What Happens If You Apply Frontline Too Soon – Caution Tips You Need to Know
Applying Frontline on your dog is an effective way to kill fleas, ticks, and flea eggs. It’s a reliable and doctor-recommended flea and tick protection shield for dogs. But there are plenty of factors that must be kept in mind when using Frontline for the first time.
Several questions pop up when using Frontline for dogs. What is the best type of Frontline solution to buy? What’s the correct way to apply Frontline? And how to take care of your dog after applying?
So here’s a common question that many users have about using Frontline…
What Happens If You Apply Frontline Too Soon?
Before we talk about the possible effects of applying Frontline too soon. Let’s establish the correct time to apply Frontline. So then you’ll know exactly what’s early and what’s not.
The frequency of applying Frontline for dogs is monthly. And the minimum age for eligibility is 8 weeks.
Frontline remains active on the body for 30 days. In some cases, if you use Frontline Plus, the medication stays active even if your dog is bathed. But mostly, it’s important to keep your dog dry for 30 days after applying Frontline.
The best time to apply Frontline is after bathing and drying your dog. Make sure you dry your dog completely before application. It is the best treatment against fleas and ticks when applied to dry skin and hair.
From this, it’s easier to pinpoint what “too soon” means when applying Frontline on the dog. It could mean that your dog’s hair was slightly wet when you applied Frontline.
This begs the next question…
Can I Reapply Frontline?
If you’re wondering whether you applied Frontline too soon on your pet, is it safe to reapply Frontline?
The best thing to do is to consult with a vet before doing anything on your own. The doctor may recommend a slightly less active flea treatment for re-application. There are many different variations of topical flea treatments for dogs.
And each flea treatment features its own care and instructions on how to apply it. So make sure you follow them point-by-point to avoid making a mistake.
If you notice any skin inflammation, agitation, weakness, vomiting, or drooling, take your pet to the vet right away to check for an overdose of flea treatments.
If you’ve been applying the flea treatment and it’s not working, an incorrect application may be the cause. But it could also mean that you need to try out a different brand of flea treatment or that your dog needs strong medications to get rid of fleas.
It’s best to consult the doctor before jumping to any conclusions.
Frontline treatment is an expensive flea medication. So when you apply it once, you want to make sure it’s right. This is what you should keep in mind when applying Frontline properly:
- It should touch the skin, not the hair.
- Start by applying the treatment from the base of the neck.
- Depending on the Frontline solution, you can either apply it all in one spot or use the tip of the tube to apply it along the back.
- The solution should be out of reach. Make sure you apply it in a straight line along the middle so that your dog cannot lick it after application.
- Do not press the tube into the skin, it may cause rashes.
Some Tips Before You Go
If you want to make your flea treatment effective and long-lasting, do these things as well…
1. Check your home for fleas
Getting rid of fleas that may have fallen off your dog before and during application is necessary.
Frontline flea treatment will skill fleas, ticks, and eggs. It may not necessarily repel fleas by odor. Only when the fleas come in contact with the medication, they will die and fall off.
That is why treating your home for fleas with pest control is necessary. You can also invest in sprays or soak your clothes in hot water to kill the fleas. Daily vacuuming, washing the bedding regularly and keeping your clothes clean. All these things will starve and kill off any residue fleas and flea eggs effectively.
2. If you more than one pet, get them all treated
Even if just one of your pets has fleas, it’s important to get all your pets’ treatment with Frontline. All your pets need proper treatment and medication to prevent fleas re-infestation.
This applies to dogs and cats. Give your pets a nice hot water bath even if you don’t see any fleas on them. Flea medication is a good solution to treat multiple pets at once. It’s an effective way to prevent re-infestation even if your dog or cat is not itchy.
3. Keep the applicators separate
Never use the same applicators for all your pets. Each applicator contains a single dose of Frontline flea medicine. And each dog or cat should get a single dose – not more, not less.
So sharing a single applicator between two pets – no matter their size – is a bad idea.
Look at the instruction manual to find the right dose based on your pet’s weight and age.
Sharing the applicator may also lead to infections, rashes, or itchiness.
Final Thoughts
With medications like Frontline, you have to make sure that it is properly absorbed into your dog’s skin. There is a correct time and method of applying Frontline to make sure it does.
And this article tells you everything you need to know about applying Frontline. And what could go wrong if you apply Frontline too soon.
Flea treatment medicines have highly active ingredients that kill fleas and ticks quickly. And these ingredients stay active on the body for 30 days after application. So it’s important that you learn how to apply Frontline correctly.
And one of the reasons why the flea treatment may not be working as expected is that you’ve applied it too soon or too little. I hope that after reading this article, you’ll know how to avoid that common mistake!