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(Last Updated On: )When your dog has fleas or ticks, finding the best dog flea treatment to get control of the issue can be hard. The size and age of your dog are two big factors that determine which flea control you buy.
The best dog flea control is the Bayer K9 Advantix II Flea and Tick Treatment that kills all life stages and prevents fleas on treated dogs, which is recommended by vets.
There are various treatments from spots on, chews, collars, shampoos, and sprays. Each have their own benefits and dogs may take a disliking to certain treatments.
Table of Contents
Best Flea Treatment For Dogs
Dog Flea Treatments | Type | Our Rating |
---|---|---|
Bayer K9 Advantix | Spot On | 4.9 |
PetArmor 6 | Spot On | 4.8 |
Bayer Seresto Collar | Collar | 4.9 |
Bayer Advantus Soft | Chew | 4.8 |
Adams Plus | Shampoo | 4.5 |
The flea treatment for dogs you buy should be highly effective and safe. If it’s not a digestible form of flea control, then it will also need to be safe around humans and other pets that may come into contact with the dog using the product.
The fastest flea treatment for dogs is usually the “spot-on” products that use fipronil to treat fleas and ticks. However, when buying the flea treatment, its important to consider the convenience as other forms are much easier to use.
With many forms of flea treatment available it can be hard to find the one you want. Below is a list of the best flea control treatments for your dog in the popular forms that are all proven to work.
Bayer K9 Advantix II Flea Treatment
The popular K9 Advantix is available for dogs of multiple sizes and of course various doses. Its main goal is to kill fleas and ticks with no biting required.
Once you have applied this product, it also prevents fleas from coming back once treated, and of course, it is veterinarian recommended. It is a “Spot On” form of dog flea control and to apply, all you need is a small amount of it and then rub it into your dog back. Once applied it is fully waterproof and will act fast to kill fleas and ticks.
Mosquitos can also be a big problem for dogs but the K9 Advantix can easily cope and kill them with no fuss. Once applied, it will also provide a protective layer to ensure no more fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, lice, and more do not come back.
Overall it is one of the best dog flea controls that is recommended by vets and available for all sizes of your dog.
PetArmor 6 Count Plus
PetArmor 6 is a vet-recommended product that contains the ingredients fipronil and methoprene that are used to completely kill all fleas and ticks. The formula also removes flea eggs and larvae for up to 12 weeks between usage.
Available in four 4 different dog sizes, it is one of the best flea treatments you can buy. It easy to apply with the piratical tubes that you squeeze the lotion in between the dog’s shoulder blades and into the dog’s skin.
Compared to the vets flea control, the PetArmor 6 is a fraction of the cost and will cover your dog for up to 12 months, which is great value for money.
Bayer Seresto Flea and Tick Dog Collar
The Bayer Seresto Flea Collar for dogs is available in two sizes and provides as much as 8 months protection. There is an upfront cost for the collar but compared against the monthly costs of other flea treatments, it works out to be the best value.
Unlike other flea collar competitors, it is a non-greasy collar that works through contact and kills and repels fleas. It can be used as well as the dog’s normal collar and it won’t cause any interference whatsoever.
The Bayer Seresto Flea Collar is the best dog collar for fleas and lasts a long time compared to other competitors. The convenience of not needing to apply products or worry about forgetting is gone with this dog flea collar.
Bayer Advantus Soft Chews
If applying creams or lotions to your dog is not convenient for you then soft chews are the best method. The Bayer Advantus soft chews start to kill fleas within 1 hour and is very fast acting for a tablet.
There are no animal proteins as ingredients within these tablets and they are safe to use as often as once per day where required. They are flavored so that your dog will know them as a treat, which is always a good advantage.
The treats include the ingredient “imidacloprid” that goes through the bloodstream and when a flea bites, it is biting into the blood that is treated with this insecticide.
The Bayer Advantus Soft Chews are the best chew flea control treatment because they are flavored unlike many of the other forms. The other forms will require you to hide them without your dog’s food in order for them to eat it. These you can simply feed to your dog for being good i.e. obeying commands such as sit.
Adams Plus Flea & Tick Shampoo
The old-fashioned method of giving your dog a good clean with shampoo dedicated to removing fleas and ticks is highly effective. The best dog shampoo for fleas is the Adams Plus that can be used on all dogs and cats.
The flea control shampoo contains soothing aloe, lanolin, coconut extract, and oatmeal. Not only do all these ingredients remove fleas and ticks but also leave the dogs coat soft, shiny, and manageable.
With just one application, it will prevent flea eggs from hatching for at least one month. A combination of this shampoo and another flea treatment is the ultimate combination in order to remove fleas completely from your dog.
Dog Flea Treatment Buying Guide
Fleas are not only annoying and painful for your dog but can also live quite happily within your house. From your furniture such as your bed to your food, they can live and pester yourself. For this reason, it’s important to act fast in order to combat the problem as soon as possible.
Method To Kill Fleas
There are various methods to eradicate fleas from your dog’s coat fast and efficiently. Many provide additional benefits such as ease of use and effectiveness. Below are 5 different tactics to kill fleas from your dog.
Spot On Flea Treatment
The most popular form of flea control for dogs is “Spot On”. In short, it is a high concentrate liquid that is usually applied in the skin between your dog’s shoulder blades. It gets to works within 24 hours and kills all flea, ticks, and more from harming the dog.
Flea Collars
A favorite among many dog owners is a dog collar that can be used simultaneously to the dog’s normal collar. It works by transferring insecticides that repel fleas and gets absorbed into the dog’s body. Collars can last much longer and usually more expensive to buy but work out cheaper in the long haul.
Chews or Tablets
With the use of insecticides that transfer to the bloodstream of your dog, when fleas bite, they are exposed to it too. The results of this are the death of the flea but it’s important to note that these chews will only really last a day or so. It will not protect your dog from future flea experiences in the long run but they do offer an effortless cure.
Shampoo for the Coat
As with tablets and chews, the use of shampoo on the dog’s coat will only last 24 hours and will not protect the dog in the future. We advise that you use shampoo alongside a collar or Spot On treatment.
Sprays or Lotions
You have probably noticed that we did not display any sprays or lotions within this best dog flea treatment article. This is because they are not that great because it will require a lot of effort as you need to spray the whole dog. They work similar to the Spot On flea treatment but are highly diluted and requires coats of the solution on a weekly basis. This can leave your dog greasy and smelling “chemically” and considering there are many other options, choosing a spray would be a mistake.
Treating Fleas Fast
Dogs can become infested with fleas for different reasons but mostly due to contact with other animals or fleas within the environment. Fleas can jump but they can’t fly, so the contact must be fairly close for your dog to become infested.
Once a dog has caught fleas, they will begin to itch and scratch their painful areas. A bad flea infestation can cause the dog severe pain that could lead to inflammation, hair loss, and other skin infections.
Therefore it is important to get your dog treated with the best flea treatment control. We strongly recommend either the collar or spot-on treatments and if the case is really bad, you should visit your vet as soon as possible.
Are Dog and Cat Flea Treatments The Same?
Cats can suffer from fleas and ticks just like dogs but they are more prone to adverse effects from some insecticides. One powerful ingredient found in dog flea treatments is pyrethrin and this is known to cause bad effects with Cats.
Unless it has been scientifically proved and labeled on the packaging, you may use it on both cats and dogs. If you have a dog using this sort of flea treatment, ensure they do not come into contact with your cat or simply change to an alternative source of flea control.
Ian is an avid outdoorsman and dog lover. He lives in Central Florida with his wife Heather, and their 2 dogs – Panda (Purebread Rough Collie X English Golden Retriever) & Kuma (Blue Merl Purebread Rough Collie)