Tag: flea treatment

I’ve read that, if you’re using flea treatments which are applied monthly, you should switch between brands every few months so that the fleas can’t build up a resistance to whatever product you’re using. Is there any truth to this? Say, use brand A for 3 months, then brand B, then back to A?

drferox:

This belief has come from livestock management, where for parasite control (particularly worms) has resulted in drug resistance in many species of worms, so rotating the drugs used based on testing is recommended. Horse owners typically rotate for the same reason, but also because not all anti-parasite products treat all things.

Fleas, to date, haven’t been proven to develop anti-parasite drug resistance. Yet.

There might be some benefit long term (like, 20, 50 years long term) to rotating the flea products you use, but based on their active ingredients rather than the brand. Fipronil, in particular, seems to have this slowly growing reputation for being less and less effective.

The manufacturers want you to use the same brand forever, of course. I’d just like you to use what you’ll remember to use, as the typical pet owner only uses flea control for 6-9 months of the year, and forgets the rest of the time.

Alright, thanks, good to know.