Best Flea And Tick Medicine For Dogs

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With all of the different flea and tick medications out there, from topical and collars to flea pills, choosing can be a bit overwhelming. Here are 3 types of flea and tick medications compared so you can make a decision.

When it comes to flea and tick medications, there are three types of options out there. Some, like Nexgard, take care of fleas and ticks. Others, like Advantage Multi, work on fleas and various worms. Learn the differences so you’ll be able to quickly eradicate a parasite infestation on your pup.

1. TOPICAL FLEA AND TICK MEDICATION FOR DOGS

Topical flea and tick medication, like shampoos, powders, and spot-on treatments, eliminate fleas with varying degrees of success. Flea powders last up to one week, while shampoos kill fleas for about one day. Both only eliminate adult fleas, and are best used when combined with pills or other treatment options.

Topical spot-on treatments are most effective, destroying adult fleas, larvae, and eggs and other parasites, and lasting about 30 days.


Topical treatments for dogs should never be used on cats unless the medication specifically indicates.


Popular Flea and Tick Topical Treatments for Dogs Include

Advantage II

• Eliminates flea infestations at all stages of the growth cycle


• Effective against lice, but does not kill off ticks


• Administered monthly, lasts up to 30 days


• Waterproof one hour after application


• Minimum pet age: 7 weeks


• Ingredients include: Pyriproxyfen

Frontline Plus

• Kills ticks, chewing lice, and fleas at all stages of growth


• Eliminates fleas in up to 12 hours


• Used monthly, effective for 30 days


• Waterproof


• Minimum pet age: 8 weeks


• Ingredients include: Fipronil, S-methoprene

K9 Advantix II

• Effective against ticks, lice, biting flies, mosquitoes, and fleas at all stages


• Begins working within 12 hours


• Applied monthly, lasting up to 30 days


• Minimum pet age: 7 weeks


• Ingredients include: Imidacloprid, Permethrin, Pyripoxyfen

Revolution for Dogs

• Kills fleas, ticks, and heartworm!


• Treats and controls the spread of ear mites and sarcoptic mange


• Applied monthly, lasting up to 30 days


• Quick drying and non-greasy


• Ingredients include: Selamectin

2. FLEA PILLS FOR DOGS

Flea pills for dogs typically guarantee the most success in fighting off parasites, but there are a few points to consider when choosing this treatment. Some orally administered drugs will require a prescription from your vet, and can come with side effects. And oral pills typically target either flea eggs or adult fleas, but not both, so you may have to pick up several drugs to eradicate the infestation. Currently, there are no oral medications that destroy ticks.

Flea pills are the fastest way to eliminate these pests, with some treatments killing off infestations within four hours. If your dog doesn’t like swallowing capsules, look for oral medications available in chewable tablets.

Popular Flea Pills for Dogs Include

Capstar Flea Killer

• Kills off flea infestations within 6 hours


• Administered daily, effective for 24 hours


• Minimum pet age: 4 weeks


• Ingredients include: Nitenpyram


• Sold over the counter

Comfortis

• Chewable, beef-flavored tablets


• Kills fleas and flea eggs


• Begins working within 30 minutes


• Administered monthly, prevents fleas for up to 30 days


• Minimum pet age: 14 weeks


• Ingredients include: Spinosad


• Prescription required

3. FLEA AND TICK DOG COLLARS

Flea and tick collars are most often used to prevent parasites from taking up residence on your pet. While preventative dog collars are most effective, some varieties of collars can also treat infestations by eliminating pests and their eggs via chemicals released into your dog’s skin. Look for the word “kill” on the package to ensure that the collar will treat an infestation, not just prevent it.

Flea and tick collars can last up to eight months, and are ideal for treating tick problems. Because collars are fastened around the neck, they are more concentrated around the face and neck area, where ticks more often inhabit.

Flea and tick collars are especially useful when you are in the process of eliminating a pest infestation as they will help prevent a new outbreak, and most of them can be combined with other treatment options. (Talk to your vet before combining a Seresto flea collar with any other medications.)

Popular Dog Collars that Eliminate Fleas and Ticks Include

Seresto 8 Month Flea and Tick Collar

• Eliminates fleas and ticks


• Prevents and treats pests for up to 8 months


• Available in small and large sizes


• Minimum pet age: 7 weeks


• Ingredients include: Flumethrin, Imidacloprid

Topicals

 

	Kills Adult Fleas	Controls Flea Development	Kills Ticks (Lyme Disease vectors)	Repels & Kills Mosquitoes (Heartworm, West Nile Virus carriers)	Dosage	Minimum Age	Active Ingredients
Drs. Foster & Smith Fiprotrol™ Plus	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Monthly	8 wks or older	fipronil, S-methoprene
K9 Advantix® II	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Monthly	7 wks or older	imidacloprid, permethrin, IGR pyriproxyfen
Frontline® Plus	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Monthly	8 wks or older	fipronil, S-methoprene
Advantage® II	Yes	Yes	No	No	Monthly	7 wks or older	imidacloprid, IGR pyriproxyfen
FiproGuardTM	Yes	No	Yes	No	Monthly	8 wks or older	fipronil
PetArmor®	Yes	No	Yes	No	Monthly	8 wks or older	fipronil
PetArmor® Plus for Dogs	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Monthly	8 wks or older	fipronil, S-methoprene
Sentry® FiproGuard® Plus for Dogs	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Monthly	8 wks or older	fipronil, S-methoprene

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Flea & Tick Collars

 

	Kills Adult Fleas	Controls Flea Development	Kills Ticks (Lyme Disease vectors)	Repels & Kills Mosquitoes (Heartworm, West Nile Virus carriers)	Dosage	Minimum Age	Active Ingredients
Seresto® Flea & Tick Collars	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	every 8 months	7 wks or older	flumethrin, imidacloprid
Preventic Tick Collar	No	No	Yes	No	every 3 months	12 wks or older	amitraz
Scalibor® Protector Band	Yes	No	Yes	No	up to every 6 months	12 wks or older	deltamethrin
Spectra SHIELDTM Flea & Tick Collar Attached Medallion	Yes	No	Yes	No	every 4 months	6 months or older	zetacypermethrin, piperonyl butoxide

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Shampoos & Sprays

 

	Kills Adult Fleas	Controls Flea Development	Kills Ticks (Lyme Disease vectors)	Repels & Kills Mosquitoes (Heartworm, West Nile Virus carriers)	Dosage	Minimum Age	Active Ingredients
Frontline® Spray	Yes	No	Yes	No	monthly	8 wks or older	fipronil
Adams Plus Flea & Tick Spray and Shampoo	Yes	Yes	Yes	spray repels	spray protects up to 2 months; shampoo 7-10 days for adults, 28 days pre-adult	12 weeks or older	Spray: etofenprox, S-methoprene, piperonyl butoxide. Shampoo: S-methoprene, piperonyl butoxide, pyrethrins
Flys Off® Mist	Yes	No	Yes	repels	every 9 days	12 wks or older	pyrethrins, piperonyl butoxide, n-octyl bicycloheptene dicarboximide, di-n-propyl isocinchomeronate
Vet's Best Natural Flea & Tick Spray and Shampoo	Yes	Yes - spray only	Yes	repels	Repeat as necessary	12 wks or older	peppermint oil, clove extract, sodium lauryl sulfate
ResultixTM Tick Spray from Bayer	No	No	Yes	No	as often as needed	all ages	isopropyl myristate
Bio-Groom Flea & Tick Shampoo by Bio-Derm	Yes	No	Yes	No	weekly	12 wks or older	pyrethrins, piperonyl butoxide, n-octyl bicycloheptene dicarboximide
FiproGuard Flea & Tick Spray	Yes	No	Yes	No	monthly	8 wks or older	fipronil

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Oral Treatments

 

	Kills Adult Fleas	Controls Flea Development	Kills Ticks (Lyme Disease vectors)	Repels & Kills Mosquitoes (Heartworm, West Nile Virus carriers)	Dosage	Minimum Age	Active Ingredients
Capstar® Tablets	Yes	No	No	No	one	4 weeks & older; 2 lbs	nitenpyram
Sentry Capguard™ (Nitenpyram) for Dogs	Yes	No	No	No	one	4 weeks & older; 2 lbs	nitenpyram
Bayer advantus™ for Dogs	Yes	No	No	No	one	10 weeks & older; 4 lbs	imidacloprid