What Happens If I Give My Dog Too Much Frontline?

What happens if I give my dog too much Frontline? Excess Frontline can cause toxicity in your dog. Let us understand the dos and donts of using the products.

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Frontline is a common tick and flea infestation solution for both cats and dogs. It helps in killing the ticks and fleas by killing the larvae and flea eggs, thus breaking the flea life cycle. 

There are a variety of such products that are available to prevent infestation. When used as per the direction, these products are safe and effective. 

However, dogs can easily become sick if excess of Frontline or any other incorrect product is applied or if the product is ingested post-application. Let us learn about the significance of giving accurate dosage to our dogs and what happens when you give too much Frontline.

What Happens If I Give My Dog Too Much Frontline

What Is The Frontline Dosage For Dogs?

This table will help you understand the right dosage for your dog based on its weight: 

Dog WeightMonthly Dose
5 to 22 lbs0.67 mL (0.023 fl oz)
23 to 44 lbs1.34 mL (0.045 fl oz)
45 to 88 lbs2.68 mL (0.091 fl oz)
89 to 132 lbs4.02 mL (0.136 fl oz)

Signs Of Toxicity In Dogs Due to Excess Frontline

Frontline contains organophosphate. The typical signs of overdose from this chemical may include diarrhea and vomiting. The other symptoms are dilated pupils, muscle tremors, weakness, falling over, difficulty in breathing, and drooling. 

The toxicity occurred due to organophosphate can be fatal depending upon ingredients and the dosage the pet has been provided. The signs of doses toxicity can occur in 1 to 12 hours after the application of the product. 

Other products may contain Pyrethrum instead of organophophate. The most common signs of toxicity from pyrethrum-based flea products are excessive salivation and muscle tremors. Make sure to check the active ingredient of the flea product that you are using.

What Should You Do if Your Pet Has Frontline Toxicity?

If you notice any signs of toxicity in your pet dog, then you should immediately contact your veterinarian. You should also try to wash off the product from your pet dog with mild detergent and warm water.

Dogs are known to become cold very quickly. Try to keep them dry and warm after bathing your pet. You can take it to the family veterinarian. 

Can My Pet Dog Recover From Frontline Toxicity?

Pets poisoned by products that contain organophosphate need to take IV Fluid supportive care and might need hospitalization. Some pets also require intervention. Through proper treatment and care, complete recovery is expected. 

Usually, when dogs become ill from exposure to pyrethrum-based flea control products, they can make a full recovery by including intravenous fluid, symptomatic care, and muscle relaxants. 

How To Prevent The Consequences Of Frontline?

Many times consequences of the Frontline occur as a result of not following proper directions. You should always consult with the veterinarian and try to confirm if the product is appropriate as per the age, weight, and species of your pet. 

Don’t ever use a product intended for a cat on a dog. As the puppies are more sensitive than adult dogs, be sure that you use the Frontline approved for the puppies as many of them have age restrictions and are not authorized to be used at a young age.

Do’s And Don’ts To Use Frontline In Dogs

Do’s: 

  • Make sure you are using a veterinarian-prescribed control product to effectively treat the dogs. 
  • Try to read the label directions properly to ensure that the Frontline is appropriate as per the dog.

Don’s: 

  • Do not use more than one product on your pet at a time and as recommended by the veterinarian. 
  • Even two products can be dangerous when they are used together. Do not ever apply frontline products to a dog without the recommendation of the family veterinarian. 
  • Do not apply the product on the skin if it is scratched, broken, irritated, or red.
What Happens If I Give My Dog Too Much Frontline

Frontline Dosage And Frequency FAQ’s

How Often Can You Put Frontline On Your Dog?

Frontline should be applied every three weeks to control the paralysis ticks on the dogs. You can use it once every month to control brown dog ticks.

Can I Give My Dog Two Doses Of Frontline?

You need to wait at least six months between the two Frontline Homegards treatments. It is not necessary to use it repeatedly if you are regularly applying or treating your dog with an effective tick and free treatment.

What Happens If You Apply Frontline Too Soon?

You may see some of the symptoms of toxicity like hypersalivation, seizures, trembling, and twitching. If you apply the Frontline too soon, you will notice the tremors immediately after the bleed treatment. The best thing you can do is bathe your dog in a gentle dish soap like Palmolive or lukewarm water.

Can I Use Frontline Every Two Weeks?

When applied correctly, it is essential to treat the dogs every month for optimal flea control. Frontline remains after use against fleas and lasts for one month. 
If you live in an area that is known to have paralysis ticks, then you can apply Frontline on your pet every two weeks to control your dog from the paralysis tick.

How Soon Can You Reapply Frontline?

You can wait for the period when the product is about to work. It is around 30 days before applying the product again.

Frontline Overdosage FAQs

Can You Overdose On Flea Treatment?

Do not use multiple flea and tick medications on your pet unless the veterinarian suggests it. Fleas and ticks can be a big problem for pet dogs, and some medicines may not result in the immediate effects of curing them.
You have to be patient for the results to kick in, and applying too much can cause undesirable effects.

What Happens When You Give Too Much Frontline Medicine To Your Pet Dog?

The dog can suffer from toxicity as we have already pointed out that Frontline uses organophosphate. They can suffer from difficulty in breathing, vomiting, and diarrhea. It may result in weakness and can be fatal as per the dosage given to the pet. 

What Are The Side Effects Of Frontline For Dogs?

Side effects of the Frontline are tremors, seizures, lethargy, or agitation. Some pets may suffer from skin irritation. 

What Happens If You Accidentally Apply Frontline Wrong?

Side effects of the Frontline are tremors, seizures, lethargy, or agitation. Some pets may suffer from skin irritation. 

FAQs About Frontline Usage For Protection From Fleas

Do Fleas Jump Off After The Treatment?

The fleas can reappear 13 to 14 days after the treatment as the eggs hatch and develop. It is pretty normal as the provided insecticide remains in the same place, and it will kill them again.

That is why it is important that you do not carry cleaning on your pet which can remove the insecticide. 

Can Fleas Reappear After Applying Frontline?

The ingredients present in the Frontline, which kill the fleas, make them hyperactive. This means that even after a proper flea treatment, you can still see some fleas on your pet dog until and unless the flea product kills it.

Why Does My Dog Act Weird After Its Flea Treatment?

Many ingredients present in flea medicine can be allergic to dogs. Thus, they would be behaving weirdly due to an allergic reaction. If the dog has a wound on the skin whenever the pipette has been administered, then it might be possible that the toxicity has resulted in an allergic reaction. 

When Does Flea Treatment Not Work?

If you incorrectly give the dose to the dog, there are high chances that it might not work. You shouldn’t waste a dose of the Frontline as it is expensive. 

It should be applied directly to the skin and not to the hair. Make sure you part the skin so that you apply the medicine properly on the skin and at the base of the skin. 

If you notice that your pet’s fleas are not controlled, then you can apply it again in two weeks. You can try it again and take some recommendations from your veterinarian. If your fleas medication is not working, another solution to this problem is to switch to another topical product that acts as a frontline alternative.

Side Affects of Applying Frontline: FAQs

Is There A Reaction On The Dogs After Usage Of The Frontline?

Frontline is safe for dogs and can cause few side effects. They may suffer from skin irritation, but it can be cleared up quickly. They may suffer from some additional side effects.

Do Dogs Develop Seizures Due To The Frontline?

Dogs that are treated with certain tick and flea products may suffer from neurological events, including seizures, as per the research by the US food and drug administration. 

What Happens If You Give Excessive Heartworm Medicine To The Dog?

Toxicity can occur if the dog is provided with an excessive amount of medication as per the direction. Many dogs are hypersensitive to the medication. Ivermectin present in the medicine can directly pass to the brain and can prove to be fatal for dogs. 

Can Frontline Result In Tiredness For Your Dog?

If your dog suffers from side effects like lethargy and vomiting, it can result in tiredness for your dog. 

Can The Dog Become Sick After Consuming A Flea Pill?

Yes, dogs may suffer from allergic reactions like itching, hives, congestion, shock, extreme sensitivity, and death. 
Mild reactions in the dogs include hypersalivation, ear twitching, vomiting, diarrhea, mild depression. The various idiosyncratic reactions include toxic reactions that occur after the low dosage of the medication. 

Safety of Humans While Applying Frontline: FAQs

How Quickly Does The Frontline Work?

Frontline medications begin to work when the product is applied to the entire body. It can take around 24 hours after the application of the Frontline to work. Ticks are killed after 48 hours, and fleas are killed within 24 hours. 

Is It Safe For Humans To Touch Frontline?

The primary component of Frontline is fipronil. This chemical disrupts insect neural receptors. It also consists of an s-methoprene which acts as an insect growth regulator. It results in preventing the growth and halting the insect exoskeleton’s development. This chemical is not harmful to humans. 

Can I Pet My Dog After The Flea Treatment?

Yes, you can stroke, cuddle and handle your pet when the applied formula is completely dry. You shouldn’t handle the animals until and unless the formula is dry, and children shouldn’t play or sleep with them.

How Long Does It Take For The Frontline To Dry On The Dog?

Flea medications like Frontline take around 30 to 45 minutes to dry after applying the medication. It is important to keep the pets dry until and unless the medication itself dries up.

How Long Does It Take For Frontline Medication To Absorb?

It can take around 48 hours or two days for Frontline or other types of flea medications to dry completely and fully absorb the body. Do not touch the area where you have applied the frontline medication on your pet. 

Will The Frontline Be Washed Off In A Bath?

Frontline products consist of fipronil. Fipronil works by being trapped in the sebaceous glands. It gets trapped in the hair follicles and thus acts to be resistant to being washed away from bathing.

Wrapping Up

Fleas and ticks are very irritating for pet dogs. It can be highly itchy and result in various diseases for pet dogs. Frontline is an effective treatment for fleas and ticks. You need to understand the absorption time application quantity about the front line. 

This article will help you understand about the do’s and don’ts of applying the Frontline and what happens if you give too much frontline. Make sure you go through this content thoroughly.

We hope you found this piece of information useful. If we missed a few points, please let us know via your comments. We would love to hear about your own experiences while using flea and tick prevention products as well.

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