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Frontline Alert!

Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2018 8:48 pm
by bobbys girl
Just thought I'd pass this on. When we were last at the vets with Bobby, we mentioned the sore that Purdy had on her neck. The vet told us there was a lot of fake Frontline out there - even in some shops, not just online. I must tell Pets at Home they may have had other reports.

Re: Frontline Alert!

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 7:41 am
by ThorpeDave
My sadly departed Stealth was treated by the Vet with Frontline and had terrible sores after administration! We are still convinced that it was Frontline that contributed significantly to his death.

I would doubt however if the vet was obtain dodgy supplies??

Regards

Dave

Re: Frontline Alert!

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 8:45 am
by bobbys girl
It may be the Frontline itself? I have had problems with it before. But I can't think that the patch on Purdy's neck could be anything else. I wonder if there has been a formula change? Need to know for next time.

Re: Frontline Alert!

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 9:00 am
by fjm
Pippin developed allergic reactions to the carriers used in all the spot ons and to surgical spirit. I had used Frontline on him for years with no problem, and he was around 12 when it started - weepy patch which took forever to heal, and which he would scratch if it was anywhere he could get at. It got particularly bad when he had to have regular blood tests for hyperthyroidism - he had a near constant sore patch until I discovered that as long as the surgical spirit was washed off immediately with lots of warm water he was fine, and made sure the vet nurses knew to do it at once. That doesn't work with the flea treatments of course, so if he needs treating I get the jab that lasts six months.

Good old HyperCal ointment helped heal the sores!

Re: Frontline Alert!

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 12:16 pm
by ThorpeDave
We now only use prescription only treatment - Advocate, and we only get it from the vet directly.

It is more expensive that way but not taking any chances with Hendrix

Regards

Dave

Re: Frontline Alert!

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 12:24 pm
by fjm
Pippin reacted to Advocate from the vet - that was what started it! I went back to Frontline, also from the vet, but I suspect they use the same carrier fluids - after that first reaction he got sore patches from all sorts of things.

Re: Frontline Alert!

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 2:34 pm
by ThorpeDave
fjm wrote:Pippin reacted to Advocate from the vet - that was what started it! I went back to Frontline, also from the vet, but I suspect they use the same carrier fluids - after that first reaction he got sore patches from all sorts of things.
After our experience with Stealth, and having seen a mild reaction by Hendrix to Advocate, I am beginning to wonder about the wisdom of giving them flea treatment UNLESS they need it.

Mia came in from the cold after being a stray for 18 months and we have never seen a flea on her or been bitten by one. Stealth too was flea free even though he was feral before walking into our lives but the vet kept pushing us to treat him even though they never saw a flea, tick or ear mite.

Hendrix was flea ridden when first rescued so he will be treated for a short time.

After that, I am fairly reluctant unless I have to.

Our previous 2 cats and one dog were never treated either and none of them ever had fleas!

Regards

Dave

Re: Frontline Alert!

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 6:07 pm
by Janey
ThorpeDave wrote: After our experience with Stealth, and having seen a mild reaction by Hendrix to Advocate, I am beginning to wonder about the wisdom of giving them flea treatment UNLESS they need it.


Our previous 2 cats and one dog were never treated either and none of them ever had fleas!

Regards

Dave
I agree. My cat has some allergy - which we thought was flea allergy dermatitis so the vet advised monthly treating with Advocate, however, she’s still scratching with Advocate, so it must be something else. I only treat her now every few months just in case it is some flea, but doubt it. It seems seasonal so don’t think it’s food, my vet says it can be pollens or some insect not covered by Advocate.

Like yourself though, we very rarely treated our other cats, once a year at most, and never saw any fleas at all.

Re: Frontline Alert!

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 6:27 pm
by ThorpeDave
Janey wrote: I agree. My cat has some allergy - which we thought was flea allergy dermatitis so the vet advised monthly treating with Advocate, however, she’s still scratching with Advocate, so it must be something else. I only treat her now every few months just in case it is some flea, but doubt it. It seems seasonal so don’t think it’s food, my vet says it can be pollens or some insect not covered by Advocate.

Like yourself though, we very rarely treated our other cats, once a year at most, and never saw any fleas at all.
Well I feel sick today.

We gave Hendrix Advocate for the second time today. First time absolutely no reaction. Today was different. He went tearing round the house and is now just lying there and he is very p!!sed of with us. This is how Stealth was when we realised he was reacting badly to it.

Gone through the leaflet 2 or 3 times but nothing obvious

Re: Frontline Alert!

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 7:08 pm
by Ruth B
I think we've been pretty lucky, we've always used Stronghold and never had a problem. Tiggy doesn't like having it done and normally disappears off down the garden for a hour or so in protest, but when i have had it on my skin (when we missed the cat) it does feel cold similar to things like surgical spirit, and I think that is what she dislikes. There has never been any sore or sign of a reaction.

One vet did say that there were different methods that the spot on used, some get more into the blood system and enter the flea through the blood it takes, others, including Broadline, are secreted in the natural oils that the skin produces. How true this is I don't know, she wasn't a vet I was impressed with and did seem to want to blind people with science and how much she knew. I do know that Broadline and Stronghold have different active ingredients so it is possible they do work in different ways.

Re: Frontline Alert!

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 7:16 pm
by ThorpeDave
Ruth B wrote:I think we've been pretty lucky, we've always used Stronghold and never had a problem.
My vet knows that I am very sensitive about using pesticides on cats so will need to explore all options. Really need a solution for Mia -just in case - as there is no way we could put a spot on on!

We use Panacure for worming and have had no problems.

Re: Frontline Alert!

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 8:49 pm
by Ruth B
I know Frontline do a spray that can be used on young kittens so that might an answer for Mia, just try a very small area first to see if she reacts. I will admit I have memories of spraying and powdering cats from my childhood days and i wouldn't want to go back to it unless there was no other option.

Re: Frontline Alert!

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2018 7:13 pm
by Sniper1
We find the front line spray very effective and instead of spraying directly on the cat you can wear rubber gloves spray it on your hands and rub it all through their fur it reduces the stress of having to hold onto them and spray them and you don't get the skin reaction of so many spot on treatments

Re: Frontline Alert!

Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 9:42 am
by bobbys girl
Sniper1 wrote:We find the front line spray very effective and instead of spraying directly on the cat you can wear rubber gloves spray it on your hands and rub it all through their fur it reduces the stress of having to hold onto them and spray them and you don't get the skin reaction of so many spot on treatments
Do you have any problems with them licking it off?

Re: Frontline Alert!

Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 8:01 pm
by Sniper1
They do ssmetimes have a lick afterwards but not much as I guess it tastes unpleasant and it doesn't seem to bother them if you do it just before a tasty meal that tends to distract them long enough as it dries very quickly you don't get any reaction like you can get if they manage to reach round and lick the site of a spot on or scratch it and then lick their foot

Re: Frontline Alert!

Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 11:43 am
by ThorpeDave
Ruth B wrote:I know Frontline do a spray that can be used on young kittens so that might an answer for Mia, just try a very small area first to see if she reacts. I will admit I have memories of spraying and powdering cats from my childhood days and i wouldn't want to go back to it unless there was no other option.
That is what Hendrix had to rid him of fleas when he was first rescued.

I will certainly raise that as an option with the vet for Mia although it worked on Hendrix I would not use it on him at the moment.

While I can groom Hendrix - and he loves it - he also takes the opportunity to bite me at the moment. He has lost a couple of teeth with new ones coming through so he is chewing quite a lot!

Regards

Dave

Re: Frontline Alert!

Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2018 12:22 pm
by WilliamTobias
That's a perfect thing to do!