Flea & Tick Control Products
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Revolution

Advantage

Frontline &
Frontline Plus*

Flea killing active ingredient:

Selamectin

Imidocloprid

Fipronil; Frontline Plus: Fipronil plus Methoprene (Methoprene is a long acting steralizer of fleas)

How young can the pet be for application?
 

Puppies - 6weeks

Puppies - 7 weeks

Puppies -10weeks
(Frontline Plus not currently approved for dogs under 11 pounds - approval expected later in 2001)

Approved for use in pregnant or nursing mother dogs/cats?

yes

not in this country but in other countries yes (U.S. EPA does not recognize testing done for other countries and testing in pregnancy/lactation has not been done in the U.S.)

no

How long does it take to kill all fleas after first application on an animal that has fleas?

42 hours to zero fleas counted

24 hours to zero fleas counted

42 hours to zero fleas counted (24 hours to spread all over animal’s body and 18 hours to kill the fleas)

Does it wash off?

No - this product is an “endectocide” which means it is absorbed internally and spreads throughout the body including back to the skin. Because it acts internally it cannot be washed off.

Yes - this product will be washed off completely with a degreasing shampoo. It can withstand one bath between applications and swimming once a week between applications but no more.

No - this product remains topical but is stored in the oil secreting glands of the skin. If the pet gets wet, the skin layer of product can be washed off but will be replaced as the oil producing glands
re-secrete it.

How soon after bathing can it be applied?

As soon as the pet
is dry

As soon as the pet
is dry

Manufacturer recommends waiting 2 days after bathing before applying. The product can be applied sooner but will take longer to spread over the body if there is inadequate oil on the skin as would be the case just after a bath.

Does it kill ticks as well as fleas?

Yes, but because this product is licensed as a drug and not as an insecticide, it can only make label claims against the species of tick it was tested for. There is no reason to think other tick species would not be sensitive. The species it was tested against is Dermacentor variabilis.

No, there is no tick activity at all. This product is highly specific for fleas.

Yes, this product was tested specifically against 4 tick species: the deer tick, the lone star tick, the American dog tick, and the brown dog tick. There is no reason to think other tick species would not be sensitive.

Activity against parasites other than fleas and ticks?

Yes, product is active against ear mites, sarcoptic mange mites in dogs, roundworms and hookworms in cats.

Fleas only

Fleas and ticks only

How long does a single application last?

one month

one month

one month for ticks, one month for fleas in the cat, one to three months for fleas in the dog

Does the pet need a veterinarian office call within the last year to get the product?

Yes, this is a prescription drug.

No, this is an insecticide,  not a drug, but the manufacturer sells its product for resale only through veterinarians so that proper usage etc. can be explained.

No, this is an insecticide,  not a drug, but the manufacturer sells its product for resale only through veterinarians so that proper usage etc. can be explained.

Is the product safe for use on sick, elderly or debilitated patients?

Manufacturer specifically cautions against such use.

Product should be safe for such use provided the patient is receiving veterinary care otherwise. If the pet is inactive or hospitalized in a cage, the product may not spread around the body as rapidly as usual.

Product should be safe for such use provided the patient is receiving veterinary care otherwise.
If the pet is inactive or hospitalized in a cage, the product may not spread around the body as
rapidly as usual.

What is the LD50?
(lethal dose to 50% of population - this dose is typically available for lab animal species upon which the product has been tested. It is expressed in milligrams of drug per kilogram of animal body weight. The higher the number, the less toxic the product is)

Oral LD50 >1600 mg/kg in the rat

Dermal LD50 for rats is >2000 mg/kg

Oral LD50 for male rate is 1943 mg/kg

Oral LD50 for female rat is 1732 mg/kg

Dermal LD50 for rat is >5000 mg/kg

Oral LD50 for the rat is 2995 mg/kg

* Frontline Plus includes a nontoxic flea sterilizer called “methoprene,” so any fleas resistant to Fipronil will not be able to pass on their resistance genes.

Cost of product to clients?

Comes in a 6 pack (3 pack for puppies and large dogs). Approx.  $13 per dose

Comes in a 4 pack or a 6 pack, approximately $10 per dose

Comes in a 3 pack or a 6 pack, approximately $12 per dose