Looking for best the tick medicine for your canine companion? Then you’re in the right place!
In this Pest Strategies product review you can expect to learn:
- What tick medicine is and how it works
- If medicines can repel ticks (or not?)
- What to look for in the top medicines
- The 4 medicines we’re reviewing for this guide
Tick medicines are products designed to repel and kill ticks when they try to attach themselves to your dog.
These work in a variety of ways. Many target the tick’s nervous system without hurting the dog, while others will absorb into the canine’s skin so ticks die when they bite.
Ed has been working in the pest control industry for years helping 1,000's of homeowners navigate the world of insect and rodent management. He manages Pest Strategies now helping homeowners around the world!
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Flea Away Natural Tick Repellent
Features
- Is a simple vitamin that pets ingest
- Does not use pesticides or chemicals
- Works on ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes
Wondercide跳蚤,蜱虫Mosquito Control Spray
Features
- Spray based, which makes it easy to apply
- Uses only natural ingredients, not pesticides
- Safe around pets and humans
Bayer K9 Advantix II
Features
- Kills ticks on contact so dogs won't be bitten
- Waterproof
- Lasts for a month
Table Of Contents
Top 4 Best Dog Tick Medicines
Short on time? Take a look below for the top 4 in our list. Otherwise, check out our buying guide
What Is Dog Tick Medicine?
The term “tick medicine” can refer to different things.
One is a product designed to eliminate ticks once they have already found their way onto your pet (see ourCapstar Review for an example).
The other is a medicine designed to prevent ticks in the first place.
For more information on our best strategies to remove fleas, check out this guide.
What Is in Tick Medicine?
我们都爱我们的狗,这是我mportant to understand what’s in the medicine we give them. The majority of medicines fall intofive main categories:
- Pesticides like pyrethrins and pyrethroids
- Citrus extracts
- Synthetic chemicals like fipronil and selamectin
- Carbamates and organophosphates
- Amitraz
These different groups range from being pesticides to to something similar to natural oils. The important thing to remember is that dogs should not ingest any tick medicine unless the instructions say otherwise.
Don’t let your dog eat just anything, always consult a vet in coordination with medicines you might find online.
See below for more information on each of these chemicals.
Chemical vs. “Natural” Tick Medicine?
Many people worry when they hear the word “chemicals,” but the ones used in pet medications are stringently tested.
Medicines don’t tend to have too many side effects, but owners should be careful that their dogs don’t eat something they shouldn’t.
Here’s why.
- Pyrethroids and pyrethrinsare common pesticides that make a tick’s nervous system malfunction. They go on the skin of an animal and should not be ingested.
- Amitrazbecomes absorbed by the canine skin and hurts ticks when they try to bite. Should NOT be used on cats, who can die from the contact. Always be sure to read the label!
- Fipronil and selamectingo on the skin and are effective at killing ticks, but also shouldn’t be eaten.
- Carbamates and organophosphatesare amazing to use because they are less toxic to mammals than other ingredients, but they are effective against insects. Still should not be eaten because poisoning is possible.
Chemical tick medications pose the risk of poisoning if misused, but have much higher rates of effectiveness than natural citrus extracts. However, these extracts have little to no toxicity, so you need to find a balance between efficiency and safety when it comes to your dogs.
Remember: Ticks themselves pose serious health risks, likeLyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, anemia,potential paralysis, and irritated or infected skin.
Can Tick Medicine for Dogs Repel Ticks?
This is a basic question many pet owners have. If my dog’s medicine kills ticks, can it also repel them?
The basic answer is yes and no.
Repelling power is entirely medicine-dependent. Some mixtures will prevent ticks in the first place, while others require the pests to try to bite the dog first.
See our product reviews below for our break out this.
How Are Effective The Medicines?
Tick medicines are reasonably effective, though this is again dependent on the type of medicine. Chemicals like pyrethrins andamitrazare stronger than citric oils, but can come with some health risks.
Remember to only use something you are comfortable with on your canine companion. Always consult a veterinarian when it comes to feeding your dogs anything.
Do All Tick Medicines Work on All Dogs?
Medicines can’t be 100% effective, but most products specifically designed to handle ticks work well.
It’s important to remember that no medicine will work for all dogs. Many brands sell special products based on the dog’s weight.
It’s important to purchase one tailored to your dog’s size because too little results in an ineffective medicine, and too much canPOISONyour pet.
Tick Medicines For Dogs Reviewed
In the below section we break down each of our product recommendations in a little more detail.
Bayer K9 Advantix II
No one wants their precious pup to be bitten, so Bayer K9 Advantix II is a wonderful solution. It is applied topically on the skin and does not require a tick to bite to be effective. Instead, ticks are killed after a limited period of contact. The medicine has a effective formula, which eliminates pests before they cause damage.
Bayer specializes its medication to suit dogs of different weights, so there is almost always an option for each pet. Many users appreciate that one package has enough medicine to last for half a year. It’s best to test Bayer on a small patch of skin before applying the whole tube to avoid irritation for your specific pet.
The major downsides to the medicine are the cost and its use of pesticides, with which some owners are uncomfortable with.
We recommend Bayer to pet owners who want a strong, reliable medicine for their dogs that works on ticks and other common pests.Click here for a full review of Advantix II for dogs.
The Good And The Bad
- The product is extremely strong and effective
- The medicine is waterproof
- Bayer is effective against ticks, fleas, and lice at every stage of development
- Each dose lasts for a month
- Wet product should not be anywhere near cats because it can harm them
- Some dogs react badly and experience lethargy, skin irritation, and hair loss
- The product contains strong pesticides
- Name brand and can be a little more expensive
Flea Away Natural Tick Repellent
Despite being called “Flea Away,” this product is effective against ticks and is a nice break from traditional drops and sprays. The medicine is eaten like a liver-flavored vitamin by dogs and is effective quickly.
Each bottle has many doses with clear portion instructions. The medicine is chewy and can be placed in food (this is great for pets who have a hard time swallowing medicines!).
This product meets FDA standards and repels ticks before they can latch onto your pet and bite. The formula in the chews is supposed to create a scent that is undetectable to humans, but repels ticks.
This medicine is great for pet owners who have dogs with sensitive skin, would like to avoid traditional pesticides, and want something that comes with many uses.
The Good And The Bad
- Inexpensive compared to other brands
- Can be used for dogs of all sizes
- Does not use pesticides
- The product is effective on ticks, fleas, and lice
- Treatment can be stopped easily if it causes irritation
- The medicine is not as effective as one which uses pesticides
- Can cause dogs to lose their hair
Wondercide跳蚤,蜱虫Mosquito Control Spray
Wondercide manufactures this easy-to-use tick spray to protect pets without the application of pesticides. All the user needs to do is spray on pets, bedding, and other areas that ticks might latch onto.
This product is safe for cats and dogs of all sizes and ages, so you don’t need to buy a special formula for each pet. It should kill ticks, fleas, and lice and is most effective on adult pests.
Many people appreciate that Wondercide does not use toxic pesticides and has refreshing lemongrass, rosemary, cedar, or peppermint smell.
We recommend this product to pet owners who worry about using chemicals on their dogs and don’t live in areas where there are many ticks.
The Good And The Bad
- The medicine doesn't use pesticides
- The product smells refreshing
- One bottle has multiple applications
- It claims to work on ticks, fleas, and lice
- The spray is not as effective as medicine with traditional chemicals
- Pets might dislike the smell
- The aroma can be overwhelming
- More effective on fleas rather than ticks
FRONTLINE Plus For Dogs
FRONTLINE Plus is one of the most well-know tick medications for dogs. In comes in a variety of packages designed to suit dogs of different sizes, so there is always a type available for every canine companion.
From dalmatians to poodles, FRONTLINE remains a waterproof tick repellent that will eliminate ticks, fleas, lice, and their eggs. It can be applied once a month in a single location and allowed to dry. Once dry, it will be protect the dog for four weeks.
The product is relatively inexpensive and comes in a pack with six applications, so it can last for half a year. FRONTLINE Plus uses fipronil, which is an effective chemical treatment used any pest control products. Fipronil is absorbed into the sweat glands of your pet, which results in a safer medicine. Other products are absorbed into your pet’s blood stream, which can be more dangerous to their health.
We recommend this product to dog owners who live in areas where ticks are common and require strong protection on a regular basis, although not our #1 pick, still a great reliable choice!Click for a full review of Frontline Plus.
The Good And The Bad
- The medicine starts working in under 12 hours and doesn't stop for 30 days
- 前线是有效预防蜱虫,跳蚤和lice of all ages
- It comes in different varieties for dogs of different weights
- The product is waterproof
- The medicine uses fipronil, which can make dogs sick when ingested
- The medicine uses fipronil, which can make dogs sick when ingested