My dog's Frontline Plus isn't lasting. Can I use Capstar for fleas?

Capstar is an excellent choice for getting rid of fleas quickly - it's very effective at killing any fleas that may currently be on the dog, but only lasts for 24 hours. This is why it's recommended to start another, longer-lasting flea medication at the same time, or else the fleas will just come right back. The most effective options for flea control currently available are K9 Advantix, Nexgard, or Bravecto - I would recommend getting one of these from your vet if possible, to start within 24 hours of giving the Capstar.

Either can be combined and given at any time with Frontline. They do make better, longer acting flea control pills such as Nexgard or Simparica that you give monthly or Bravecto that is given every 3 months

Hello! I'm sorry to hear that Bliss is still struggling with fleas. They can be really hard to get rid of! It is usually safe to give Capstar with Seresto, but if your dog has any medical conditions, I highly suggest that you contact your vet first. Seresto and Frontline used together should not interact, but it's never a bad idea to wait a day or two between removing the collar and applying the Frontline. This is my suggestion for your next few days: First, give Bliss a good bath. I do not recommend using any flea or tick shampoos - a regular dog shampoo or baby shampoo should do the trick. Leave the soapy lather on her skin for several minutes before rinsing, and use a flea comb to get rid of as many fleas as possible. Next, give Bliss the Capstar. Immediately after, be sure to wash all her beds on the hottest cycle. Beds that can't be washed should be dusted with diatomaceous earth or borax powder (away from pets). You can do this with carpets, too. Let the dust sit for an hour, then vacuum everything really well. Borax and diatomaceous earth should not harm your pets, but it's best that they don't ingest a lot of it, so try to keep them away while you do this. Throw away your vacuum bag or toss the contents outside in a dumpster right away. If Bliss is an outdoor dog, I highly recommend spraying the yard with an outdoor flea and tick killer, like Advantage Yard and Premise Spray. These cleaning steps are really, really important as the flea life cycle allows flea larvae to live and eat off of fibers in your home for 3 weeks. You should do this cleaning step again in 2 weeks to get any remaining flea eggs or larvae. After 24 hours, apply the Frontline. You should always wait 24 hours after a bath to apply Frontline as the natural oils in the skin need to regenerate before it will work properly, and bathing removes these oils. It is not unusual to see fleas on your dog even after this process, at least for a few weeks. Fleas only jump on your dog to feed, which is when they will come into contact with the Frontline and within 24 hours. Any fleas or larvae remaining in the home will eventually find their way to Bliss, but the Frontline should get them. If these steps don't work, it's time to involve your vet, and possibly a flea removal specialist, like Orkin. I really hope that Bliss is flea-free soon!

Capstar is a very safe medication and I would not have concerns about using it even in an older cat as long as there are no known underlying diseases. That being said, Capstar will not prevent future infestations so if Frontline isn't working you will need a different preventative. I typically recommend asking your veterinarian what product seems to work best in your area. A final not - if Dory is in the barn apartment at al there probably are now flea eggs and potentially larvae, and soon there will be adults in the apartment. If they have no host (i.e. if you get Dory on a good preventative with kills fleas quickly) and you continue preventative for three months you may not need to treat the environment, but spraying or bombing the apartment and/or vacuuming/washing weekly could help get everything under control more quickly.

You can use both products on the same day so it is fine to start the Advantix at any time. There are better products that Advantix. Top products for dogs are oral products such as Simparica and Nexgard. Top products for cats are topicals such as Revolution and Cheristan. There is also an oral product called Comfortis that both dogs and cats can take. You will need to switch all the pets over to a good flea product. Make sure to discuss these products with your veterinarian first. These products are generally safe for all pets but there are some conditions which are contraindicated for the oral products. Cleaning up and treating the house and yard will also help but it will not clear all the fleas. The main control is making sure the pets are on good products. This is what will ultimately stop the infestation. Also remember every female fleas lays about 50 eggs a day and it could take up to 6 months before the eggs hatch. Therefore, you will need to treat for at least 6 months. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I'm so sorry you are having a hard time with Boogie! Capstar is safe to give daily, but ONLY kills adult fleas. More fleas will be jumping onto Boogie daily until all of the viable eggs in the environment have hatched or been rid of. Frontline (and Advantage and Revolution) kills adult fleas AND makes the eggs laid by the fleas that are on the dog unable to hatch once they are in the environment. That's why it takes some time to see results, whether you are using Frontline, Advantage or Revolution. That is also why Capstar continues to be beneficial in killing the adults that are on the dog. Think of it this way. Adults fleas get onto the dog. They eat, mate, poop, and lay eggs. The poop from the fleas, and the eggs, both drop off into the environment. When the eggs hatch out, which takes 2 weeks, the larvae (baby fleas) feed on the flea poop that was dropped into the environment. They ultimately develop into the adult fleas that will again find an adult host to infect. Since an adult flea can lay 50 eggs a day, you can see how important it is to treat the environment and break the life cycle. You may find this article helpful. http://www.petsandparasites.org/dog-owners/fleas/ To specifically answer your question, Frontline doesn't "get stronger" with time, but it takes consistent treatment to break the cycle of new fleas hatching out in the environment and getting back on. Until you've got better control, apply either Frontline (or Advantage, or Revolution) as frequently as recommended by your vet; typically this will be about 2 week intervals for 4-8 weeks. Again, consult with your vet for specific advice on your individual dog's needs. Also, vacuum and wash bedding, carpets, couches, etc. I hope that clarifies things for you a bit. Don't hesitate to post on the forum again or request a consultation for further assistance. Thanks for asking PetCoach!

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!