Review: Choose the Right Flea Medication for Your Dog

Without a doubt, fleas are one of the most stubborn pests known to bring disease and distress to your pets. Fleas are known to cause conditions such as anemia, Bartonella, tapeworms, and Flea Allergy Dermatitis to your pet. A flea infestation is not only bad for the pets but also causes immense discomfort for people in your home. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that your pet is well protected, and flea medicine is a perfect solution for protection against the pest all year round. Numerous medications have been invented over time in an attempt to keep away the fleas, but the pest has somehow developed adaptive traits against the medication. Despite the numerous side effects pest medication may have on your pet, the growing need to use them underscores them.

We have reviewed below some of the best flea medication to consider using on your pet alongside their pros and cons.

Features to consider while purchasing flea medication
1. Topical or oral treatment
Flea medicine is divided into two types; oral and topical.
Oral medication is administered in the form of a tablet that goes into your pet’s bloodstreams. Once a flea bites your pet, they ingest the medication and die. Oral treatment is quite effective in controlling an infestation but unfortunately lasts for a short period of about 2 hours.
On the other hand, topical flea treatment is administered in liquid form and is sprayed on the skin of your pet. Like oral, topical treatment protects your pet from fleas for a period of up to one month.

2. Period of protection
Go through the manufacturer’s manual to check how often to administer and the flea medicine protection period.

3. Protection against other parasites
Flea medicine that kills other parasites such as mosquitoes, lice, ticks, and internal parasites like tapeworms and roundworms is a perfect option for achieving an all-around pest control solution.

4. Water-proof
If you choose to use the topical flea medication, it is wise to pick a water-proof product to ensure effectiveness for a long time.

5. Effectiveness and safety
Conduct some research to establish the best and most effective product before making a purchase. You can do so by researching the active ingredients in the product on Google or look up for reviews in the product.

Best flea medications in the market

1. Bayer K9 Advantix II flea treatment for dogs
The K9 Advantix is a topical treatment that has proven its effectiveness and excellence in eliminating fleas in your dog. The topical treatment begins working within just a few minutes of application and has a 30 days duration of protection.
Besides just attacking fleas, the product has ingredients that also kill lice, mosquitoes, and flies, offering you that extra advantage of overall pest control in your home. The product is easily applicable and has a water-proof feature to ensure protection for longer.

Pros
• It is a fast-acting product
• The product offers you a broad spectrum of protection against pests within 12 hours
• The ingredients are safe
• It is a convenient once-a-month topical application medicine

Cons
• The product may be harsh for sensitive dogs
• The water-proofing may be insufficient, especially after a wash or swim.

2. Frontline-Plus flea & tick dog treatment
a safe, fast, and reliable topical pest treatment. Frontline-plus flea and tick treatment works right away after application on dogs of all ages and is applied topically in the dog’s skin, offering protection against fleas for as long as 30 days.
Thee drug destroys flea eggs and hatches larvae on the dog’s skin, ensuring it is protected from re-infestation for as long as it stays on.
The brand is a vet trusted one that has been in existence for over 20 years, which is a good indication of the good quality of their products.

Pros
• The ingredients that make up the product are safe
• Eliminate even the eggs and larvae, ensuring full-on protection
• Very easy to apply as it comes with a unique applicator.
• It is a fast-acting product
• Quality is assured
• Suitable for puppies over eight weeks

Cons
• The formula may give a robust chemical odor after application
• The pricing may lean a bit on the expensive side

3. PetArmor Plus Flea And Tick Squeeze-On Treatment For Dogs
Looking for a more affordable solution for pest control, PetAmor is the product for you.
The medication comes in different dosages for different dog-sizes together with a unique applicator. The petAmor takes up to 12 hours to start working after application and carries on the effect for the next 30 days.
The active ingredients in this product’s formulae, Fipronil and (S)-Methoprene, work together to offer relief from fleas and act on eggs and larvae hatching on the pet’s skin.
The product is water-proof and helps control flea and tick diseases like Lyme disease, which is a plus even for the whole family.

Pros
• It is an affordable option
• Water-proof product
• Kills fleas in all their stages, including the eggs and larvae
• Has a safe combination of ingredients
• Works perfectly on extra-large dogs
• Acts on tick species

Cons
• It is slow acting as it begins work 12 hours after application
• The special applicator may be relatively hard to use

4. Capstar Flea Tablets For Dogs
The Capstar flea treatment is administered in tablet form for your dog to swallow. The drug is approved for use in puppies over four weeks, weighing two pounds, adult and pregnant dogs as well.
The drug action kicks in within 30 minutes of ingestion, kills all adult fleas within a few hours, and is out of the pet’s system after 24 hours. However, the Capstar flea tablet does not work on the eggs and larvae, and you will require a different mediation for that.

Pros
• It is an affordable product
• Fast-acting, beginning action 30 minutes after administration
• Puppy and pregnant dogs friendly
• Odorless

Cons
• Only works on the adult fleas and not any other pests
• Its effect lasts only 24 hours, and you have to administer a dose daily until all fleas disappear

5. Vet’s Best Dog Flea And Tick Home Spray
Vet’s Best Dog flea and tick home spray is an all-natural spray solution that helps you deal with fleas, larvae, and eggs that your dog might have brought into your home without dealing with any chemicals.
The formula compromises of all-natural and plant-based ingredients that are kind on your home surfaces and dog but brutal on the fleas, which makes it perfect for use at home
The product eliminates not only fleas but also repels ticks and mosquitoes in your home. It is perfect for both adult dogs’ puppies aged over 12 weeks but should be applied carefully, avoiding the eyes and nose area as it may irritate.

Pros
• It is an all-natural product
• Does not cause stain on your home surfaces
• It kills both adult fleas and eggs
• Affordable

Cons
• Cannot be used on pregnant or nursing dogs
• Not suitable for puppies under 12 weeks

6. Virbac Knockout E.S. Area Treatment Spray
This is an effective and affordable flea treatment solution for your home that comes in an aerial spray.
The product is used on your home surfaces such as carpet and rugs to eliminate fleas your pet could have brought home alongside the treatment administered on your dog. This helps avoid a re-infestation cycle that can be a nuisance and keep away the fleas for up to seven months.
The ingredients in the product act fast on the adult fleas breeding around your home and prevent any breeding eggs from reaching the adult stage and reinfesting your pest.

Pros
• It is long-lasting, keeping fleas away for up to 7 months
• The product is odorless
• The aerosol spray makes it easy to apply
• It does not leave any sticky mess after use

Cons
• The product cannot be applied directly to pets
• It is expensive

7. NexGard Chewable Tablets For Dogs
The Nextgard chewable tablet is a very dog-friendly product administered in the form of delicious beef-flavored tablets. It is perfect for dogs and puppies over eight weeks, weighing more than four pounds.
The product starts killing flies in four hours of consumption and, unlike other oral medication, continues to be active for a whole 30 days.
It kills adult fleas and interrupts the lifecycle of hatching eggs preventing the re-infestation. Besides fleas, NexGard is also effective in killing several species of ticks that may bite your dogs.

Pros
• It is a fast-acting product
• Has a long-lasting effect of up to 30 days
• Suitable for puppies over eight weeks
• It is effective against ticks as well

• Easy to administer to your dog thanks to the beef flavor and appealing scent

Cons
• Pricing could be a little high.

8. Onguard flea and tick treatment for dogs
It is a topical type of medication that is used on adult dogs, nursing and pregnant but not for puppies under eight weeks.
The product acts on adult fleas as well as the eggs preventing the chances of re-infestation on your dog. Its effect is instant upon application, and it remains active for the next 30 days. The product is water-proof and remains effective even after a bath or a day in the rain.

Pros
• Offers a water-proof formulation
• Long-lasting with the medication staying active for 30 days
• Perfect for dogs weighing between 44-88 pounds
• Kills both the fleas and eggs
• Highly effective on lice and lice
Cons
• Cannot be used on any other animals apart from dogs
• Not suitable for puppies under eight weeks

9. Advantus Dog Soft Chew Flea Treatment
The Advantus dog soft chews are an oral medication that starts working within an hour of ingestion. The product is mild enough to be administered to your dog daily, with a scent and flavor that dogs enjoy making it easy to administer.
The medication is available without a prescription from a vet, hence safe if your dog does not have any underlying health issues. It is also efficient on puppies as young as ten weeks old.

Pros
• It is mild for daily administration on puppies
• Fast-acting
• Easy to administer thanks to the appealing smell and scent
• The ingredients are both human and animal friendly
• Available without a prescription

Cons
• Expensive

10. Sentry FiproGuard flea and tick squeeze on for dogs
This is a topical medication that is effective In eliminating canine flea infestation. It is suitable for puppies over 8-weeks and dogs weighing between 45 and 88 pounds.
It contains powerful active ingredients that kill ticks, chewing lice, and adult fleas. The product eliminates all egg and larvae for up to 12 weeks after application, breaking the lifecycle and preventing re-infestation for that period.

Pros
• Suitable for puppies over 8-weeks
• Easily applicable with the squeeze on packing.
• Long lasting with 12 weeks activity

Pest resistance
Some pest species have, over time, become resistant to some pesticides rendering them ineffective. Resistance comes about with pests inheriting a trait that causes increased tolerance to specific pesticides causing them to survive a compound in it that was meant to be lethal.
These resistant genes come around over a long time of pesticide use, causing the surviving pest species to go through the process of recombination or mutation naturally.

Where to purchase?
Purchasing your pet medication does not only have to be through your veterinary officer. It can be as easy as making the order on your couch and waiting for a delivery.
We have sites that now allow you to upload a copy of your prescription for purchase while others go the extra mile of calling your vet directly once you place an order.

Below are some of the most popular sites to consider:
• Chewy has an incredible online pet pharmacy and a wide range of pet food
• 1-800-PetMeds
• Walmart Pet Rx
• Petco
• PetCareRx
Finally, researching online and seeking help from experts is highly recommended. Remember, if you are not sure about anything, you do not have to take the risk. Reading instructor’s manual and following them is the only way to do things right.