My dog's flea treatment got wet. Is it effective? Should I reapply?

Dogs are not supposed to get wet for at least 24 hours after application of a topical flea medication, and more than likely it was washed off during the bath. You can reapply the flea treatment, and I would give them Capstar given you have seen fleas. It's a one time pill that starts killing fleas within 30 minutes, and it's safe to be given at the same time as the spot on treatment. Just as a note, I would not recommend using Frontline. In my experience (and from the experience of many colleagues), there is a resistance to Frontline, and you may not get the best results from it. I recommend using Advantage or Revolution instead. You will also have to disinfect the environment. Wash their bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. You can use a spray to kill fleas in the house, such as Indorex, or a flea bomb would work well to kill the fleas in the home.

Unfortunately you cannot use topical medications that close together. Your best bet here is to try washing off the product immediately with Dish dawn detergent, and then to reapply the newer medication in 2 weeks. In the meantiime you can give Boogie a Capstar just about as often as you need to to rid fleas immediately after seeing them. You can purchase a Capstar at any pet store that carries this brand. This is not a preventative but it is a flea ridder that works fast (witihin 1 hr!). I hope that you are able to give Boogie some relief following his intense flea infestation. You definitely want to give him a calming aloe based or oatmeal based bath right after the Dawn bath, and a soothing conditoner from your local pet store can also be helpful. If he is still itching after tomorrow then its best to contact your vet for stronger medication. Best of luck with your pet Boogie. I hope that he gets some relief soon! Take care.

A [flea](https://www.petcoach.co/article/fleas-life-cycle-anatomy-disease-transmission) infestation on your pet or in your home can be [difficult and frustrating](https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-are-fleas-so-hard-to-kill) to deal with. Yes, if after two weeks the [flea preventive you applied isn't working](https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-reasons-your-flea-prevention-isnt-working), you can reapply flea treatment early, or switch to another brand. I recommend using Advantix or a chewable prescription product from your vet, like Bravecto, Nexgard, Simparica, or Credelio. This recommendation is unrelated to Petco or PetCoach. If you are seeing fleas on Mia now, you can give her Capstar ([Nitenpyram](https://www.petcoach.co/pet-medication/nitenpyram)). It's a one time pill that starts killing adult fleas in 30 minutes and is safe to use with a topical treatment. Use a monthly preventive on all pets for at least 3 consecutive months to break the flea life cycle. Year round use is preferred. You will also have to [treat the environment](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-tips-to-get-rid-of-fleas). Wash all bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. Discard of the bag or empty the canister outdoors immediately afterwards. Use a spray, such as Indoorex or Knockout ES, in the house and to prevent reinfestation.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It should be ok as long as you applied to topical after the bath. If the fleas are slow moving it is likely the treatment is working. There are still fleas in the environment that have to get on the pet in order to die. Continue the treatment every 4 weeks for 3-4 doses. You can apply after 3 weeks if you are still seeing live fleas. Also remember to treat all pets in the home. Kisses to Charlie!

Yes, you can certainly give Luna a dose of Capstar after applying Pet Armour Plus. The Capstar should kill adult fleas quickly, but will not provide lasting prevention against maturing larvae and eggs. Pet Armour should be able to provide this prevention for the remainder of the month. However, when Luna is due for another dose of flea prevention next month, I would instead recommend using a higher quality product, such as Nexgard, Bravecto, or K9 Advantix II, as I tend to find these products more effective. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

If you’re noticing increased itching in that area and you found a flea, you may try switching the flea prevention to see if that helps. Fleas can become immune to products. The top products on the market are oral products such as Nexgard and Simparica. Most pets can use these products but you should talk with your veterinarian before switching. They are administered once a month and at this point appear to work very well. If the itching goes away, then you know it was related to flea bites. Best of luck.

It usually takes 3-6 months of consistent monthly application of a quality flea preventative to rid a flea infestation. The ingredient in the Hartz Duel Action topical is unlikely to work very well for fleas. I suggest using a product like Frontline Plus, Advantix, Bravecto or Vextra for fleas as these tend to work better in my experience. I suggest thoroughly bathing Lil Feet to get rid of the Hartz topical and then apply one of the products listed above. You should do this monthly for at least 3-6 months to get rid of the problem. If the infestation is really bad you may need to have your house treated. If you are still seeing many fleas after a month or so you should schedule an examination with your veterinarian. Good luck and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!