Dog has fleas on Seresto. Can I use Capstar & switch to Frontline?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Female | spayed | 85 lbs

Dog has seresto collar on since mid may. Has hundreds of fleas still. I would like to remove the Seresto collar and apply frontline every month instead. How long do I have to wait after removing the Seresto collar to apply frontline plus topical? Also, can I give dog a capstar while he is wearing the collar, and do I have to wait after the capstar to switch to frontline plus?

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Answered By Rebeccah Wood 178

Licensed Veterinary Technician, Registered Laboratory Animal Technologist

Published on July 28th, 2017

Hello! I'm sorry to hear that Bliss is still struggling with fleas. They can be really hard to get rid of! It is usually safe to give Capstar with Seresto, but if your dog has any medical conditions, I highly suggest that you contact your vet first. Seresto and Frontline used together should not interact, but it's never a bad idea to wait a day or two between removing the collar and applying the Frontline. This is my suggestion for your next few days: First, give Bliss a good bath. I do not recommend using any flea or tick shampoos - a regular dog shampoo or baby shampoo should do the trick. Leave the soapy lather on her skin for several minutes before rinsing, and use a flea comb to get rid of as many fleas as possible. Next, give Bliss the Capstar. Immediately after, be sure to wash all her beds on the hottest cycle. Beds that can't be washed should be dusted with diatomaceous earth or borax powder (away from pets). You can do this with carpets, too. Let the dust sit for an hour, then vacuum everything really well. Borax and diatomaceous earth should not harm your pets, but it's best that they don't ingest a lot of it, so try to keep them away while you do this. Throw away your vacuum bag or toss the contents outside in a dumpster right away. If Bliss is an outdoor dog, I highly recommend spraying the yard with an outdoor flea and tick killer, like Advantage Yard and Premise Spray. These cleaning steps are really, really important as the flea life cycle allows flea larvae to live and eat off of fibers in your home for 3 weeks. You should do this cleaning step again in 2 weeks to get any remaining flea eggs or larvae. After 24 hours, apply the Frontline. You should always wait 24 hours after a bath to apply Frontline as the natural oils in the skin need to regenerate before it will work properly, and bathing removes these oils. It is not unusual to see fleas on your dog even after this process, at least for a few weeks. Fleas only jump on your dog to feed, which is when they will come into contact with the Frontline and within 24 hours. Any fleas or larvae remaining in the home will eventually find their way to Bliss, but the Frontline should get them. If these steps don't work, it's time to involve your vet, and possibly a flea removal specialist, like Orkin. I really hope that Bliss is flea-free soon!

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Dog has fleas on Seresto. Can I use Capstar & switch to Frontline?

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