Best Flea Medicine for Dogs

When you are looking for a flea medicine to treat your dog it can be baffling as there are hundreds on the market to choose from.

In this guide, we will take a look at the problems that fleas can cause you and your dog and all the effective ways to rid yourself and your dog of these horrible pests.

Dogs that have fleas can suffer from flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), flea-bite anemia and contract tapeworms. FAD occurs because fleas inject saliva into your dog’s bloodstream when they feed. Many dogs are allergic and produce histamine to compensate. Your dog can scratch and bite, and the condition is very uncomfortable resulting in your dog biting and pulling out clumps of fur.

Infections can also occur when the skin is broken. Flea bite related anemia can occur in small, young, old, or sick dogs. If your dog cannot manufacture new red blood cells at the rate that fleas are removing, then this can lead to severe anemia. Symptoms of anemia include weakness and lethargy, and veterinarian consultation is essential as this condition can prove fatal. Fleas that have bitten wild animals may transmit tapeworms, which are also a serious problem for dogs.

If your dog has fleas, then your home will most likely become infested too, which means that humans in the household may end up suffering from flea bites. Flea bites can cause irritation and allergies in humans.

Infections can occur if itchy bites are scratched and, on rare occasions, allergic reactions may require emergency assistance. Symptoms related to allergic reaction requiring immediate assistance include the lips and tongue swelling and shortness of breath. Fleas can also transmit flea tapeworms, typhus, and plague.

There are several methods of administering flea medications to dogs. Let’s take a quick look at the main types of flea medications.

Spot-on Treatments

Your veterinarian will likely recommend a spot-on treatment such as Frontline Plus as a preventative measure for your dog. These easy-to-apply medications are in a liquid or gel form and are applied to the neck of your dog in just a few seconds. The medication then spreads throughout the dog and fleas ultimately die off. Most spot-on treatments incorporate an insect growth regulator (IGR) which will kill flea eggs and kill the life cycle of the flea. The treatments vary in the ingredients they contain and can vary from a couple of dollars to around a dozen.

Oral Medications

You can choose an oral medication for your dog and these come in the form of chews or tablets. If you choose a tablet you will likely need to combine this with a treat. The main benefits of oral medication are that the medicine can be administered very quickly and can start working in less than 30 minutes. These preparations cost a couple of dollars per dose, but you may have to use more than one dose. Oral medications only work on adult fleas so you will need a separate medication to prevent re-infestation.

Avoid Competition

Ants are not only attracted to sweet things. They also feed on seeds and fruit. In fact, they are fond of any food that has a high-fat content. As such, you should store all your food in tightly sealed containers where ants cannot access them. This will leave them with only the food bait option; hence, increasing your chances of eradicating them.

Collars

Perhaps the easiest method of administering a flea medication to a dog is by purchasing a flea collar. Collars can last for around eight months and can be more cost-effective than other options. If you live in a northern state then a collar that provides flea and tick prevention for eight months should last you the whole year if placed on your dog around early spring. It is important to note that flea collars are not a substitute for collars for dogs, in particular, larger dogs that may require more physical control.

Shampoos

Shampoos can kill fleas quickly but they will often not provide long-lasting protection. If your dog has a severe flea infestation, then a bath is a good option to wash away fleas and soothe irritated skin. It is, however, not a quick or easy method and few dogs enjoy baths.

Sprays

Sprays can be used to apply flea medication to dogs and your home but these preparations are rarely completely effective in eradicating fleas.

Giving your dog a tablet is a quick and easy option in terms of flea medication. The key benefit of administering a flea medication orally is that it is the fastest method to introduce an insecticide into the animal and have it work on fleas. This medication starts working right away and can kill 96% of adult fleas within an hour.

If you suddenly notice fleas on a sensitive dog then this is an ideal method that will get to work straight away before your dog experiences any complications from an allergic reaction. Administering pills to dogs is not always easy though. Often, the pills can be foul-tasting and many dogs have developed the “skill” of consuming a treat while spitting out a tablet. Most pet owners will need to administer a pill to a dog at some point in their lives so check out our quick guide to making it easier.

Tip 1

This perhaps goes without saying but hiding the pill in a tasty morsel of favorite food is usually the way most pet owners go. Simply stuffing a pill in a tasty piece of chicken will often do the trick. If you have a dog that needs to take daily medication then you may want to consider homemade pill pouches or you can purchase pill pouches.

You can make a quick pill pouch by combining one-part peanut butter, one-part milk, and two-parts flour and forming the mixture into pouches. You can store the pouches in the refrigerator or freezer or you can look at buying a specially made product. You can pick up pill pouches for dogs but they can be expensive. A pack of Milk-Bone pill pouches containing approximately 125 pieces will set you back maybe a few dozen dollars.

Tip 2

Now that you have your pill disguised in a treat it is time for the game. Give your dog a treat minus the pill then give him a second treat, also without a pill. Now it is time to introduce the treat with the pill. Put the pill near your dog and move it away, tease your dog a few times until he eats the treat and then follows it with a fourth treat, minus a pill.

Tip 3

For smarter or fussier dogs, you can make the teasing a little more intense, if you pass the “treat” to another dog or a human who then eats the treat. This will make your dog think that if he does not eat his treat then someone else is going to get his food. These methods work far better than trying to pry your dog’s jaw open and forcing a pill into their mouth.

Dosage

It is vital to ensure that you use the correct dosage for your dog as they vary so much in size from breed to breed. It is best to go for a lower dosage than one that is too high. Therefore, if you weigh your dog and it is borderline, as far as the weight is concerned, then choose the lower dosage product for a lighter dog to avoid overdosing.

Cat Owners

Cat owners should be aware of the ingredients in dog flea products and the method of application. Be aware that flea medicines designed only for dogs should only be used on dogs. Not all cats and dogs are enemies, in fact, some kitties and dogs adore each other. If your cat is best friends with your dog then take a few cautionary measures when applying spot-on treatments. A spot-on treatment is placed on the neck of the animal specifically so that the animal does not lick away the medication and ingest it.

Many cats insist on grooming their canine companions so you will need to keep kitty away from your dog for several hours so that your dog is medicated effectively and your cat does not become sick by ingesting the medication from your dog’s fur. Cat owners should be very aware of the ingredients used in these flea medicines. A common ingredient used in flea medications for dogs is pyrethrin which while safe for dogs can cause seizures in cats.

Tick Prevention

A major factor to consider with flea medications is that many preparations on the market will kill just fleas. Dogs can be prone to ticks as they take long walks in grassy areas and while ticks are unlikely to infest an animal and cause anemia, tick-borne diseases are life-threatening for animals. Ticks carry a whole host of nasty diseases including Lyme disease which is a major problem in pets and can cause life-changing symptoms in humans. It makes sense to choose a product that has a dual action and will kill ticks as well as fleas.

Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs)

For long-lasting flea prevention, you will need a product that contains IGRs. If you only kill adult fleas then soon enough you will have a problem when flea eggs turn in to larvae and larvae turn in to adult fleas. If you are buying a spot-on treatment, the addition of the word “plus” in the product often indicates that the preparation contains an IGR and will kill fleas at all stages of the life cycle. We have taken a look at some of the best flea medications on the market to keep your dog happy and healthy and flea-free.