Treatment for Your Pet

There are many options out in the market when it comes to treating your pet for fleas. More likely than not you've seen the classic flea collars sold at the market, or over the counter packs of flea medications in both markets and flea stores, we're also sure you've heard of big brand names such as Frontline, Advantage, Advantix and Frontline Plus.

With so many different medications for treatment, we understand that choosing a treatment that is right for you pet, can be difficult. This page will provide some information to consider when choosing a monthly flea treatment, and also provide you with specific brands of flea treatments as well their websites if available. If there are any questions about any of these medications, do not hesitate to call your veterinarian.

Flea Collars:

Not at all the recommended choice for flea prevention. Collars are not as effective as most topical monthly treatments and have been known to be coated with harmful chemicals.

Over the Counter Market Brand Topicals

Like Hartz Flea & Tick products are also not recommended. As well as not being very effective, this brand has had a reputation of being toxic to animals.

Flea Shampoo

Although flea shampoo works well to kill and get rid of fleas that are currently on the pet, it will not work to prevent more from jumping on and staying on and continuing to feed. Giving or getting your pet a bath with flea shampoo (also known as a 'flea dip') could be a good idea if you've noticed an infestation, to remove what fleas are already on your pet. Just bear in mind that most topicals do require a 2-3 day waiting period post-bath before applying; it allows the natural oils of the skin to replenish so that the medication can spread by means of those oils.

Capstar

Capstar is another great way to immediately remove an infestation of fleas living on a pet.  Once the medication (an oral tablet) is given, the fleas begin to die and fall off within 30 minutes. As effective as the medication is, however, it is not a full once-a-month treatment.

Over the Counter Flea Meds (Now Sold at Petco/ Petsmart)

 Frontline

Advantage/ Advantix

These are two of the most popular flea medications out on the market. They've been around for years and many people still continue to give their dogs and cats these topicals every month. Just recently these medications have gone over-the-counter (you no longer need a prescription from your veterinarian to buy it) and so we no longer carry these in stock at our clinic. 

These efficacy on these products has been very here-and-there in the most recent months. As with any treatment used against pests, over a long period of time the pests begin to become more resistant towards these repellents. It can be good to switch up the medications every now again to keep those fleas on their toes!

Flea Meds Sold by Prescription or at a Vets Office Only

Comfortis/ Trifexis