Does Frontline Work?

Frontline, a dog medication for the elimination of and prevention of ticks and fleas, comes in both the Frontline Plus and Frontline Top Spot formulas, but both function in the same basic manner. The advertisements state that the medication "gets rid of fleas and ticks fast...and lasts!" This may be so, but why and how does it work to protect your pet?

The primary active ingredient in Frontline is an insecticide known as fipronil. Fipronil has been shown to effectively eliminate many different insects. It works by disrupting the central nervous system of any insect that gets the formula inside its system. When the nervous system is disrupted, chloride ions are blocked, and this causes the muscles of the insect to become super-excited, eventually leading to the death of the insect.

While fibronil claims to be a "slow working poison," the use of Frontline has shown to be effective very quickly, with fleas dying within 12 hours and ticks dying within 48 hours. This is due to the small size of these insects, meaning it takes less time for the chemical to kill them, and how quickly the Frontline medication spreads.

While Frontline is applied directly to the skin between the dog's shoulders, the fibronil quickly combines with the natural oils of the dog's body. The fleas and ticks are quickly contaminated by these essential oils. The insects don't have to bite your animal in order to be purged. Rather, merely being present in these fibronil rich oils will cause the insects to be eliminated.

Due to how quickly the formula works, the Frontline products also prevent fleas and ticks. Since these insects must settle in an area for no less than 24 hours before laying eggs, the fibronil, which eliminates them in under 12 hours, will prevent the laying of these new eggs.