My dog has fleas and is itchy even with Trifexis and Frontline. Why?

You could talk to your vet about switching from frontline to Nexgard. Also, if he has any skin lesions, he may need additional medications to treat. He may need an antibiotic, anti-histamine, corticosteroid, or other medications to control the itching. It would be best to call your vet and schedule a recheck examination.

Trifexis works by killing fleas when they bite your dog, but they don't repel fleas. If Dallas is still scratching a lot, fleas could be getting on him from the home, or he could have developed a flea allergy from a previously heavy burden of fleas. It is important to disinfect your home when your pet has had fleas. Wash his 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. I would also take Dallas into the vet to discuss the continued scratching, as he may benefit from medications such as steroids if he has a flea allergy.

Flea infestations can be really frustrating to manage! It sounds as though you're doing all of the right things to manage this issue. However, in recent years, I have not found Frontline Plus to be as effective as it once was. Consider talking to your vet about switching to an oral flea preventive, such as Bravecto, Nexgard, Credelio or Simparica. (All are prescription-based, which is why you'll need to first talk to your vet.) I find these medications MUCH more effective at rapidly killing several flea lifestages, which helps to break the flea life cycle (adults lay eggs, which become larvae, then pupae, then adults, which lay more eggs). Consistently giving flea preventives is the best way to resolve a flea infestation. Over the counter oral medications like Capstar are great at killing adult fleas, but only last for 24 hours. K9 Advantix II is an over the counter topical option that works well, but isn't quite in the same league as the prescription orals. Also be sure to wash any blankets, pillows or bedding that is machine washable on the hottest setting allowable. Try to wash these things at least once a week. If all else fails, consult an exterminator to treat your environment. Flea baths are largely ineffective at treating fleas. Many of these flea shampoos cause skin irritation, so I would just try using a regular dog shampoo every few months to wash off any dead fleas or flea dirt. Also be sure to talk to your vet about checking a stool sample for tapeworms, as dogs can ingest tapeworm eggs if they eat infected fleas. I hope this helps and that all goes well for Atlas! https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/flea-infestation-1/

I'm so sorry to hear that Smokey is having this problem. Dogs that have flea allergies can be miserable with only 1 flea bite per week, so it doesn't take very many fleas to cause a problem. I am attaching a handout about flea control for an allergic dog below. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952572 I would recommend speaking with your veterinarian about one of the newer oral flea products. I have been very happy with Nexgard. It works differently than Frontline, so it might be more effective. There are a couple of different oral flea prevention products that can be given even though you have already done Frontline, so they will work together to get the problem under control ASAP. You may also need to speak with your veterinarian about adjusting his medications short term to help control his itching while the fleas are being treated. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Florida has a terrible flea problem and there are many pets that need multiple kinds of flea preventions a month. Plain Frontline may not be strong enough for Bella. If you are seeing fleas and she is scratching, it is likely from the fleas, but I cannot guarantee she didn't pick up something else. I would discuss with a veterinarian there what preventions they recommend for that area. She may need a topical and an oral prevention which you can purchase from a veterinary office. Just as a reminder, flea baths and flea collars do not work, so don't waste your money. Good luck and kisses to Bella!

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.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Frontline has showed a lot of resistance with fleas. Personally I don’t recommend Adam’s. I would use Nexgard, Simparica, Bravecto, Advantix ii, or the Seresto collar. Good luck!