These are prescribed meds that contain poisonous substances for insects — but are totally safe for dogs! They are safe for dogs, but vets won't prescribe them to dogs with digestive issues. The best of these kinds are the Bravecto chews for dogs. For her own dog, Dr.
Woodnutt chooses oral meds. If you're choosing to use collars, which work best on short-coated dogs, it's a good idea to use oral medications alongside them to provide more complete coverage.
In other words, dogs that would likely have gone on to have seizures anyway, or who are being treated for epilepsy, will be more likely to have seizures if given these drugs.
Whilst collars have their place, especially for repelling ticks, spot-on and oral medications are generally best at providing a quick kill. Don't wonder. Get a vet's opinion — for free. Douglas Kratt, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association , about how to select the appropriate medication for your pet.
I asked Dr. Jennifer Welser, chief medical officer at Mars Veterinary Health , about their favorite flea and tick medications. And I discussed product safety with Dr.
To find the best flea and tick treatments, we spoke with six pet and pesticide experts about medications, side effects, active ingredients, and regulatory concerns. Our two veterinarians shared their personal product recommendations and shopping advice, which guided us in this review. They also shared the favorite treatments they recommend to their own clients. We cross-referenced their advice with dozens of treatments sold across retailers like PetMeds, Amazon, Chewy, Petco, and PetSmart, among others.
We dismissed sprays and shampoos because they offer protection for only days or a week at a time, and pet owners are more likely to misuse them compared with other products. That left us with eight brands of chews, topicals, and collars for cats or dogs. We selected the four brands that were highly recommended by our experts, that kill and protect against a wide range of pests, and that are sold across retailers at a variety of budgets.
Pet owners who hike with their dogs have different needs than those who have house cats. All pesticides have risks, from skin irritation to seizures. We recommend only FDA-approved for ingested medications or EPA-registered for topicals treatments that both kill and protect against pests. All are regulated to ensure safety and efficacy, said Dr. Jennifer Welser of Mars Veterinary Health.
Still, anecdotes about potential reactions can leave some pet owners on guard—especially when those reactions make headlines. The FDA has issued a fact sheet warning pet owners about adverse effects associated with some flea and tick products, including some we recommend.
Troubling reactions include neurological symptoms, like tremors and seizures. Similarly, in the EPA disclosed an increase in adverse-effect reports among topical flea and tick treatments.
In the investigation it identified 11 active ingredients, which half of our picks contain. Bravecto and Revolution do not use any of those actives. To ensure the best outcome for flea and tick treatments, never buy medication without first consulting your veterinarian. Avoid counterfeits by buying products from your vet or a reputable retailer we like Chewy. Follow the application instructions.
Never split doses among pets. If you use a topical, keep pets separated until it dries, to avoid ingestion. And never use dog products on cats because the dosage levels can be dangerous. Emergency situations include neurological signs, such as wobbling, walking in circles, and drooling, noted Price. If your pet does have a reaction, look for an FDA or EPA label on the box and report the problem to the appropriate agency.
Flea sprays are cheaper than their topical or oral counterparts. Since these treatments kill on contact, you also generally need to spray down your entire pet, which takes a lot more work than a couple of drops on the scruff of the neck. Usually, the first sign of a flea—or other pest—infestation is your pet frequently and aggressively scratching. Remove as many as you can before giving your pet a bath and treating them with flea and tick medication.
Some owners may also skip treatments, thinking their pet was in the clear. So be sure to keep up your treatments for as long as your vet recommends. Nothing could be further from the truth. To combat the problem, be sure your pet is on year-round protection. Read our blog post on how to get rid of fleas. Advantage II for cats and dogs and Advantage Multi for cats and dogs topical solutions protect against a narrower range of pests compared with our picks. Selarid is a monthly, prescription-only topical treatment for both cats and dogs.
This product was difficult to find online. Ken Labbe, spokesperson for the U. Environmental Protection Agency , email interview, February 11, Kaitlyn Wells is a staff writer covering all things pets and style. Her first picture book, A Family Looks Like Love , follows a pup who learns that love, rather than how you look, is what makes a family.
Bravecto: A prescription-only topical or chew that lasts three months Revolution: A monthly, prescription-only topical treatment with heartworm protection Frontline Plus: A non-prescription topical treatment with similar protection for cats and dogs Seresto: A non-prescription flea and tick collar that lasts for eight months The types of pests each medication treats Why you should trust me How we picked and tested When in doubt, ask your vet What about flea sprays?
How to spot and manage fleas The competition Sources. When it comes to the best flea treatment for dogs, there are a range of options on the market to choose from. On the one hand, it's great to have different methods available for keeping your pooch parasite-free, but on the other hand, all that choice can make it tricky to know which flea treatment is the right one for your canine companion. The most vital thing to remember is that the type of flea treatment you decide to use is less important than making sure you do protect your pooch from fleas by using some form of treatment.
When it comes to choosing which method to go for, you'll find yourself in much the same boat as the pet parents of feline furkids who face the same dilemma when it comes to selecting the best flea treatments for cats. By far the most popular two options are topical treatments and flea collars, so lets start there by examining the pros and cons of each. There's no denying that topicals offer hard-hitting protection, killing existing flea infestations and preventing those pesky parasites from returning.
They're simple and easy to apply, but they're quite expensive and only last for 30 days. On the other hand, the best flea collars for dogs offer a great alternative if your dog isn't a fan of having a cold blob of topical applied to their neck. They're also much longer lasting, offering protection for up to eight months, and they're far more affordable, so they're great if you're on a budget.
But they only prevent fleas from landing on your dog, they won't treat a current infestation. If that's the boat you currently find yourself in, you'll want to consider a good flea medications for dogs. Most of them come in tablet form and some get to work in as little as 30 minutes, clearing away the vast majority of fleas within four hours.
There are also a variety of shampoos and sprays available, but these are best used in conjunction with a harder-hitting flea treatment. Whatever method feels right for you, we've rounded up a selection of flea treatments for dogs to suit every furkid from collars and topicals to medications and shampoos. And if you're still not sure, we recommend having a chat with your vet who will be able to offer plenty of advice and help guide you in the right direction.
Usually effective against both fleas and ticks, their efficacy and how well they are tolerated by dogs depends on the active ingredients. Frontline Plus is our pick for best flea treatment for dogs because it is easy to use, safe for dogs of almost all sizes, effective at killing both fleas and ticks at all stages of life, and waterproof after 24 hours.
While some flea treatments are either effective or easy to use, Frontline Plus has been a veterinarian-recommended flea and tick treatment for years for its combination of effectiveness, ease of use and being well-tolerated by dogs.
Frontline Plus contains two separate active ingredients that, combined, kill fleas and ticks and their eggs and larvae for up to 30 days with one application.
Whether that extra coverage is worth it to you will depend largely on your environment and the likelihood that your dog will encounter mosquitos or lice often enough to warrant the prevention. Flea collars offer a more budget-friendly way to protect your pup against flea infestations.
Our pick for best flea collar, the Seresto Flea and Tick Collar by Bayer, offers eight months of protection with one application. And at a cost close to that of six months of topical treatments, Seresto can save you money. Applying it is as easy as putting the collar on your dog and leaving it there.
Seresto differs from most flea collars in its design. Made from a unique polymer matrix, it releases low levels of its active ingredients over long periods of time, maintaining its effectiveness for up to eight months. It starts killing fleas within 24 hours and controls them at all stages of its lifecycle.
Seresto is water-resistant, so it can be worn during baths or for swimming, although frequent exposure to water can reduce its length of effectiveness. Dog owners worried that a collar might catch or choke their pup will be pleased to know that Seresto features a two-way release safety feature. It also features visibility reflectors to help keep your dog safe at night. With a little extra vigilance or at least a note on your calendar , a flea collar is an excellent, budget-friendly way to keep your dog flea-free.
Designed for sensitive skin but suitable for all skin types, it has a rich and creamy texture for the perfect lather and it comes packed full of aloe vera, lanolin, and oatmeal to soothe the skin. We love that this shampoo is safe for use on both dogs and cats great if you have a multi-pet household! Chewable flea treatments for dogs provide a mess-free option that your dog will genuinely enjoy and can last as long as or longer than other treatments.
The downside is they can be expensive and can have more frequent side effects than other types of flea medications. Our pick for the best chewable flea treatment is NexGard. NexGard is effective at killing adult fleas before they can lay eggs and it comes in a beef flavor that most dogs seem to like, making it one of the easiest flea treatments to apply.
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