FAQ about FRONTLINE® SPOT ON:
What is FRONTLINE® SPOT ON?
FRONTLINE® SPOT ON is an ectoparasiticide, which means that it will kill some external parasites of cats and dogs, namely fleas, ticks and lice. The active ingredient is Fipronil, which acts on the central nervous system of invertebrates, causing them to be hyper-reactive and then die. FRONTLINE® Spot on is used as an external medication, therefore it is called a topical product.
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How effective is FRONTLINE® SPOT ON for dogs and cats?
FRONTLINE® SPOT ON kills 100% of fleas within 24 hours.
FRONTLINE® SPOT ON kills fleas for up to 5 weeks in cats and approximately 2 months in dogs.
FRONTLINE® SPOT ON kills ticks within 48 hours for up to 1 month.
FRONTLINE® SPOT ON controls infestations of biting lice within 48 hours.
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How easy is it to use FRONTLINE® SPOT ON?
It is very easy to use FRONTLINE® SPOT ON. Simply break the pipette where it is pre-cut and empty the pipette completely on the skin of your animal. You should be dropping the content of the pipette onto the skin by moving apart the hair of the cat or dog. You should be preferably doing so on two spots of the neck of your animal, between the shoulders, where the animal will not be likely to lick it in the first 24 hours. FRONTLINE® SPOT ON kills fleas will do so over the course of 24 hours and kill any fleas that are currently on your cat or/and dog, and stay active in the coat for many weeks.
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What is the method of administration?
Hold the pipette upright. Tap the narrow part of the pipette to ensure that the contents are within the main body of the pipette. Break back the snap-off top of the spot-on pipette along the scored line. Part the coat between the shoulder blades until the skin is visible. Place the tip of the pipette on the skin and squeeze gently to empty its contents onto the skin. In cats, FRONTLINE® SPOT ON should preferably be applied at two spots, one at the base of the skull and a second 2-3 cms further back, at a place where the animal will not be able to lick it off. In dogs, the contents of the pipette can be applied at one or two places.
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What if I have applied FRONTLINE® SPOT ON to my dog and then she/he has got wet?
Bathing or shampooing the animal up to one hour prior to treatment does not affect the efficacy of the product. FRONTLINE® SPOT ON remains effective even after bathing, from 48 hours after treatment. Re-treatment every 5 weeks is recommended if you shampoo your dog weekly. For more details, refer to the “further information” section of the package insert.
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How can FRONTLINE® SPOT ON be effective even after bathing my dog?
FRONTLINE® SPOT ON is effective even after bathing from 48 hours after treatment because the fipronil dissolves into lipid-rich structures of the skin and concentrates into the oil (sebaceous) glands of the skin. As the skin oils (sebum) are constantly replenished on the skin, so the fipronil levels on the skin and the hair are replenished.
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Can I bath my dog before applying FRONTLINE® SPOT ON?
Bathing or shampooing the animal up to one hour prior to treatment does not affect the efficacy of the product. FRONTLINE® SPOT ON should be applied when the coat is dry.
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Can my pet be bathed or go swimming after applying FRONTLINE® SPOT ON?
Bathing or shampooing the animal up to one hour prior to treatment does not affect the efficacy of the product. FRONTLINE® SPOT ON remains effective even after bathing, from 48 hours after treatment. Re-treatment every 5 weeks is recommended if you shampoo your dog weekly. For more details, refer to the “further information” section of the package insert. Back to list of questions
How can FRONTLINE® SPOT ON be effective over a long period of time?
FRONTLINE® SPOT ON kills fleas, ticks and lice over a long period of time because the fipronil dissolves into the lipid-rich structures of the skin and concentrates into the oil (sebaceous) glands of the skin. As the skin oils (sebum) are constantly replenished on the skin, so the fipronil levels on the skin and the hair are replenished.
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How safe is FRONTLINE® SPOT ON?
FRONTLINE® SPOT ON only spreads in the top layer of the skin. FRONTLINE® SPOT ON acts on contact, it is not a systemic product, it means it will not go into the blood stream of your pet. Also the fipronil acts exclusively on the biology of the invertebrates.
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How soon can I use FRONTLINE® SPOT ON to kill fleas?
FRONTLINE® SPOT ON is very safe and can be used on very young animals. FRONTLINE® SPOT ON can be used on puppies weighing at least 2kg and kittens weighing at least 1kg from 8 weeks of age.
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Can I use FRONTLINE® SPOT ON if my cat or dog is breeding?
FRONTLINE® SPOT ON is licenced for use in breeding, pregnant, and lactating bitches and queens.
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Can I use FRONTLINE® SPOT ON if my cat or dog is pregnant?
FRONTLINE® SPOT ON is licenced for use in breeding, pregnant, and lactating bitches and queens.
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Can I use FRONTLINE® SPOT ON if my cat or dog is lactating?
FRONTLINE® SPOT ON is licenced for use in breeding, pregnant, and lactating bitches and queens.
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If my pet is on another medication, can I still use FRONTLINE® SPOT ON?There are no specific contraindications for using FRONTLINE® SPOT ON with other medications and there are no known interactions with other medicines. If your pet is unwell though veterinary advice must be sought before using FRONTLINE® SPOT ON.
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Are there other parasites FRONTLINE® SPOT ON is effective on?
Although FRONTLINE® SPOT ON is only licensed against fleas, ticks and lice, it may be efficient against other skin parasites:
Recent studies have revealed the efficacy of FRONTLINE® SPOT ON against canine scabies or sarcoptic mange. Further studies should back up this information soon.
Otodectic acariasis is another disease caused by a parasite. The parasite can be found in the cat’s and dog’s ears’. It causes a lot of itching. An application of 1 drop of FRONTLINE® SPOT ON in the ear and the rest in between the shoulder blades could help tackling the ear infestation.
Cheyletiellosis is a dermatitis in the form of small flakes or dandruffs caused by a house dust mite. When the infection is mild, itching is not a major symptom. When it spreads over the body, itching, loss of hair and squamosis (skin flakes) are more important.
Trombiculiasis: the parasite is a larvae. It causes itching, scabs, pustules and hair loss. The use of Fipronil should be efficient against these larvae.
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I have already applied another flea/tick control, can I still use FRONTLINE® SPOT ON?
There are no specific contraindications for using FRONTLINE® SPOT ON with other medications and there are no known interactions with other medicines. However, it is recommended to wait at least 24 hours between applications.
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Are there any precautions for the operator when applying FRONTLINE® SPOT ON?
Contact of FRONTLINE® SPOT ON with mouth and eyes should be avoided. Avoid contents coming into contact with the fingers. If this occurs, wash hands with soap and water. After accidental contact with eyes, rinse carefully with plain water. Wash hands after use. Do not smoke, eat or drink during application. Treated animals should not be handled until the application site is dry, and children should not be allowed to play with treated animals until the application site is dry. It is therefore recommended that animals are not treated during the day, but should be treated during the early evening, and that recently treated animals should not be allowed to sleep with owners, especially children.
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What if my pets have groomed each other and licked the application site?
It is important to apply the dose to an area where the animal cannot lick off the FRONTLINE® SPOT ON and to make sure that animals do not lick each other after treatment. If licking does occur, a brief period of hyper salivation may be observed, due mainly to the nature of the carrier. Ensure that treated animals do not groom each other after treatment.
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How often should FRONTLINE® SPOT ON be used?
FRONTLINE® SPOT ON kills fleas for up to 5 weeks in cats and approximately 2 months in dogs. FRONTLINE® SPOT ON kills ticks within 48 hours for up to 1 month. The minimum recommended treatment interval is 4 weeks.
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Why do I need to know my pet’s weight before I can buy FRONTLINE® SPOT ON?
Because FRONTLINE® SPOT ON is available in different pipettes sizes which relate to the weight of your pet, it is important that you know how much your pet weighs in order to ensure the correct dosage. Remember that your pet’s weight can change with time and with their age – always ensure that you have weighed them recently.
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Are there any other possible side effects when using FRONTLINE® SPOT ON?
Among the extremely rare suspected adverse reactions, transient cutaneous reactions at the application site (skin discoloration, local alopecia, pruritus, erythema) and general pruritus or alopecia have been reported after use. Exceptionnally, hypersalivation, reversible neurological signs (hyperaesthesia, depression, nervous signs) or vomiting or respiratory signs have been observed after use. Always seek veterinary advice if you have any concerns over your pet’s health.
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My dog is very old. Can I still use FRONTLINE® SPOT ON safely?
Of course FRONTLINE® SPOT ON can be used on young animals as well as old animals, as it is very safe. There is no maximum age limit for using FRONTLINE® SPOT ON. However if your pet is unwell then veterinary advice must be sought prior to using FRONTLINE® SPOT ON.
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If I purchase a large pack of FRONTLINE® SPOT ON how long can I use it for before it expires?
Each pipette of FRONTLINE® SPOT ON is stamped with it’s own expiry date. Out of date product should not be used and should be disposed of following the instructions on the package insert.
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Can FRONTLINE® SPOT ON be used on pets other than dogs and cats?
No. FRONTLINE® SPOT ON is licensed for use on dogs and cats only. It is not recommended for use on other species. FRONTLINE® SPOT ON is specifically contraindicated for use in rabbits as adverse reactions and even death could occur.
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My pets are very sensitive to flea bites. I am concerned that fleas should bite my pet for the treatment to work?
Not at all. You should not be concerned because fleas and ticks do not have to bite your pet for FRONTLINE® SPOT ON to work. FRONTLINE® SPOT ON acts non-systematically, that is it actson contact, not via your pet’s blood stream, therefore fleas do not have to bite in order to be killed. FRONTLINE® SPOT ON is licensed for use as part of a treatment strategy for Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD) where this has been diagnosed by a vet.
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Do I need to use other products than FRONTLINE® SPOT ON to control fleas?
If you use FRONTLINE® SPOT ON regularly, then you will not have any flea problems. Where you are already seeing fleas at the time of commencing your flea control program, then the fastest way of killing the eggs and larvae in your home is to use an environmental spray containing an Insect Growth regulator. We recommend INDOREX® SPRAY. Remember though that environmental sprays do not kill flea pupae. Inside their cocoons they are protected from environmental treatments. This means that it is normal to continue seeing newly arrived fleas on your pet for several weeks after starting the treatment. Don’t worry though, these fleas will be killed within 24 hours of contacting your FRONTLINE® SPOT ON treated pet. So ideally, flea control with FRONTLINE® SPOT ON should be optimised with the use of home sprays, and vice versa. Sprays for the home such as INDOREX® SPRAY will kill any adult fleas currently present and prevent any more hatching out for a year or more. Birth control for fleas comes in the form of Program: taken as oral tablets, this prescription medicine effectively stops the fleas from reproducing.
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If I have treated my pets with FRONTLINE® SPOT ON over a very long period of time, and if there are no signs at home of flea infestation, is the flea control still necessary?
All cats and dogs are vulnerable to flea infestation, even if they are walked on a lead or live indoors (people can walk fleas into a home on their clothing). Dogs and cats get infested with fleas through contact with an infested environment ( a home, park, garden, wood…), not through contact with other infested pets. Ongoing, regular protection from flea infestations with regular applications of FRONTLINE® SPOT ON is essential in order to be protected from a flea infestation.
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