Frontline

[Liz]

Originally Posted by ladyeeyore7 Don't know if this is the same thing but I copied this from a post on another thread, thanks TBEventer2002! Ask your vet what is absolutely necessary for your area. There are state laws that designate how often a rabies must be given. Also, certain areas are much more prone to mosquitos and heartworm disease, so an annual or every-two-years heartworm check might be necessary. It is MUCH cheaper to prevent HWD than to treat! And don't let anyone on here tell you to order medicines from 1800 Pet Meds or any online pharmacy. Google it and you will find where Novartis (maker of Interceptor and Sentinel) actually sued three online pharmacies for selling and distributing their products because Novartis DOES NOT SELL TO THESE PHARMACIES. So while YOU may save a few bucks, you might be hurting YOUR DOG when they come down with liver failure due to bad arthritis meds or HWD from falty products. (and if someone comes here and says, "oh, I have never had any issues" that is because they haven't had any issues YET.)

Great article on this can be found here: VIN News

Costco doesn't sell counterfeit products, and I can't see a multibillion dollar company doing so (They are a prime target for being sued, so if Merial had any thought that their products were being diverted to Costco, their legal team would have been right on it. It is no secret that Costco has a large and steady supply of Frontline. For many reasons, it seems quite plausible that Merial is selling directly to Costco.). I think that article is quite telling, especially when a veterinarian states: “Merial has paid for my house, basically, (through) the profit I’ve gotten on Frontline,”

[mtka]

And btw, Frontline is an OTC medication, it is NOT prescription. Heartworm prevention is a different story. It amazes me that only our government thinks we are stupid enough not to be able to buy heartworm stuff otc like most of the other countries. But the same medication (in massive doses) is sold for horses otc, for a couple of bucks a syringe.

[TBEventer2002]

Thanks, ladyeeyore. :) It's good that you are helping to spread the word!

Yes, Frontline is sold OTC in most stores now. I think Advantage is also on it's way OTC. If you are out of tick season in your area OR if your pet has a flea allergy, then Advantage is your best bet over Frontline.

Frontline won't kill adults unless they bite your pet, so they will survive in the environment. Also, flea allergies come from the flea biting your pet (it's a reaction to their saliva), so if the flea has to bite your pet to die, then your pet is still miserable. However, if you are still seeing ticks or your pet does not have an allergy, Frontline is a great product!

Advantage kills fleas on contact. It affects the chemicals in their bodies through the sensors on their feet. They die before they can bite, basically. But Advantage does nothing for ticks.

The cehapest I've seen these products is PetSmart. I know most vet offices are running (per the manufacturer) a special where you get a 7th dose free when you buy 6-months of Frontline (Advantage is the same promotion). Definately price check at your local pet stores and vet offices (some vets will price match, but not many).

And finally, it's all in the application! ;) For good efficacy of any topical medication, do not bathe your pet for 48 hours before and after application. Also, be sure to go to the skin, don't just apply it to the hair. Do not rub it in! (we get lots of clients who think that, lol.)

Good luck in your search for a good deal! :) Frontline and Advantage are both very reputable products, and their customer service if you have an issue is amazing!

[Smee]

People seem to have a love/hate relationship with Frontline. I'm another who hates it; it's totally ineffective where I am, so much so that my vet doesn't even carry it anymore. It seems to be a regional thing, though. I have no idea why fleas in one region would be biologically different from fleas in another, but in areas where Frontline is popular, people will almost beat you down for smack talking it. I'm for whatever works, though, and if Frontline is working for folks, rock on. If I had to give my dogs something that worked when fleas bit, I'd go with Comfortis, but that's just because (in my anecdotal experience) Frontline is useless on my own dogs.

My favorite is Advantage because it does kill on contact. I always keep the large dog sizes on hand and then just dose them out for various sized dogs. I can treat four small dogs with one large tube of Advantage and it's way, way cheaper for me to do it that way.