What Flea Treatment Is the Best for My Dog?
While efforts are made to answer all questions as quickly as possible, if an immediate answer is required or if your pet is in need of urgent or emergency care, contact your pet's veterinarian immediately.
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It may be necessary to consult your pet's veterinarian regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your pet's symptoms or medical condition.
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Fleas may be small in size, but they can cause your dog to experience excessive itching, hot spots, and skin infections. In general, these conditions can be prevented by using a flea control preventative. Don't let your dog suffer from an uncomfortable flea infestation. Help remove fleas on your dog and prevent future infestations by using the variety of available flea control products such as those listed below.
Oral tablets & chews for flea control
Oral flea treatments such as NexGard Chewables are quick and effective. The medication travels through your dog's bloodstream and to the skin's surface, helping to kill biting fleas. Combination pill treatments such as Sentinel Spectrum and Trifexis also prevent heartworm disease and other intestinal parasites like roundworms, hookworms and whipworms. See product label for details.
Topical flea solutions
Topical flea control for dogs is most popular in liquid drop form. These products can treat existing infestations and help prevent future outbreaks. Apply the product directly onto your dog's skin, between the shoulder blades, unless otherwise noted on the product packaging. For small breeds, Flea5X Plus for Dogs is recommended and for large dogs, we recommend Frontline Gold, Frontline Plus, or K9 Advantix II. All are waterproof.
Flea sprays
Flea sprays are best in between baths, since the product will wash off when your dog gets wet. However, the sprays are inexpensive and relatively effective. Simply spritz your dog's coat all over, from the neck down and along the tail. For the head and eye area, spray on a gloved hand or washcloth and rub gently into your dog's hair, being careful not to get any of the product in your dog's eyes or mouth.
Flea shampoos
Flea shampoos are used like any other bath product, yet most require allowing the product to sit on the skin for several minutes before rinsing.
Help make applying your dog's flea treatment an enjoyable, relaxing experience. Gently scratch behind your dog's ears and give him or her a favorite treat as a reward.