[Thor]

After I noticed some reactions to our dogs with Frontline, I decided to dig a little deeper into flea treatment for dogs. I found a lot of information, from numerous sources (most from epa.org) and thought I would pass alone some findings:

Frontline's active ingredient is fipronil.

Fipronil is a type of phenylpyrazol insecticide, which works by constricting blood vessels in order to shut down the central nervous system (a nerve inhibitor). This results in the death of an insect by contact and ingestion.

What we know about this ingredient Fipronil is known to cause irritation to the eyes and skin of lab animals, as well as causing more serious long-term problems such as loss of appetite, failure to urinate, increased excitability and seizures.

After applying this topical "insecticide" to your pet, the chemical slowly seeps through the oils of the fur, essentially forming a thin sticky film over the coat of the animal that does not wash off even after several baths and swimming. Just read the labels on the products themselves. They instruct you NOT to get this chemical on your skin when applying it.

Leaving these products on your pet makes it unsafe to touch your dog or cat without getting this chemical and others all over yourself, your children and even your furniture, leaving your family open to coming in contact with and even ingesting this chemical. The question begs an answer; if we must NOT get this chemical on our skin, what happens every time we pet, hug and kiss our animals? How much are we absorbing? And how much is our pet absorbing?

Advantage's active ingredient is imidacloprid.

Imidacloprid is the insecticide used in a product called Advantage®, manufactured by Bayer. Similar to Fipronil this product also pools and dries in the oil glands of the skin and kills adult fleas on contact, before they are able to lay eggs. Advantage® is applied to the skin over the back where it diffuses through the skin over the rest of the body. Therefore the info above is applicable and also applicable to Selamectin, the insecticide produced by Pfizer and sold under the name of Revolution.

I have since moved to a natural solution, with great results, but your mileage may vary.

 

[PaulaEdwina]

I think it is a matter of risk assessment. I live in the woods in rural Pennsylvania in the Lyme Belt. For me it's better living through chemistry. I need the high efficacy of Advantix to keep deer ticks off my dogs. If Ilived somewhere else where the threat of tick borne disease was lower I would probably consider something else, but not here.

Paula

 

[Erica]

I think it is a matter of risk assessment. I live in the woods in rural Pennsylvania in the Lyme Belt. For me it's better living through chemistry. I need the high efficacy of Advantix to keep deer ticks off my dogs. If Ilived somewhere else where the threat of tick borne disease was lower I would probably consider something else, but not here.

Paula

Ditto..I hear you..the blood thirsty insect population is awful here on the Outerbanks as well..we have the same deal but add swamp bugs and sand fleas..

:wink:

 

[PitBullRoyalty]

I use advantix also! I've seen skin reactions to frontline so that's one of the reasons I chose advantix for my dogs. It does depend on where you live on what methods you should use. I use it only during the summer months, some have to use it all year, some don't have to at all. I know one woman who has her dog on the lime vaccine and gives him a natural flea shampoo bath every two weeks.