Frontline, Advantage, Advantix, and Other Flea and Tick Control for Dogs

It's very important that you protect your dog from fleas and ticks, as both are carriers for worms and/or other disease and illness that can potentially cause fatal reactions. Plus, many dogs are actually allergic to flea bites, which again can cause fatal reactions if your dog ends up harboring a nice colony of fleas.

And, let me tell ya... It's a lot easier to control fleas and ticks from the beginning than it is to get rid of them in the end.

Because most flea and tick prevention that you find on the market contains insecticides to kill and repel fleas, ticks, and sometimes mosquitoes, you want to know and understand the general cautions and warnings for using these products.

All flea and tick control products are for external use only! That means do not under any circumstances put these products down your dog's throat. You want to make sure that you keep your applications away from your pet's reach.

You don't want to use any of the following flea and tick treatments on puppies under 7 weeks old, and you want to consult your vet before applying the treatment to dogs that are debilitated, aged, on medication, pregnant, or nursing.

Generally sensitivities to the following products are pretty rare, but if you notice any signs of a reaction or sensitivity after applying the flea and tick product, you want to notify your veterinarian if hte signs persist and/or worsen.

Warning for the first 30 minutes after applying the product do not let your dog lick himself or another dog, as oral ingestion can cause depression, salivation, dilated pupils, in-coordination, panting, and generalized muscle tremors. For dogs that have an avermectin sensitivity, you may see coma or death, so definitely consult your veterinarian if you have any questions.

General adverse reactions include:

• Itching
• Residue
• Medicinal Odor
• Lethargy
• Lack of Appetite
• Hyperactivity
• Skin Irritation

Below you'll find the most popular flea and tick medications for dogs as well as a few natural alternatives. Check out and compare the ingredients as well as the effectiveness of the different products. If you have any questions or concerns ask your veterinarian for advice.

My personal advice is to stick with one brand once you find the one that works for your dog without irritating him.

Frontline says that their product kills 98%-100% of fleas within 18 hours and 98%-100% of ticks within 48 hours after the first application. Frontline Plus is supposed to continue to work for an entire month, preventing fleas and ticks from latching on and swarming your pet.

The ingredients in Frontline Plus are meant to kill flea larvae and eggs that can potentially grow to re-infest your dog, and potentially cause harmful diseases and illness.

Frontline Plus ingredients:

81.4% Other Ingredients

9.8% Fipronil

8.8% (S)-Methoprene

Frontline Plus not only controls and prevents a flea and tick infestation, it controls and treats flea allergy dermatitis. This is the number one product that is recommended by most veterinarians as it is water resistant and easy to administer with it's spot-on application tube.

You can purchase Frontline Plus in either 3 and 6 month supply

Advantage Active Control claims to kill 98%-100% of fleas and flea larvae within 12 hours after the first application, and is supposed to keep the fleas off your dog for an entire month.

Advantage ingredients:

90.9% Inert Ingredients

9.1% Imidacloprid

The Advantage- Multi topical solution is supposed to not only prevent fleas, but it's also 100% effective for preventing heart worm disease, hookworm infection, and roundworm infection caused by Toxascaris leonina, as well as 98.2% effective towards roundworm infection caused by Toxocara canis, and 98.6% effective against whipworm infection caused by Trichuris vulpis.

Advantage Multi ingredients:

87.5% Inert Ingredients

10% Imidacloprid

2.5% Moxidectin

You can purchase Advantage Active Control and Advantage Multi in 4, 6, and 12 month supply.

I'm sure you've all seen the cute lab puppy running around singing "Ain't no bugs on me."

The product is meant to kill 98%-100% of fleas within the first 12 hours after the first application and keep fleas off for an entire month, until the next application. The product, also, repels and kills deer ticks (carriers of Lyme Disease), American Dog Ticks (carriers of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever), Brown Dog Ticks (carriers of ehrlichiosis), and Lone Star Ticks. Advantix is, also, the only product that repels and kills mosquitoes, which carry the West Nile Virus.

K-9 Advantix ingredients:

47.2% Other Ingredients

44% Permethrin

8.8% Imidacloprid

Advantix markets themselves as being highly effective even after repeated baths and swims. Yes, Frontline is water-proof, but after tested Advantix still kills about 97.9-100% of ticks and about 92.5-100% of fleas after swimming, and it kills about 97.4%-100% of fleas and ticks after a bath.

You can purchase K-9 Advantix in 4, 6, and 12 month supply.

You want to be very cautious about applying over the counter flea and tick prevention on your dog. Although, vet approved products can serve medical concerns, you really want to watch the over the counter versions.

Brands like Hartz and 8-in-1 should be avoided, as they pose the most risk to your pet. The brand may not affect your larger dog, but for smaller dogs and cats, you'll want to be weary. For the most part, though, Hartz has already recalled the unsafe products, which were cat flea and tick medications, but I would still use their products with great caution.

Don't always purchase the cheapest flea and tick prevention you can find, as it's your pet's health that is in your hands.

As for homemade flea and tick prevention check out these two recipes; they're both simple to make and use.

Lemon Spray: D-limonene is a natural flea repellent that you can extract from lemons.

Ingredients

1 large lemon and 1 pint water

Directions:

• Slice the entire lemon, to include the peel, and add it to the 1 pint of boiling water and let it steep overnight.
• On the following morning, you can sponge the solution onto your dog's coat.
• You may also consider pouring the solution into a clean spray bottle, so that you can use the spray for frequent, even daily, applications.

Herbal Powder:

Ingredients:

Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Lavender, Fennel, Yellow dock, Pennyroyal

Directions:

• In equal parts, combine as many of the herbs as you can.
• Put the mix in a jar with a shaker lid, such as a salt shaker.
• Pull your dog's fur backward and sprinkle the powder onto the base of the hairs. Apply the powder sparingly and pay close attention to your dog's neck, back, and belly.
• Put the dog outside for a while so that the fleas can jump off your dog's body.

Disclaimer: Please be aware that the advice in this article should in no way replace that of a licensed veterinarian. The methods outlined above may or may not work for your pet. If you have any concerns, you should consult a veterinarian.