My older dog's flea treatment failed. Can I reapply it safely?

Unfortunately Hartz is a very poor product and extremely ineffective. I would not recommend using it again. You can give Bella Capstar. It's a one time pill that starts killing fleas in 30 minutes and it's safe to give now. I would wash her to try to get the oily residue off, but you can't give her another spot on treatment until two weeks have passed. During this two weeks, it is safe to give Capstar daily (only one a day) to keep killing the fleas. After the two weeks have passed, I would apply a better quality flea treatment such as Revolution or Advantage. Keep in mind as well you have to disinfect the environment. Wash her 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 hope this helps!

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.

I would refrain from reapplying this topical product, because you cannot be sure how much of it was rinsed off and it is best to not overdose him. Also the biting and scratching can be normal for any pet that has just received flea preventative if there was a large infestation of fleas. The "itch cascade" as we call it can last even after the parasites are gone, and often pets require a short course of steroids or a steroid shot to stop the itch completely. Your best option at this point, if you still see evidence of fleas or ticks, is to follow up with a medication called Capstar. This is the only flea ridding product that can be used in conjunction with topical flea preventatives, because it does not last in the pets system very long. You can safely redose the Pet armour in 2 weeks time. However I will say I am not a fan of this product and find there are better, more effective ones on the market. For instance, Bravecto, Nexgard, Advantage Multi, just to name a few.

Hartz is a pretty poor flea treatment product, so I'm not surprised it failed. I'd wait at least two weeks after you applied the Hartz, and then it's safe to give Charlie the Nexgard or Bravecto. I hope this helps!

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.

While some flea collars are generally safe to combine with topical flea medication, I do not recommend using either of those products on Khloe. Both are poor quality products that do not work well at all, and Hartz is especially poor. Many animals have had bad reactions to Hartz products, as well as still having problems with fleas. I can give you the flea treatment program I always recommend, which works very well and is safe for Khloe. First, I would give her Capstar. It's a one time pill that starts killing fleas within 30 minutes. Then follow up with a spot on treatment, such as Advantage or Revolution. This is a treatment that has to be used once a month. You will also have to disinfect the environment. Wash her 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 hope this helps!

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!