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Frontline allergy

Posted by Laura 
Laura
Frontline allergy
March 24, 2007 01:57PM
Hi,
I have been giving my dog front line for 3 months. I gave hime his usual dose yesterday and he seems to have had a bad reaction. he had lumps which keep going up and down under his fur, his skin went quite pink and was very restless. it seems to have calmed down now but was wondering if he should have some antihistamines? it is right you can give dogs benadryl? if so how much?

thanks
Re: Frontline allergy
March 24, 2007 03:58PM
Hi, Laura,

This sort of reaction is very unusual, and it should be reported. If you got the Frontline from your vet, tell him so that he can complete a 'yellow form' to send to the VMD.
The reaction will almost certainly go down very quickly without treatment.
I think that you should replace the Frontline with a different product when his next treatment is due

W
Laura
Re: Frontline allergy
March 24, 2007 04:35PM
Thank you Walter, will do.
Bren
Re: Frontline allergy
August 21, 2007 10:22PM
My 9 month old Collie had a severe allergic reaction to Frontline. His skin became red and inflamed surrounding the site of the application and his hair started falling out and two months latter is still in this condition, The site is still red, oozing, and the hair continues to fall out. The area is about 5 inches surrounding the site of the second application. I did not notice these simptoms following the first application of Frontline but the second application produced this effect. My dog has showed no indication that the area is itchy.
I called the company who produces Frontline and also allerted the Vet who proscribed the product. The makers of Frontline offered no remedy for me to try but told me that it would take 3 months for the product to leave the dogs system.
I am now using Revolution and hoping the the very visable effects of my dogs reaction to Frontline to resolve itself.
Re: Frontline allergy
August 22, 2007 07:39AM
Hi, Bren,
I am surprised to hear of this quite severe reaction to Frontline, and even more surprised to hear that the makers have been so unhelpful. A referral to a dermatologist would hve been the very least they could have offered.
I am not a dermatologist myself, but I would expect a steroid cream to be helpful here.
W
Rhonda
Re: Frontline allergy
October 16, 2007 08:57PM
We have a 2 year old Saint Bernard and she has bad reactions after we put Frontline on her. Her eyes get very red and sometimes swollen and she vomits a few hours later. We took her to the vet the first time it happened and they said it probably wasn't the frontline but the exact same thing just happened again and there has been no other changes in her diet etc...
Re: Frontline allergy
October 17, 2007 01:23PM
There are alternative 'spot-on'treatments other than Frontline, such as Advantix. Try one of those
eithna
Re: Frontline allergy
October 27, 2007 10:21PM
my dog sabre had a reaction to frontline which cost him his i have since found out that other owners are having the same problems with frontline sand other spot on treatments sabre started having seizures after i used frontline on him any one that wants can email me at eithna_bright@fsmail.net as there are loads of report of reaction like my dog had and there must be lots of owner that have not put 2 and 2 together yet eithna
Re: Frontline allergy
October 28, 2007 07:49AM
I trust that this reaction - and any others which occur - has been reported to the manufacturers, and to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate in the UK and the FDA in the US. It is the disepnsing veterinary surgeon's responsibility to report such reactions.
eithna
Re: Frontline allergy
October 30, 2007 09:40AM
Sabres story

In April of this year I first used frontline spot on I have 2 German shepherds it all seemed ok until 72 hours later my male started having mild seizures he had never shown sighs of fits before that day and was a healthy 45kg as he was a bigger an average I used 1 40-60kg pipette on him he had a few seizures for about 3 days mostly at night then they just stopped I did think it might be the frontline as it was the only thing new we had given our dogs my bitch was fine in April tia came into season and they mated and sabre had no more seizures until we frontlined them both again in June about 10days before the pups where due then like before sabre started having mild seizures after about 72 hours and like before they lasted for a few days then stopped so now I was sure it was the frontline so that was that no more frontline for sabre I did tell my vet about it when I took the pups in to be checked over and he said it could not be the frontline he had never heard of it having that reaction on a dog but I was sure sabre was doing good again no more seizures so I left him until august to make sure the frontline had left his body then put him back on program which I had used before with out any problems but we did frontline tia with the last dose I had for her and the pups before they left me for there new homes and we kept sabre away from them over night so on the 21august we let sabre play with them again thinking it should now be safe as it had dried in but on Thursday night going in to Friday morning of the 24th sabre had a seizure again and was restless for a few hours then seemed ok again we went to deliver a pup to Folkestone late that morning and sabre was still fine no seizures after the 1 in the night so we thought he would be ok we left our 16yr old at home with the other pups and sabre and tia it was about a 3hour round trip but within 30min s of getting to Folkestone I got a text message saying sabre had a seizure to we left for the trip home while on the way home my son kept phoning me as sabre was having more seizures and the where getting stronger and lasting longer some lasted about 4 mins as soon as we got home I phone the vets and we took sabre there he had another seizure before we left lasting a few mins we got him into the car and drove to the vets while waiting to be called in sabre had a seizure in the back of my car we got him out on to the grass and I ran in and told the nurse sabre had just had another seizure we then got called into the vets but sabre could not stand or walk properly his back end was gone so we helped in we put him on the vets table his breathing was very fast and again I told the vet it was the due to the frontline but he still said no by now sabre was flat on the table so we carred him though the back where it was cooler while we talked about what to do we did think about trying meditations but I said it would not help as it was the frontline not just normal seizures sabre was totally flat no life in him breathing very fast but shallow so thinking back to that day now I think his organs must have been shutting down due to the amount of seizures he had that day so thinking it would be best for sabre we had him put to sleep when his pups where just 10 weeks old he was only 4 years old I then contacted merial and told them what had happened and like my vet they said it could not be the frontline it was just his breed but he had never had a seizure before I used frontline a few weeks later I found this site and was very shocked to find out this had been going on for years I email merial again and told them so the only letter I have had from merial says that frontline does not canse seizures ha ha what a joke I’m still emailing them weekly but they have not got back to me once guess they just think I’ll go away well they are wrong they killed my loving pet and I will keep on at them as long as I live you can email me at eithna_bright@fsmail.net I have email the kennel club and await there reply plus animal meds and noah and I’
Sabres story
Re: Frontline allergy
October 30, 2007 09:50PM
I hope your vet has reported this incident to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate on a 'yellow form'.
eithna
Re: Frontline allergy
October 31, 2007 11:06PM
not sure if my vet reported it but i have and they have sent me a letter back my vet just says frontline is safe it can't do this as it doesn't entry the bloodstreem but thats wrony i'm also still emailing merial as they just said sabre was a gsd they are prone to seizures funny as he never showed any signs of having any untill after i used frontline on him
Re: Frontline allergy
November 01, 2007 09:49AM
Hi, eithna,

There is nothing more you can do now except to use a different product if you think that Frontline had this effect on your dog.

W
eithna
Re: Frontline allergy
November 01, 2007 05:32PM
walter look at this website they are all the same some dogs din't have a problem some do just like people and drugs its to late for sabre so i'm looking for a non-toxin treatment for my other dogs i took snugglebutt to the vets he does not no why he is ill so we have him on id plus lectade and am taking him back again tomorrow he did have a slite temp on tuesday but that is normal now and he is more active again so hopefully on the meand now he is sabres son this is the website www.elversonpuzzle.com its scarry what these drug our doing to our pets eithna
Re: Frontline allergy
November 02, 2007 09:35AM
Hi, Eithna,

I think you are being very unfair to the makers of these medicines.
All new medicines have to go through stringent tests before they are allowed to be used. A very few animals ( and a very feew humans) are sensitive to certain medicines, and they show undesirable side effects. They are so rare that they are unlikely to show up in all the tests that are carried out when a new medicine is being evaluated.
It is distressing when you have a pet which has been badly affected by a medicine, but that is no reason to ban all new medicine, most of which are life-saving and enable our pets ( and ourselves) to survive illnesses which not long a go were almost always fatal.

W
eithna
Re: Frontline allergy
November 07, 2007 03:21PM
hi walter i'm not saying ban them i'm just asking the makers to be honest with us when they have had loads of reports telling them about this reaction and many others i'm a nursing assistant in a hospital and know people have reactions but at least we know this is possible and have the drugs to help them but some vets still say it can't be a reaction so in the mean time our pets die we just need the makers and the vets to listen to the owners as we know our pets best we are with them all the time the vet only sees them if they are ill or need a boster jab eithna
Re: Frontline allergy
November 08, 2007 09:15AM
Hi, Eithna,

I agree, vets SHOULD listen to pets' owners, as doctors and nurses SHOULD listen to their patients.
Too often, they do not.

W
sarajade
Re: Frontline allergy
November 20, 2007 10:50PM
zac my yorkshire terrier had a reaction to frontline too.
i had used it on him 3 times and he was fine but the forth time he had red lumps all over his belly, was very uncomfortable and was seeing things.
he kept hiding under the bed and covers and was very scared.
i bathed him 4 or 5 times a day for 5 days untill the lumps turned in to crusty blisters and healed up.
my 2 other dogs also had frontline on them and they were fine.
Re: Frontline allergy
November 21, 2007 07:52AM
Hi,

Make sure that your vet reports this, either to the manufacturers (Merial) or in the UK to the Vet Medicines Directorate.

W
Kathryn
Re: Frontline allergy
January 18, 2008 08:47AM
Hi,

I was so sorry to hear your stories but releived at the same time. I was beginning to doubt my sanity. My 8 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback has had a reaction to her first application of Frontline Plus.However, I was being led to believe this was not possible. About 72 hours after application she came out in lumps all over her body. She has been having anti biotics and cortozone and she seems to be getting better. The lumps are drying up. I have written to Merial, but do not expect a response. I think they should know that their product does not suit all dogs and that they should let dog owners know that there is a small possibility of an allergic reaction. I live in Mozambique so I doubt my vet will write to Merial.

K
David Feinberg
Re: Frontline allergy
January 28, 2008 10:18PM
Unbelievable. My cousin did the initial testing on Frontline. I think he is crazier than bed bugs. Most smart people are. He told me to never, never use FL on any of my ten dogs. He said it stays in their glands for ever and they have yet to determine the results of this build up. I had used it against his recommendation about a year and a half ago. I did not equate one of my doxis first seizures to the application at the time. I do only use it when there is a problem with fleas. Two weeks ago a cat decided to make my home his, and go no....Fleas. Again, against my cousins recommendation, I reluctantly applied FL. Samson, my mini-doxi has since had two seizures. He had not had one since the last time I used it. He also goes into shock when given his yearly vacs. We now split those. I know that not every animal has a reaction such as this, but obviously some do. I strongly recommend not using frontline unless you have an infestation!!!! We'd love to here from anyone else with this sort of problem. Danesabrina@aol.com
David And Samson
Ps. My vet agrees with me wholeheartedly...
Deborah
Re: Frontline allergy
March 12, 2008 04:54PM
My beautiful, healthy, lively Yorkshire terrier Charlie died of frontline poisoning just over 2 weeks ago. We gave him frontline for the first time (he was10) as we had recently got a kitten and the vet advised treating both animals and not just the cat. We put the frontline on him as directed at 11pm (we have a young son who liked to cuddle Charlie) and he lay down to go to sleep. Prior to this he was playing with the cat and chasing after his ball as usual and had been for a walk earlier as usual and was absolutely fine. The next morning when I let him out to go to the toilet he was slow and unsteady on his feet, he looked tired and old. He laid down and when we tried to get him to come for a walk he tried a few steps and then just sat down, so we put him in bed with water and food nearby and let him rest. Later on when we were having dinner, he stood up and began walking in circles like he was confused and then his back legs gave way. We rushed him to the emergency vet who would not believe it was frontline. He stayed overnight and the next day I cleaned off his neck but he just got worse so we went to our vet and they kept him in for observation. The next day he had a bath and perked up a bit we were told, the vet wanted to keep him another night. At 10pm he had a fit and was given Diazepam. When I saw another vet the next day she said he probably had a brain tumour (after she had made sure I didnt have insurance) and would have been having fits but I hadnt noticed!! I brought him home and that night he just kept wandering in circles and collapsing as his back legs gave way and even wet himself which he had never done before. The next day he was really quiet and we had to syringe water in his mouth. I sat with him again in the night and he had a couple of small fits and then a bigger one - believe me if he had ever had one of those before I would have noticed, it was horrendous. I gave him Diazepam and he settled for an hour or so and then was trying to walk but his back legs would not work. I held him to me and gradually his breathing changed and my wonderful little boy passed away in my arms. He had gone from a lively little fellow who everyone thought was a puppy to a wreck overnight. The vet had phoned Merial and they said it could not be frontline but when she phoned the poisons unit they said it had happened in cats and through my own research I have found university led research which shows that fipronil can have this affect on dogs. If I had been told there was even the tiniest chance this could happen I would never have given this stuff to my dog or cat. I have written to Merial and urge everyone to do the same so that in 2 or 3 years time when this is banned they will not be able to say they didnt know. In the meantime before you give this to your dog, imagine telling your children that a beloved member of the family is gone and you are the one that gave them the poison that killed them.
Re: Frontline allergy
March 12, 2008 05:24PM
Hi, Deborah,

I am so sorry to hear that your little dog died so soon after being treated with Frontline and that you received the customary response from Merial.

Talk to your vet who sold you the Frontline and INSIST that he completes a 'yellow form' and sends it to the Veterinary Medicines Directive reporting an 'adverse reaction' Ask for a copy for yourself too.

If your vet refuses to do this, contact the Professional Conduct Department of the Royal college of Veterinary Surgeons (www.rcvs.org.uk)

W
Margie
Re: Frontline allergy
March 23, 2008 10:25PM
I've been giving both of my Shih-Tzu's (8 and 9 yrs old) Frontline and Heartgard once a month for years now. The day after I gave it to them, a few days ago, one of my dogs has been shivering for hours at a time. I can't think of anything else that we did that was different that she would be doing this. It seems when she is not shivering and we hear a loud noise, even a loud car motor, she starts to shiver and it lasts for hours. It is like she is either hypersensitive or paranoid. Not like her at all. One more day and we head to the vet. She is eating and all her normal functions are fine, just the very strange behavior that is starting to really scare me. The other dog is fine but I did open a new box of frontline and use one from that box and one from another box. Could it be that she got the dose from the new box and there was an unbalanced ingredient/chemical in it?
Re: Frontline allergy
March 24, 2008 08:12AM
Hi, Laura,

There is an increasing number of reports of possible adverse reactions to Frontline.
If you got it from your vet, go and see him, taking the box with you, and ask him to complete a ' Report of a Suspected Adverse Reaction' form and send it to the veterinary Medicines Directorate' If he refuses to do this, contact the RCVS (www.rcvs.org.uk)

W
Carol St. Martin
Re: Frontline allergy
March 26, 2008 09:43AM
I also had an issue with Frontline and I blame myself. For my Collies three month visit I refused heartgaurd due to my research but, I did not research Frontline. Well my poor pup is biting his paws and constantly scratching. My vet knows how careful I am about shot, meds ect. and she never warned me. I spend top dollar at my vets as this ficility will great and play with your dog as he enters the office but, I'm condidering going to someone who isn't looking for a fast buck. As far as frontline, heartgaurd and others? These vets get free vacations for pushing this on people so, they wont tell you everything. Sometimes natural remedies are the best as I used garlic powder on our shepard for over seven yrs. and never had one flie on him. Hope this helps.
Lauren
Re: Frontline allergy
April 07, 2008 03:57PM
I have a 4 year old boxer that had couple very minor seizures last fall, that happened within days of applying the front line. I am convinced the front line caused them. Since we stopped using it, she has not had any seizures. But now I am worried about flea and tick season approaching . What are you using instead ?
Re: Frontline allergy
April 07, 2008 06:48PM
Hi, Lauren,

I am sorry but I cannot recommend an alternative to Frontline, but I am certain that if you exlained to your vet or pharmacist who stocks 'spot-on' flea products yhey could advise you.

W
Janine
Re: Frontline allergy
May 10, 2008 06:07PM
Hi Walter

12 hours ago, I applied frontline on my dog. After about 6-7 hours, I noticed his eyes we’re a little swollen and red, he feels itchy as well. Reading through the stories in this site, I’m so scared right now that some other effects would show up or worsen. But so far it’s just the eyes.

I’m just wondering if you have any suggestion on what I could do to stop the swelling/redness aside from reporting it to the manufacturer and our vet.

Thanks,

Ja
Re: Frontline allergy
May 10, 2008 06:47PM
Hi,

This ceratinly does sound like a rection to Frontline, though a mild one which should settle in a few hours.
Do report it to your vet, and ask him to report it - if you are in the UK he should send in a 'yellow form' to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate.

W
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