it ia Group E carcinogen opposed to Frontline being a Group C?
Could be wrong though and this applies to humans, not necessarily pets but it is a good indicator. Maybe contact the FDA or EPA and try to get their adverse side effects reports.

[LDandPasquale]

i was thinking of getting this instead of using Frontline. Only Natural Pet Herbal Defense Spray for Dogs & Cats I used Frontline when i use to have big dogs....but i'm so worried with Pasquale cause he's so little!

[ARCHIE]

My vet recommends Frontline and we have had no problem with it.
We all know it is a form of pesticide but when your walking your dog
in the grass daily he needs protection and baking soda won't do it!
I stop in Nov-March and start again in April. He needs protection
and so do I.