No More Dogs on the Bed?

July 8, 2010 2:26 AM

Applying Frontline to our dogs: concerns about toxicity to humans.

So we've decided, after research and the very helpful answers to this question to get Frontline for our dogs. My question is, once we apply it, whether we should stop letting the dogs sleep on our bed.

Currently they sleep on a sheet that lies on top of our comforter. (Yeah, I'm sure we are going against what at least one school of dog training would recommend, but we are fine with their presence on the bed.)

Unfortunately, once we apply the flea medication, we're wondering if the medication's toxicity should require us to stop this practice, and have them sleep elsewhere.

Also, if they've got flea medication, does that mean we should be petting them less?

I don't know how bad this stuff is for humans, so if anybody's got feedback, I'd really appreciate it! Thanks!

posted by The ____ of Justice to pets & animals (12 answers total)

Also, if they've got flea medication, does that mean we should be petting them less?

Absolutely not.

Don't worry about it. Unless you've got infants who like to touch things and then put their hands in their mouths constantly just apply the medication and never worry about it again. Ever.
posted by Justinian at 2:30 AM on July 8, 2010 [1 favorite]

You can continue to sleep with and pet your dogs as usual. The only thing you have to worry about with Frontline is making sure you apply it to the skin, not to the hair. Once it's on, don't give it another thought.
posted by neushoorn at 4:15 AM on July 8, 2010

Not a problem. You might notice a chemical-y smell, but it's harmless.
posted by ErikaB at 5:31 AM on July 8, 2010

When I put it on them at first, I avoid petting the area where I applied the Frontline until it's all absorbed or whatever. After that, pet away.
posted by crankylex at 6:35 AM on July 8, 2010 [2 favorites]

In my experience, it depends on the dog. With my last dog we'd just put it on in the morning and by nightime no problem. With my current dog, she gets some sort of weird reaction where she gets some sort of oily fur on her back two or three days later. So we just make sure to throw a sheet up on the couch where she likes to sit for a day or two.
posted by mikepop at 7:15 AM on July 8, 2010

Once it's dry (about an hour), forget about it. If the hair is still oily the next day, just give the dog a bath (after about 24 hours this won't affect the effectiveness of the Frontline).
posted by biscotti at 7:48 AM on July 8, 2010

My dogs like to roll around on the bed (on their backs) after we apply Frontline. So we try to prevent that until it's absorbed (overnight, usually) because I don't like to sleep in the wet spot.

Sorry.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 7:51 AM on July 8, 2010

We use it for our cats, and I try to schedule the application so we're not around the pets for a few hours. So, usually that means putting it on in the morning. They spend the day lolling about the yard, and by the time they come inside in the late afternoon the Frontline has long since dried.
posted by BlahLaLa at 9:36 AM on July 8, 2010

Popular brands of topicals that do not contain cholinesterase inhibitors include Advantage, Advantix, Frontline and Frontline PLUS... Frontline and Frontline Plus contain (S)-methoprene as an active ingredient... [wikipedia].

Methoprene is a juvenile hormone (JH) analog which can be used as an insecticide that acts as a growth regulator. Methoprene is essentially nontoxic to humans when ingested or inhaled. [wikipedia]

Juvenile hormones (JHs) are a group of acyclic sesquiterpenoids that regulate many aspects of insect physiology. JHs regulate development, reproduction, diapause, and polyphenisms... One JH analogue, methoprene, is approved by the WHO for use in drinking water cisterns to control mosquito larvae. [wikipedia]
posted by porpoise at 3:46 PM on July 8, 2010

I'm going to go against the flow and say that I didn't like the idea of those chemicals on my stuff (such as my pillow, where my dog likes to lay when I'm not home), on me, and in my dog, because there is no part of his body he can't lick, so I put my dog on comfortis, the pill. It's a lot easier to get the dog to chew the tasty pill than to sit still while I try to separate his dense fur to get on the goo.
posted by ishotjr at 4:19 PM on July 8, 2010 [1 favorite]

I agree with ishotjr - Comfortis is way easier to deal on many levels.
posted by radioamy at 6:11 PM on July 8, 2010

Thank you for your responses, everyone! It's good to know we can keep snuggling our pups (though they probably prefer a little less snuggling, a little more treating.)

Comfortis sounds like an interesting alternative. We may move to it if Frontline doesn't work out.
posted by The ____ of Justice at 3:36 PM on July 9, 2010