Frontline isn't working! After 3 applications over 2 months - my poor cat still has fleas!!! Suggestions?

Question

the 3 applications have been put on at the suggestion of the vet - not just me arbitrarily deciding to overmedicate. The cat is nowhere near dead - but I'm sure she's miserable with the fleas!

Answer 1

You are going to kill your cat by over-medicating it with Frontline. You can put Frontline on every 3 weeks (most vets now say 3 weeks is alright instead of every 4 weeks). You have to take care of your house before you take care of the cat. Vaccum your house really good and clean all of your bedding because fleas love to stay in these areas. Also, get a pesticide company to come spray (such as Cooks or Wayne's Pest Control) because this will kill all of the fleas, eggs, and everything else.
Frontline works great; however, if your house is still infested with fleas- it will not work. Treat your house along with your cat. If you want to switch medication use Revolution which is available at most vets.

Answer 2

Well, there really isn't anything else that works, cheaper or otherwise. Try getting it on ebay. I was paying $50 for 3 months worth of Frontline and I found it quite a bit cheaper on ebay. Don't try washing your cats. Fleas baths don't work well at all and it is cruel to put cats in water. It's really not something you want to do to your friends, even if it did work. The only other thing I would recommend trying if you don't have a really bad infestation, would be Zodiac wipes. They come about 3 to a pack. They aren't great, but if your flea problem isn't too bad, try it. At least most cats don't hate the wipes too much, which is good because you'll have to use them pretty often. If you do have a fairly bad infestation, you need Frontline (or Advantage). Also, get some flea powder for your house. Once you medicate the cats, you should sprinkle the flea powder around, especially in the places they hang out a lot. Good luck.

Answer 3

Yes - three things:

1) Make sure the Frontline is ALL getting on the SKIN of the animal, not the fur. Presumably it's the spot-on Frontline, not the spray - the spray can sometimes be underdosed with adult animals.
2) You MUST treat your house! Must, must, must. 95% of the the fleas are living here - and it must be a decent treatment i.e not from a pet store.
3) Possibly switch to Revolution or Advantage - Frontline is my favourite, but sometimes it just seems to help to switch.

Do the above 3 things and properly, and this is the way to cure fleas. Oh, and just to check your not bathing the cat at all, because this will not help the Frontline work. Oh AND, presumably you are getting the Frontline from the vet, not from online?!

Chalice

Answer 4

I work at a vet hospital, and we have noticed, too, that either the manufacturer of Frontline has changed the formula, or fleas are becoming resistant to it. (This can happen.)

We are now recommending Advantage for flea control. It still seems to work well, and it works faster than Frontline did. It is applied in the same way, it also remains on the cat's skin and does not get into its system, and the cost per dose is the same.

We have been giving people a free dose of Advantage if they complain of Frontline they bought from us not working -- perhaps your vet would do the same.

However, if you bought your Frontline online rather from a vet, you may have received a counterfeit product. Much of the Frontline, Advantage, Revolution, etc sold online is counterfeit from China or India. Even though the packaging may look authentic, what is inside is everything from plain water to sheep dip to agricultural pesticides, according to laboratory analysis.

Answer 5

My suggestion would be advantage instead of frontline... I work at a vet clinic and we always recommend advantage for cats... It seems to work pretty well. If one thing isn't working, definitely try another kind... And be sure you are using it correctly... I'm not implying that you are stupid or anything, but some people don't understand that it needs to go on their upper back DIRECTLY on the skin, make sure you move his fur out of the way and really get it as deep as you can... If you have a flea infestation at your house, this could also cause a reccurring problem and you might want to do a little detoxing around your property.

Answer 6

i8 would switch to a brand that uses a different chemical/pesticide... you also need to spray your house wiht an IGR ( which makes fleas sterile and stops the breeding cycle) clean yer house real good ( vaccuming, washing sheets and clothes and rugs, and scrubbing down ALL surfaces before vacuuming)

You can also try the pills from canadian pharmacy... not sure what they are called.... but they will work too and are safe to take everyday.....

Answer 7

WELL HAVE YOU TRIED GIVING YOUR CAT A BATH?
FRONTLINE IS WATERPROOF SO IT WON'T WASH OFF OR ANYTHING AND IT WILL HELP TO KILL THE FLEAS FASTER. SO BATHE YOUR CAT WITH A FLEA SHAMPOO EVERY WEEK OR SO TO HELP GET RID OF THEM.
ALSO TRY BOMBING YOUR HOUSE OR AREA THAT SHE IS IN. IT COULD BE THAT THERE ARE FLEAS IN YOUR HOUSE AND THEY JUST KEEP LANDING ON HER SO IT SEEMS LIKE SHE ISN'T GETTING RID OF THEM.

Answer 8

A desperate measure:

Rip out the carpets and put down tile. Lay down area rugs and wash them once a week. Wash the cat once a week in flea shampoo.

Answer 9

Switch flea preventatives. I always recommend Revolution to clients in our clinic who ask my opinion. Buy single doses of Revolution, Advantage, etc and see which ones work for your kitty.

You shouldn't, however, apply more than one application per month.

Answer 10

Hi,don't put anything else on your cat otherwise you will harm him/her.Did you make sure to put the frontline on the cats skin only ??take him/her to the vets.