Looking for the best flea treatments for your dog? Perfect!
In this Pest Strategies guide you’ll learn:
- The common types of flea treatments use on dogs
- How to apply flea treatment to dogs with sensitive skin
- Cheap alternatives for dog flea treatments
- And 5 flea products to help your dog!
Read to jump into this review? Let’s go!
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!
Best Service
Best Overall
Frontline Plus For Dogs
Features
- Kills 100% of Adult Fleas On Pet Within 18 Hours
- Waterpoof Formulation
- Includes and IGR To Also Kill Flea Larvase And Eggs
Seresto Flea Collar
Features
- 8 months of Continuous Flea Treatment & Prevention
- Convenient, Odorless, Non-Greasy
- Kills Some Insects Through Contact (No Biting Required)
Capstar Oral Flea Tratment
Features
- Taken Orally And Starts Killing Fleas Within 30 Minutes
- Achives 90% Effectiveness Against Adult Fleas Within 4 Hours For Dogs
- Should Be Used With Veterinarian Supervision
Vet’s Best Flea Spray
Features
- Essential Oil Based Flea Spray Kills On Contact
- Non-Stain Formula Perfect For Home Surfaces
- Works On Multiple Insect Types
Table Of Contents
Top 5 Best Flea Treatments For Dogs
Short on time? Check out below our top dog flea treatments of 2019. Continue reading if you want to learn more!
- Seresto Dog Flea and Tick Collar
- Novartis Capstar Flea Tablets for Dogs
- Frontline Plus Flea and Tick Control for Dogs
- Vet’s Best Natural Flea and Tick Home Spray
Dogs give us daily doses of unconditional love.
They are like furry therapists for whatever ails us! The least we can do is to make sure they are happy and healthy.
When we see them suffering from fleas with non-stop itching and scratching, we know we should do whatever we can to help them.
Fleas aren’t just a gross nuisance. They can cause serious health issues such as anemia, dermatitis, and tapeworms.
But knowing how to get fleas off of your dog can be difficult. There are so many flea treatment options available and they all claim to be the best. It’s time to cut to the chase and figure out the best flea treatment for dogs so that your dog can get back to being their goofy, loveable self.
What Are The Types of Flea Treatments For Dogs?
Dog Flea Medicine Pills
Flea pills for dogs are probably one of the best options for flea treatment. Pills are available over-the-counter or from your veterinarian. Prescribed pills are more expensive than over-the-counter pills s and include a stronger dosage of medication. While prescribed pills are stronger, some prescribed medications can produce unwanted side effects and harm your dog. It’s important to talk to your veterinarian about your dog’s medical history to get the best pill option for your pet.
Read More:When should you take your dog to the vet?
How do flea pills work? Some flea pills kill fleas and their eggs, while others only kill adults or eggs, so you could need multiple treatments to eradicate all of the fleas. Other than directly spraying insecticide on a flea on your dog’s skin, pills provide one of the fastest ways to kill fleas on your dog as you’re treating the problem from the inside-out.
Topical Applications
Topical flea applications include shampoos, powders, and sprays that are sometimes used together with your primary flea product. When most people think of topical flea treatment, they are thinking of flea drops or spot treatments that go on the back of your dog’s neck and spread across the surface of their skin.
Flea drops can last up to 30 days and are effective at getting rid of fleas on your dog quickly. Some dogs may have an allergic reaction to the oils used in the formulas.
What Are The Inexpensive flea treatments for dogs?
Flea Collar Treatment
Flea collars are a good prevention strategy to keep fleas off your dog, and there are some that claim to kill fleas though they have mixed reviews. They are best for keeping fleas away from your dog’s face which is a favorite breeding ground, and for keeping new fleas from taking up residence after your dog’s bath and treatment.
Read Also:What’re The Best Flea Collars For Your Dog?
With the invention of spot topical treatments, dog flea collars are not as popular as they used to be, but newer versions that can last up to 8 months are gaining in the market. These high-end flea collars are more expensive, but they work much better than older models.
Flea Spray Treatment
The biggest benefit of flea sprays is that they kill fleas in all stages of their life cycle on contact. Dog owners like to have a flea spray on hand to provide instant relief when they see their dog going nuts trying to catch and bite fleas.
Read Also:What’re The Best Flea Sprays You Can Buy?
It’s the one time when you can clearly see your dog say “Thank you” with those puppy-dog eyes because the sprays are often formulated to make sore skin immediately feel better as well.
Home Remedy Treatment
Some dog owners choose to try natural methods to kill and prevent fleas with varying results. Garlic, vinegar, lemon,essential oils和盐是常见的成分在自制的跳蚤sprays.
However, keep in mind that evennatural ingredientscan be dangerous for your dog so make sure you know exactly what you are doing, and ask your veterinarian, to avoid any negative health side effects.
Flea Treatments For Dogs With Sensitive Skin?
Dogs that have allergies or have had a flea problem for a long time could have issues with flea treatments due to their sensitive skin. Many of the flea treatments available contain unpleasant chemicals and cause reactions for certain dogs.
If you suspect your dog has an allergy, you should make a visit to your vet for testing to determine which products your dog’s skin can handle.
If your dog has skin that is red or patchy from flea bites and scratching, there are flea treatments with additional conditioners and medications to calm and soothe the hot spots.
These products have ingredients like aloe and oatmeal, which are good for raw and irritated skin. Even if you purchase something “all natural,” be sure to test the product in a small area first to make sure your dog doesn’t have a reaction to it.
A veterinarian can prescribe medication like steroids as a pill or cream to help the skin heal and not react as much to any flea products you apply.
There are also natural and organic products for flea treatment, which may be more manageable for your dog’s sensitive skin. The trade off with these is that the flea control will most likely not be as effective as with a chemical insecticide and may require you to apply it a couple of times.
Flea Treatment Reviews
Here are the best dog flea treatment reviews for getting rid of fleas and making sure they don’t come back.
Related Articles
Seresto Dog Flea and Tick Collar
The Seresto flea collar is the number one alternative to monthly topical applications like drops. The clean, non-greasy, and odor-free formula is slowly released from the collar and is active up to 8 months.
The collar itself is safe and has a release mechanism if your dog gets tangled up.
The Good And The Bad
- Kills And Repels Fleas, Eggs, And Larvae
- Also Kills And Repels Ticks
- Waterproof
- No Need For Monthly Re-Application Like Other Products
- Not Normal, But Can Have Side Effects, Like Lethargy And Vomiting
- Can Be Expensive In The Short Term, But Cheaper Over The Long Term Compared To Other Products
Frontline Plus Flea Control for Dogs
One of the best topical applications is the well-known brand, Frontline. This package has three vials so it’s good for a three-month supply. Each vial is applied on the back of the neck and the oil naturally spreads along the surface of your dog’s skin killing fleas and preventing their return.
For a full review of Frontline Plus,check out this article.
The Good And The Bad
- Kills Flea Eggs And Larvae
- Each Dose Lasts 30 Days
- Kills Most Fleas On You Dog Within 18 Hours
- Easy To Apply And Waterproof
- Fleas Could Become Resistant
- May Bother Dogs With Sensitive Skin
- Doesn't Repel Fleas
Novartis Capstar Flea Tablets
The Capstar flea pills are one of the most popular over-the-counter oral medications for flea control. The active ingredient, nitenpyram, kills any adult fleas on your dog.
This makes it a good product to use along with a product that kills eggs and larvae, like lufenuron, which is aninsect growth regulator (IGR).
Think of Capstar’s product like a nuclear bomb for fleas. It is good for an instant kill and “reset” as it should knockdown and kill most fleas on your dog within 30 minutes but then will wear off after 24 hours. By the you should have purchased a flea collar and taken care of the source of the flea problem.
It’s worth noting that this product should be taken in conjunction with your veterinarians supervision to ensure your pet’s health.
The Good And The Bad
- Will Kill Fleas Within 4 Hours
- Single Dose Should Start To Work Within 30 Minutes
- No Prescription Needed
- Dogs Can Get Re-Infected Once Medication Wears Off (24 Hours)
- Should Be Used In Conjunction With Other Products For Flea Prevention
- Should Be Taken With Veterinarian Supervision
Vet's Best Natural Flea Spray
What’s great about Vet’s Best is that this flea spray contains no pyrethrins, permethrins, or cedar oil which are a few ingredients that can irritate sensitive dogs.
This product is safe to use on dogs’ fur and skin as well as around the home on their bedding, furniture, and carpet.
For a full review of Vet’scheck out this article.
The Good And The Bad
- Kills Adult Fleas And Their Eggs
- Non-Stain All Natural Essential Oil Formula
- Safe For Most Dogs
- Pleasant Peppermint Scent
- Not Long-Lasting, Which Requires Continuous Spraying
- Not As Effective As Topical or Collar Treatments
- Scent May Be Too Strong For Some