# Frontline Plus on Pregnant Dog



## frontier (Nov 3, 2003)

After 2 years of consecutive missed breeding attempts: natural, frozen semen surgical, and fresh extended, I am being very cautious. I've always used Frontline Plus on my pregnant females, however, I am reviewing mixed opinions on this practice online. Of course, Frontline states it's safe, Fosters and Smiths web site states the topical is safe (but not the spray)? 

Would you avoid frontline or one of the other monthly topicals for flea/tick control on pregnant dog?

If not, what's a natural substitute that might be safe?

Never really had a flea issue until this year. Four acres across the road and home went into foreclosure and Real Estate Company is not maintaining property. Grass is 4-5 feet tall...


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## Julie R. (Jan 13, 2003)

Sorry about your bad luck ; might be worth taking her off it and trying, but if you need to control fleas, I'm not sure the other chemical alternatives are any safer. Every single breeding I've done in the past 10 years has taken with all the females on Frontline Plus except one. That one was bred in winter and hadn't been on it, and turned out to have Lyme disease which is why we think that breeding didn't take. I now keep my dogs on it year round because a few of them, plus me, have all had Lyme disease and I figure that is more damaging than the chemicals in FP. We don't have a flea problem, but we do have a tick problem here.

One suggestion if you decide to take her off the FP...do you have horses or know someone who does nearby? Offer to do their horse laundry ;-) Before all these topical applications came out, I used to bed my dogs, especially moms with pups, on dirty sweaty saddle pads. Horses don't get fleas--something in their skin oils is repellant to them. An old foxhunter told me this tip about 25 years ago, and it worked to get rid of fleas on baby pups that were too young for the treatments then available. At the time I lived on a big farm and there was a feral cat colony in one of the barns, so fleas were an ongoing battle. The saddle pad trick worked very well.


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## tracyw (Aug 28, 2008)

My vet, Dr. Dove, said absolutely no topical flea or tick protection while pregnant or nursing...even Frontline Plus! We do not have fleas but check Zucker for ticks every time she goes into the field. We are lucky she is almost white so they show up easily. Best of luck!


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## Christa McCoy (Jan 29, 2010)

tracyw said:


> My vet, Dr. Dove, said absolutely no topical flea or tick protection while pregnant or nursing...even Frontline Plus! We do not have fleas but check Zucker for ticks every time she goes into the field. We are lucky she is almost white so they show up easily. Best of luck!


That's interesting. I called my vet just a couple of days ago to ask if it was ok or not. We also have a lot of ticks here. My girls have never had fleas, but I do worry about the ticks, especially where I train. My vet said it was ok.... but I still wondered. I haven't treated them yet. Does anyone know of a natural tick repellent that would be ok?


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## windycanyon (Dec 21, 2007)

Christa McCoy said:


> That's interesting. I called my vet just a couple of days ago to ask if it was ok or not. We also have a lot of ticks here. My girls have never had fleas, but I do worry about the ticks, especially where I train. My vet said it was ok.... but I still wondered. I haven't treated them yet. Does anyone know of a natural tick repellent that would be ok?


yep--- regular human inspections. 

I don't put any Frontline (don't use the plus) on my girls if they are even close to breeding. And not until after the pups are weaned, just to be safe. Anne


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## EdA (May 13, 2003)

the following is from Merial

"Effective May 2003, FRONTLINE Plus and FRONTLINE Top Spot were approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be used on pregnant, lactating and breeding dogs and cats. FRONTLINE Spray is not approved to be used on pregnant, lactating and breeding dogs and cats. In addition, FRONTLINE Plus small size that was initially labeled for 11-22 lb dogs has now been approved for the use on any size dog up to 22 lbs."

While I generally discourage the use of flea and tick products in pregnant or lactating bitches those who have serious external parasite problems should consider risk vs reward.

As a general rule fetuses are most vulnerable from environmental toxins during the first trimester of pregnancy, therefore not using flea and tick products until pregnancy is confirmed (30 days) is a reasonable compromise for those with significant flea or tick infestations. 

Fipronil was used in Europe for several years before it was introduced into the US, it is widely used for all types of parasites including fireants and termites


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