Flea and tick prevention solutions vary, from topical spot-ons and oral tablets, collars, shampoos and more.
We tend to favor products that provide comprehensive protection. For example, chewable tablets such as NexGard contain two active ingredients that kill and repel fleas and ticks effectively.
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Effix
Effix Plus, available only through licensed veterinarians, is an effective topical flea treatment that kills and repels even the most dangerous parasites with just one monthly application. Utilizing fipronil and (S)-methoprene as its active ingredients, Effix Plus attacks all stages of fleas and ticks such as brown dog ticks, deer ticks, lone star ticks and American dog ticks; while also killing chewing lice; repelling mosquitoes known to transmit heartworm; as well as protecting against ear mites and sarcoptic mange.
Before selecting a product for your pup’s flea and tick prevention regimen, it’s essential to assess its benefits and drawbacks carefully. Oral medications may be easier for some dogs to swallow and can often outshone topical treatments; additional factors that affect pet’s sensitivity to specific products could include skin coat type and concurrent health conditions – the best flea and tick prevention will take all this into consideration; Nexgard, Bravecto and Simparica belong to an isoxazoline class that also prevent heartworm infection!
Frontline Plus
Preventing fleas, ticks and other parasites is easier and safer than treating them after they appear; one effective and popular means is through topical “spot on” medications.
Products intended to address skin parasites often apply directly between a pet’s shoulder blades, typically using neurotoxins that target adult parasites or insect growth regulators (IGR) that stop them from becoming adults. Many products also offer other advantages such as heartworm prevention or mosquito control.
Frontline Plus is our top nonprescription choice because it quickly eliminates fleas, ticks, and chewing lice with one application that lasts months. Furthermore, its user-friendly application and affordable cost make it ideal for puppies 7 weeks old or older.
Tractor Supply provides many topical flea and tick medications, such as Seresto, K9 Advantix, Revolution and Advantage. When selecting one for your pet be sure to follow all instructions exactly and select one recommended by their age and weight range.
Advantage
One of the first decisions new pet parents must make when purchasing their pup is which flea and tick prevention product to use, as certain products can be more effective than others and some could even cause harm if used incorrectly.
Advantage is an easy-to-use topical spot-on treatment designed for fast, all-encompassing parasite protection in pets aged seven weeks old or more and weighing at least 3 pounds. Containing imidacloprid and moxidectin, Advantage targets adult fleas to prevent them from laying eggs while simultaneously targeting three intestinal worms as well as heartworm prevention. Ideal for use on adult fleas as well as three intestinal worms. Compatible with heartworm prevention treatment plans. Safe for use by pets weighing 3 pounds or over.
Other means for flea and tick prevention include collars, tablets, or oral medications. Oral treatments offer low maintenance with long-lasting effectiveness but may sometimes be less reliable than topicals. Many pet parents prefer collars due to their ease of use and long-lasting protection; certain collars such as Seresto collars have proven particularly useful when topicals fail.
Advantix
As opposed to oral flea preventatives, topical spot-on treatments remain effective for 30 days; however, pets must be bathed prior to or several days after applying them and avoid swimming and rainy conditions for several hours afterwards.
Topical treatments contain neurotoxic ingredients specific to adult parasites and insect growth regulators that prevent flea eggs from maturing into adults. They are approved by both EPA and FDA and available with a valid vet’s prescription from pet stores or online (Amazon or Chewy).
Frontline only fights fleas from one angle; Advantix kills them from both, by disrupting their lifecycles. Furthermore, Advantix repels and kills ticks (including those responsible for Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Ehrlichiosis), controls mosquitoes and flies and reduces mosquito populations. Safe for all-age dogs including senior canines but should not be applied on cats due to some ingredients (pyrethrins and permethrins) being toxic due to toxic ingredients ( including pyrethrins and permethrin).
