# Frontline -side effects?



## Shutterbug (Jul 16, 2012)

We used frontline for 2-10kg on Harper last night (she is 2.5kg) and she hasn't been great since the application  she's off her food and lethargic.

Is this normal or is there something else we should be using that is better for them? Something more natural?

This is our first dog so any advice would be great please . We've had a search online but there's as usual conflicting info  

Thanks


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## SLB (Apr 25, 2011)

It could be the weather. But if you are worried contact your vet.


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

Some dogs react badly to these flea/tick preparations. If you think it's definitely a reaction to the frontline (not the heat which I believe some southern types are experiencing), I'd have the vet check her over. Of course it's possible she's picked up some bug, coincidentally.

Billy-no-mates (Dorwest herbs) is a product you put into the food, daily. It works well for many dogs.


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## Shutterbug (Jul 16, 2012)

Thanks, we've already phoned and they said there's no known SE like that and to bring her in later if still the same. Just wondering if there is anything that the vets won't say. I have read a few things earlier online saying their pets reacted badly to it, some cases more than once before they made the connection.

Hoping there might be something more natural we could use going forward.


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## Shutterbug (Jul 16, 2012)

Burrowzig said:


> Some dogs react badly to these flea/tick preparations. If you think it's definitely a reaction to the frontline (not the heat which I believe some southern types are experiencing), I'd have the vet check her over. Of course it's possible she's picked up some bug, coincidentally.
> 
> Billy-no-mates (Dorwest herbs) is a product you put into the food, daily. It works well for many dogs.


Thanks for that, weather just the usual here in NI, wet and miserable! I'll take her up this afternoon when they open if still the same. I'll also look up that product. 
Thanks


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## JustmeGemmy (Jun 30, 2011)

I've never come across a bad reaction, but I have heard of some pets reacting badly. It's odd.. My ex-boss gave his cats a double dose of Frontline (because he's a moron) & he told me the next day that his cats weren't themselves, they were lethargic & just generally not how they normally are. I told him to take them to the Vet, but he ignored my advice. The cats were fine. Maybe the dose was a little too high for your dog? 

I'm sure Harper will be fine, but I am glad you're taking her to the Vet just to be on the safe side. Frontline isn't really dangerous to dogs so even if it is a reaction, it will wear off & she'll be ok  

It's so awful when your pup is unwell & you don't know why. Sending lots of love and hugs to you & Harper


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Shutterbug said:


> We used frontline for 2-10kg on Harper last night (she is 2.5kg) and she hasn't been great since the application  she's off her food and lethargic.
> 
> Is this normal or is there something else we should be using that is better for them? Something more natural?
> 
> ...


Front line is fipronil, and can cause side effects at least in some dogs

Side Effects of Frontline Tick Medicine | eHow.com

Ive also posted on your other thread about garlic with info and other natural flea and tick products too.


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## Shutterbug (Jul 16, 2012)

JustmeGemmy said:


> I've never come across a bad reaction, but I have heard of some pets reacting badly. It's odd.. My ex-boss gave his cats a double dose of Frontline (because he's a moron) & he told me the next day that his cats weren't themselves, they were lethargic & just generally not how they normally are. I told him to take them to the Vet, but he ignored my advice. The cats were fine. Maybe the dose was a little too high for your dog?
> 
> I'm sure Harper will be fine, but I am glad you're taking her to the Vet just to be on the safe side. Frontline isn't really dangerous to dogs so even if it is a reaction, it will wear off & she'll be ok
> 
> It's so awful when your pup is unwell & you don't know why. Sending lots of love and hugs to you & Harper


Thank you x

She's ate a little and is up and about but just not as active as normal. We'll def take her to the vet later if still the same to be sure it's nothing else.

I'm thinking it was too much for her esp if it's up to 10kg! Half a pipette might have been enough. Think we'll go down the garlic route.


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## Shutterbug (Jul 16, 2012)

Sled dog hotel said:


> Front line is fipronil, and can cause side effects at least in some dogs
> 
> Side Effects of Frontline Tick Medicine | eHow.com
> 
> Ive also posted on your other thread about garlic with info and other natural flea and tick products too.


That is fab thank you very much!


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## Spellweaver (Jul 17, 2009)

Yes, there certainly are some side effects - from some minor ones to some very major ones indeed. I found out about this after almost losing one of my dogs - have a read of this to get an idea of what and of just how many (and how many are already taking the company to court in the US!!)

Amazon.com: Customer Discussions: Possible side effects with Frontline


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## DoodlesRule (Jul 7, 2011)

Only ever used it once on my previous dog, he shook himself just after put in on and some splashed on the door - as it bubbled the gloss paint decided never putting that on a dog ever again


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## Spellweaver (Jul 17, 2009)

DoodlesRule said:


> Only ever used it once on my previous dog, he shook himself just after put in on and some splashed on the door - as it bubbled the gloss paint decided never putting that on a dog ever again


 

Makes you wonder how some of these things manage to get licences in the first place!


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## Shutterbug (Jul 16, 2012)

DoodlesRule said:


> Only ever used it once on my previous dog, he shook himself just after put in on and some splashed on the door - as it bubbled the gloss paint decided never putting that on a dog ever again


That is rather scary! She tried everything possible last night to get it off, rolled round and round on the floor and kept trying to reach (although couldn't) the area.

She's come round a lot now thankfully! Has scoffed her dinner bowl clean and running around playing the way she normally does, so we are happy enough at the mo.

Thanks for all the replies


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## rudyrambo (Feb 26, 2015)

Please note everyone: I am from the US and Frontline is Poison to our dogs and cats. I have many people write in to Amazon saying their pets have died or suffered ill effects from it. My Aussie got seizures and many dogs get lethargic and loose their hair and become blind from it. We need your help to take this off the market. Please go to my FB page and tell us your story if you had problems with it. Thank you so much. The FB page is Frontline/Frontline Plus a Neuro-Toxic Poison. Your dog will thank you also.


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## karmacookie (Nov 9, 2014)

Which Flea Treatments (which work for ticks too) do not contain Fipronil?

What is considered safer to use?


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## rottiepointerhouse (Feb 9, 2014)

rudyrambo said:


> Please note everyone: I am from the US and Frontline is Poison to our dogs and cats. I have many people write in to Amazon saying their pets have died or suffered ill effects from it. My Aussie got seizures and many dogs get lethargic and loose their hair and become blind from it. We need your help to take this off the market. Please go to my FB page and tell us your story if you had problems with it. Thank you so much. The FB page is Frontline/Frontline Plus a Neuro-Toxic Poison. Your dog will thank you also.


Do you want people to post too if they have used it for years on multiple dogs and never had a single problem with it?


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## DirtyGertie (Mar 12, 2011)

> Amazon.com: Customer Discussions: Possible side effects with Frontline


That link is to Frontline Plus sold in the US. The equivalent here is Frontline Combo (although Plus may be available, not sure).

Frontline contains fipronil only.

Frontline Plus contains fipronil plus another ingredient - "FRONTLINE® Plus for Dogs contains fipronil and the insect growth regulator (IGR) (S)-methoprene".

Maybe the reactions recorded in the link are reactions to the other ingredient (the IGR) rather than Fipronil.

I have used Frontline occasionally on my dog but mainly don't use a preventive other than Billy No Mates. I do however use a preventive on my cat, used to use Frontline, also other brands with the ingredient fipronil, but changed to Advantage last year. Not had a reaction with either animal.


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## Ceiling Kitty (Mar 7, 2010)

rudyrambo said:


> Please note everyone: I am from the US and Frontline is Poison to our dogs and cats. I have many people write in to Amazon saying their pets have died or suffered ill effects from it. My Aussie got seizures and many dogs get lethargic and loose their hair and become blind from it. We need your help to take this off the market. Please go to my FB page and tell us your story if you had problems with it. Thank you so much. The FB page is Frontline/Frontline Plus a Neuro-Toxic Poison. Your dog will thank you also.


Any medication can cause a reaction. So can certain foods, or plants. As sad as these uncommon cases are, it does not mean that the medication is deadly to all animals.



karmacookie said:


> Which Flea Treatments (which work for ticks too) do not contain Fipronil?
> 
> What is considered safer to use?


Fipronil is considered very safe and is not even a prescription medication any more.

Advantix works against ticks (for dogs only, never cats).



DirtyGertie said:


> That link is to Frontline Plus sold in the US. The equivalent here is Frontline Combo (although Plus may be available, not sure).
> 
> Frontline contains fipronil only.
> 
> ...


Frontline Combo is the UK equivalent of Frontline Plus and is identical.


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## Old Shep (Oct 17, 2010)

For heavens sake!

More scaremongering!


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## shadowmare (Jul 7, 2013)

rudyrambo said:


> Please note everyone: I am from the US and Frontline is Poison to our dogs and cats. I have many people write in to Amazon saying their pets have died or suffered ill effects from it. My Aussie got seizures and many dogs get lethargic and loose their hair and become blind from it. We need your help to take this off the market. Please go to my FB page and tell us your story if you had problems with it. Thank you so much. The FB page is Frontline/Frontline Plus a Neuro-Toxic Poison. Your dog will thank you also.


Have you tested your Aussie for MDR1 gene mutation? Because yes, frontline will be poisonous to him if he has the mutation. I believe it states in the product description about danger to dogs that have invermectin sensitivity.


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## lostbear (May 29, 2013)

My westie didn't become lethargic, but the last time I applied it it caused severe local skin irritation and the scab has only very recently healed, after 5/6 months. The itch drove her crackers and she scratched herself to shreds trying to get to the sit. 

I'd used Frontline before with no obvious ill-effects, so wonder if they changed the formula. It's certainly less effective than it was, but I thought the local fleas had just developed a resistance.

Don't use it now, obviously.


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## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

How is that when a person has a reaction to a drug or a product it is just noted that they are sensitive or allergic to it and it is not used on that particular person again. If a dog has a similar reaction the drug or product itself is a poison that has been unleashed on the dog population to kill them all off by the uncaring money grabbing drug companies.


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## Spellweaver (Jul 17, 2009)

Old Shep said:


> For heavens sake!
> 
> More scaremongering!


It cetainly is *not* scaremongering and quite frankly I find your flippant dismissal of something that nearly killed one of my dogs extremely offensive. 

Quinny became ill when he was 10 months old, after his first application of fipronil. He started by being lethargic, then his legs started to give way under him, and within two days he was unable to stand and was semi-conscious. As time went on his muscles started to disappear - not just his leg muscles, but even those around his skull.

This was him not long before he became ill (he's on the left)



and this was him while he was ill



You can see how even the muscles in his skull were wasting away. He was tested for just about everything you can imagine - at once stage it was thought it might have been Addisons Disease, but the test proved negative - and the eventual diagnosis was polymiositis. For some reason his immune system was destroying his own muscles, even though none of the usual causes of polymiositis were found, and even though this usually affects middle aged dogs, not young dogs.

Since he was a welll-bred pedigree, we were able to search through all his lines to see if there was any genetic connection to anything like this ever happening before, but nothing had.

The vet contacted the makers of "Spot on" and they insisted it could not have had anything to do with their product, and said that it would be completely out of his system within two months anyway.

He was put on a massive dose of pednisolone, but it didn't seem to be working. When I took him for his latest check up on the Saturday between Christmas and New Year, he was just laying there, conscious but not bothered about anything going on around him, and the vet uttered those horrible words, "I think we're getting to the stage where we have to do what's best for Quinny." I swear that if my OH had been with me, we would have asked for some time to say goodbye and then had him pts. But because I wa on my own, I decided to take him home so we could say our goodbyes.

We prayed for a miracle ... and one was granted. The very next day he started to take notice of his surroundings, and when we took him back to the vet on the Monday, he was weak but obviously much better.

It was a long haul, but with steroids, hydrotherapay and walking programs, we gradually built up his muscle tone until, in the April, he was back to normal and was given the all-clear.

This is how he looked when we brought him home on that happy day in April:



I hadn't realised, but the vet pointed it out - it was two months from him becoming ill to starting to get better. Two months - the exact time that the manufacturers had said that the fipronil would be out of his system. Cioincidence? I don't think so - not when you look at the link on Amazon and see how many times this "coincidence" has happened.

Yes, this drug is safe for a great number of animals - I had used it regularly on all my dogs and cats up to this point with no trouble. However, for some animals it *is* dangerous - and letting people know about that is a public service, not scaremongering.


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## Little P (Jun 10, 2014)

The same can be said for anything. You don't see people with peanut allergies campaigning for a worldwide ban on peanuts though.

I wonder if the fact that Quinny is a collie has anything to do with the reaction?


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## Spellweaver (Jul 17, 2009)

Blitz said:


> How is that when a person has a reaction to a drug or a product it is just noted that they are sensitive or allergic to it and it is not used on that particular person again. If a dog has a similar reaction the drug or product itself is a poison that has been unleashed on the dog population to kill them all off by the uncaring money grabbing drug companies.


That is only true if a person's allergic reaction is a known reaction to the drug. If it is an unknown reaction, then the GP has to report it to the MHRA. If the MHRA get enough reports on a particular drug, it is withdrawn and investigated. That has happened with many supposedly "safe" drugs - both prescription and non-prescription.

I don't know whether or not there is a similar thing in the vet professsion, but even if there is, there is a vast amount of evidence (did you see the Amazon link?) that is being ignored. Bringing that evidence to the fore and wanting the drug investigated does not mean "I_f a dog has a similar reaction the drug or product itself is a poison that has been unleashed on the dog population to kill them all off by the uncaring money grabbing drug companies."
_
Using that sort of emotive language to belittle something which has obviously affected a great number of animals helps no-one, least of all the animals who suffer and die. I have had many dogs and cats over the years and used to use Frontline on them all - Quinny's reaction to it was unexpected to say the least.

And my experience of using the drug safely for years and then coming across this reaction could happen to anyone. Just remember that, when you belittle what has happened to others' animals, and give thanks that your animals have not had a reaction to it. I truly hope it never happens to anyone's animals ever again, but there but for the grace of God and all that.



Little P said:


> The same can be said for anything. You don't see people with peanut allergies campaigning for a worldwide ban on peanuts though.


See my reply above.



Little P said:


> I wonder if the fact that Quinny is a collie has anything to do with the reaction?


I researched extensively - and being in the show world I have contacts with a vast number of people with border collies both here and abroad. It is not something that anyone could pinpoint happening in border collies. And if you follow the link on Amazon you will see posts from ownes of all sorts of breeds, crossbreeds, and cats.


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## catpud (Nov 9, 2013)

Spellweaver, I am not certain of the ingredients in frontline. However things like lethargy and muscle weakness are signs of the reaction to some drugs that can be caused by the MDR1 gene mutation in collies and some other breeds. It affects the brain, causing all sorts of problems.

I am terribly sorry that you and your dog experienced that and I am so glad that he recovered.

Take a look into the gene mutation. Here are some case examples for you
VCPL at Washington State University.
Cash

As you can see both cases have similarities, and both have differences.

You can test for this gene, did the vet recommend testing after the event?


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## Spellweaver (Jul 17, 2009)

catpud said:


> Spellweaver, I am not certain of the ingredients in frontline. However things like lethargy and muscle weakness are signs of the reaction to some drugs that can be caused by the MDR1 gene mutation in collies and some other breeds. It affects the brain, causing all sorts of problems.
> 
> I am terribly sorry that you and your dog experienced that and I am so glad that he recovered.
> 
> ...


Thank you for this. It certainly does sound similar. No, this was in 2008/9 and knowledge of the MDR1 gene mutation was not as common as it is now, so neither we nor the vet thought of testing for that. Nowadays it is becoming more well-known in border collie circles and some border collie breeders are starting to test their breeding stock for this.

I think it might pay us to have Quinny tested - not because it will have any effect upon what happened then, but to make sure we don't give him any other drug that may make him ill.

Having said that, if it is the case that dogs with the MDR1 gene mutation or invermectin sensitivity can be affected thuis way, there really ought to be a prominent warning on Frontline. I've not used it since then so this may well have altered now, but I can't remember any warning either on the pack or in the information leaflet (and as a pharmacy technician I'm a stickler for reading things like that!) And I've just looked at their website and can't find any precautions about dogs with invermectin sensivity or MDR1 gene at all.

Flea & Tick Protection for Cats & Dogs | FRONTLINE® Plus

I'm not wishing to abrogate responsibility, but if the information is not there, how are people supposed to know? Surely there should be something there - and given the number of animals this has affected, surely it should be very prominent indeed?


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## junostar (Jun 10, 2014)

Frontline doesn't contain any ivermectin. Frontline contains Fipronil, and Frontline Plus/combo also contains S-methoprene, which is an insect growth regulator and not part of the ivermectin family either. Frontline can be safely used in dogs with ivermectin sensitivity. 

Products you should talk to your vet about first if you are worried are milbemax, advocate and stronghold. These are prescription only anyway, for this reason.


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## Spellweaver (Jul 17, 2009)

junostar said:


> Frontline doesn't contain any ivermectin. Frontline contains Fipronil, and Frontline Plus/combo also contains S-methoprene, which is an insect growth regulator and not part of the ivermectin family either. Frontline can be safely used in dogs with ivermectin sensitivity.
> 
> Products you should talk to your vet about first if you are worried are milbemax, advocate and stronghold. These are prescription only anyway, for this reason.


I know Frontline does not contain invermectin.

The suggestion (in the article that Catpud linked and Shadowmere's post) was that dogs which have the MDR1 gene mutation, and who will hence also have a sensitivity to invermectin, will be unable to tolerate Frontline. Shadowmere thought that there was now a warning on the pack to this effect - which may now be true because I have not seen this product since I stopped using in in 2008.


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## junostar (Jun 10, 2014)

Ah right. No, there is no hard evidence that I've heard or seen that there is any cross over between ivermectin sensitivities and fipronil. If this were true, with the vast number of dogs, including dogs with the gene, that have been treated with fipronil since it came into use, we would have known about this reaction, if it existed, years ago. The VMD have an entire department for monitoring side effects in veterinary medicines, and if any are flagged up, they are thoroughly investigated and either warnings added or the product withdrawn.

here is a link to the authorised Frontline product information Product Information Database


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## Bengo (Feb 27, 2015)

I was told by my bet that Frontline is no longer effective as a treatment for fleas. I don't know if the product has been changed in the last two months but both my dog and cats and my sisters cats still had fleas two weeks after they were last treated and were still scratching badly. We were both told by two separate vets that the fleas had develped immunity to this product.The awful thing is that if my dog hadn't been losing clumps of hair around her ears and on her back I probably wouldn't have found out as I had used frontline for years with good results and no side effects. I initially thought it was a skin allergy but my vet confirmed that she still had fleas and so did the cats. We were advised to use Stronghold which has worked really well and thankfully her hair has grown back and the irritation disappeared. The skin irritation being caused by the fleas and not the Frontline. Has anyone else had experience of this?


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## junostar (Jun 10, 2014)

There is only anecdotal evidence towards resistance to frontline in fleas, it hasn't been absolutely proven (but is a very difficult thing to prove). Some vets are reporting that they are seeing more cases where frontline seems to be less effective. It's really important to treat the environment as well as the pet as this is an major source of reinfection. 
However, if you found that stronghold seems to be working well in your pets when frontline wasn't, then thats great - stick to that. And it's probably a good idea to treat your house with a spray if you haven't already!


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## Spellweaver (Jul 17, 2009)

junostar said:


> Ah right. No, there is no hard evidence that I've heard or seen that there is any cross over between ivermectin sensitivities and fipronil. If this were true, with the vast number of dogs, including dogs with the gene, that have been treated with fipronil since it came into use, we would have known about this reaction, if it existed, years ago. The VMD have an entire department for monitoring side effects in veterinary medicines, and if any are flagged up, they are thoroughly investigated and either warnings added or the product withdrawn.
> 
> here is a link to the authorised Frontline product information Product Information Database


That's a very useful link - thank you for posting it.

So it's back to square one then - still no idea of what is causing some animals to have such a marked reaction to Fipronil.


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## Ceiling Kitty (Mar 7, 2010)

shadowmare said:


> Have you tested your Aussie for MDR1 gene mutation? Because yes, frontline will be poisonous to him if he has the mutation. I believe it states in the product description about danger to dogs that have invermectin sensitivity.





Little P said:


> The same can be said for anything. You don't see people with peanut allergies campaigning for a worldwide ban on peanuts though.
> 
> I wonder if the fact that Quinny is a collie has anything to do with the reaction?


Fipronil is not associated with any specific adverse effects in dogs with the MDR gene. It is a completely unrelated molecule to the macrocyclic lactones. It's my understanding that it has just as much of a connection to reactions in ivermectin-sensitive dogs as, say, amoxicillin or meloxicam.

Fipronil is also a topical treatment, not a systemic. It won't cross the blood-brain barrier because it doesn't even get into the bloodstream.


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## Spellweaver (Jul 17, 2009)

Shoshannah said:


> Fipronil is not associated with any specific adverse effects in dogs with the MDR gene. It is a completely unrelated molecule to the macrocyclic lactones. It's my understanding that it has just as much of a connection to reactions in ivermectin-sensitive dogs as, say, amoxicillin or meloxicam.
> 
> F*ipronil is also a topical treatment, not a systemic. It won't cross the blood-brain barrier because it doesn't even get into the bloodstream*.


This is exactly what the drug company told my vet.

However, as a pharmacy technician I know that in humans there are several drugs given in topical patches onto the skin which are then absorbed systemically into the bloodstream and do cross the blood-brain barrier - fentanyl is just one example:

"_When applied to the skin of the upper torso, fentanyl is well absorbed. The amount of fentanyl in the blood increases gradually after topical application, reaching a peak after 12-24 hours. Once this concentration is achieved, blood concentrations remain constant over the 72 hours that the patch is worn. After removal of the patch, blood concentrations of fentanyl decrease slowly due to ongoing absorption of fentanyl remaining on the skin. _"
fentanyl transdermal patch, Duragesic: Drug Facts, Side Effects and Dosing

So it's not inconceivable that fipronil can be absorbed systemically from a topical application. However, the drug company were not forthcoming on this when quesitoned and merely repeated what you have said above.


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## Ceiling Kitty (Mar 7, 2010)

Spellweaver said:


> This is exactly what the drug company told my vet.
> 
> However, as a pharmacy technician I know that in humans there are several drugs given in topical patches onto the skin which are then absorbed systemically into the bloodstream and do cross the blood-brain barrier - fentanyl is just one example:
> 
> ...


But fentanyl is supposed to be absorbed; as is transdermal methimazole or even the macrocylic lactones (as these also act against internal parasites). There would be little point in a fentanyl treatment that doesn't get into the bloodstream!

Fipronil, having been applied to the skin, accumulates in sebum and sebaceous glands via surface translocation, rather than being absorbed through the dermis into the bloodstream. Toxicity studies of fipronil _have_ found systemic effects, but in the studies they administered the fipronil orally, in gelatin capsules. In the field, toxicity has been reported in cases where an animal has ingested fipronil by mouth - perhaps by licking it from their coat or that of another animal.

In rats, dermal absorption of fipronil was less than 1% of the total dose applied to the skin.

I'm sure some fipronil does get absorbed through the skin, but from everything I have read and been taught, it happens in such small volumes as to be negligible.


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## Spellweaver (Jul 17, 2009)

Shoshannah said:


> But fentanyl is supposed to be absorbed; as is transdermal methimazole or even the macrocylic lactones (as these also act against internal parasites). There would be little point in a fentanyl treatment that doesn't get into the bloodstream!
> 
> Fipronil, having been applied to the skin, accumulates in sebum and sebaceous glands via surface translocation, rather than being absorbed through the dermis into the bloodstream. Toxicity studies of fipronil _have_ found systemic effects, but in the studies they administered the fipronil orally, in gelatin capsules. In the field, toxicity has been reported in cases where an animal has ingested fipronil by mouth - perhaps by licking it from their coat or that of another animal.
> 
> ...


Perhaps that should be negligible to most animals, but not to those who have some sort of sensitivity to the drug? A very miniscule amount of an allergen can cause a massive reaction.

Sorry, I know this sounds as if I am being a pain, but I don't mean to be. I'm just trying to find answers as to what could have caused Quinny's illness, and what caused the illness of all those hundreds of other animals.


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## Ceiling Kitty (Mar 7, 2010)

Spellweaver said:


> Perhaps that should be negligible to most animals, but not to those who have some sort of sensitivity to the drug? A very miniscule amount of an allergen can cause a massive reaction.
> 
> Sorry, I know this sounds as if I am being a pain, but I don't mean to be. I'm just trying to find answers as to what could have caused Quinny's illness, and what caused the illness of all those hundreds of other animals.


Yes, any hypersensitivity reaction will cause exaggerated effects to 'normal' doses of 'normal' substances in a predisposed individual.

Some of the animals could have ingested the medication by mouth. In many others, it could be complete coincidence and the medication not to blame at all.

Yes, a small number of the animals could have had a genuine reaction to fipronil, but I suspect a larger number - if not all - could have alternative explanations.


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## G.Spooner (Apr 19, 2017)

I was hoping someone could shed some light... or even share and opinion...

I dont use Frontline usually but needed to flea treat my 3 fur children, 3 cats aged 7, 6 and 4. 
As pets at home disnt have Advantage as i would usually use, they advised Frontline... equally as good. I thought id give it a try. 
I applied a sachet to each one of my cats. 
2 of them it went smoothly, 3rd one.. my youngest, well he kicked up a fuss as soon as it touched him... i swear i have nevwr seen him move like that before! 
Thinking nothing of it i left them to do their thing.
Friday morning i noticed my 4 year old Zeus-Titan become quite lethargic and couldn't really be bothered with anything going on around him. I let him be thinking hes probably had a long night adventure!! 
Saturday he still didnt seem himself, sleepy all day, wasnt bothered by going out, nothing... i thought to myself il keep an eye on him, sunday...( easter sunday!) I noticed his breathing had become very irregular and deep. 
We phoned the emergency oncall vet, they advised we take him in straight away... to which we did... he is my baby boy after all!! 
Later that night he was admitted, xrayed put on a drip. Respiratory rate of 160 breaths a min... when the average is 20! 

At midnight we got a call to say xrays show fluid on the lungs and futhet meds are required. 
Monday morningand 1 more dose of meds later the vets called us to say 5 doses of meds later his respiratory rate had droped to 40 per minute. A sigh of relief for this worried mummabear!! Bank balance took a battering of just on £500 for emergency fees.
Tuesday zeus returned to the vets to be check, 2 more doses of meds his breathing rate is stabling ar around 28 per min. But under continued observations. 
The vets have now estimated a treatment plan of over £780 for investigating treatments and scans to see the posible cause. 

How can a healthy 4 year old cat with no prior medical issues suddenly be struck down with such an illness... 
Its to much of a coincidence in my eyes. Especially as he is the only one tonhave kicked up a fuss when applying frontline plus. 
My other 2 cats thank goodness are fine.

We are all baffled to what could be the cause... the more reviews on the product i read the more sold i am on the cause...

Has anyone had any similar issues with this flea treatment? 
Id ve very interested in your views 

Many thanks, 
GS x


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## Ceiling Kitty (Mar 7, 2010)

I'm sorry to hear your poor boy is so unwell.

I'm not aware of any such reactions to fipronil. 

I hope they are able to establish the cause of the fluid accumulation with the tests. Thank goodness his breathing rate has stabilised. Do you have any insurance for him that you can claim through?

Frontline's carrier is alcohol based and can feel cold as it evaporates, which is why many cats react to the sensation on the back of their neck. This is quite a common response in my experience.


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## Bob Ford (Apr 17, 2017)

Pickle is 4 yrs old & 35Kg she goes off her food & very lethargic but only for 24hrs or so. The flea & wormers are a poison so it's not surprising make sure there's plenty of water down is all my vet advised.


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