My rescued dog has fleas after fipronil. Is it safe to reapply early?

The active ingredients in Frontline Plus are rather safe, so I would not be worried about any toxic effects this long after you applied the previous dose. Considering the bathing likely did remove a fair amount of the previous solution and you are seeing fleas, it's safe to say that Maddie will need some extra protection. The manufacturer recommends not bathing until 48 hours after applying Frontline, but I always advise not to give a bath one week after applying topical medications like Frontline to be safe. To be extra safe, you can get a different product prescribed by a veterinarian. I hope that helps and all is well with Maddie.

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.

It is safe to reapply the Frontline now, but in my experience, it doesn't have great flea protection. You may have better luck with Advantage products or a Seresto collar. The best flea protection is the prescription oral flea preventatives, like Bravecto or Nexgard.

Yes it is safe to reapply most topical flea preventatives every 2 weeks if needed. This should be fine and safe to do since you are 2 weeks out. However, if you are still seeing fleas after this correct dosing, it is best to consider switching to a more effective product such as Revolution. Best of luck with your cats moving forward and keeping the fleas away. Take care.

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!

Hi and thank you for your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Generally speaking, it is advised to administer one type of topical flea/tick preventative at one time. Administering more than one topical type in a 30 day period may be an overload to her system. The Fipronil is liking absorbed already, so I would not advise you apply the Vectra. Instead, you may ask your veterinarian about a administering capstar or another fast acting oral flea treatment medication. Next month, you may apply the Vectra. Hopefully that will do the trick.

Hello. I am so sorry for your worries with Nala. It should be fine to use the Vectra a week early, but you need to be aware that no topical flea product works to kill fleas immediately. With most topicals, the flea needs to be in contact with a pet for some time ( like 30 minutes or so ) while they accumulate the insecticide into their bodies. Then, they die. Nala may also just be extremely sensitive to flea bites, or in fact, be allergic to other things in her environment. The first thing to do is make sure all the other pets in your home, including cats, are also treated regularly for fleas. Most likely, your environment may have fleas, too, so you may need to treat your home with sprays &/or bombs. Make sure you use a product with an insect growth regulator. Finally, consider treating your outdoor space, especially if you have a crawlspace,I pay close attention to treating the area about 3 feet out from your foundation. If Nala continues to itch, you may need to have Nala examined for other allergies. We have very good medications to address this issue in dogs & make them much more comfortable. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.