Get Advice from a Vet

ASK A VET

Veterinarian, DVM, MBA

Get free advice on diet, health, fitness, and wellness questions within 3 business days via email.

Enjoy a Special Gift for Being an AutoShip Customer

Get one 30-minute FREE VetLive appointment with a Vetster vet!

Book a VetLive Appointment

How to Use Flea Prevention Effectively

Ask the Vet

Lindsay Butzer, DVM
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

Back to results

Enter Your Information All fields are required

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.

Name *

Email *

Category *

Pet Type *

Topic *

Question *

*Please note: Questions submitted and the answers will appear on our website as a benefit to all pet owners. Please make sure not to include any personal information in the box where you enter your question.

Ask the Vet

Lindsay Butzer, DVM
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

Got questions? Ask Dr. Lindsay & our Vet Team:

Do these answer your question?

Showing of | See All

Have another question, or can’t find your answer?

Submit your question

We're Sorry!

There is no answer related to your question

Can’t find your answer?

Submit your question

Category

Addison's Disease Allergies Anal Sac Inflammation Anxiety Arthritis Asthma

Behavior Bladder Stones

Coronavirus Cancer Congestive Heart Failure Corneal Ulcers Coughing Cushing's Disease

Dehydration Dental Diabetes Diarrhea Digestive Distemper Dry Eye

Ear Care Ear Infections Ear Mites Epilepsy Eye

Fatty Tumors Feline Leukemia First Aid and Safety Fleas and Ticks Fungal Diseases Food

Glaucoma

Hair Loss Heartworm Disease Hip Dysplasia Horse Horse Lameness Horse Ulcers Hot Spots Hyperthyroidism Hypothyroidism Holistic

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Joints

Kennel Cough Kidney Disease Kidney Stones Kitten

Limping Liver Disease Lyme Disease Lymphoma

Mange Medication Miscellaneous Motion Sickness

Neutering Nutrition New Cat Adoption Guide

Obesity

Pain Parvovirus Pet Supplies Poisoning Puppy

Rabies

Seasonal/Holiday Seasons Senior Pets Separation Anxiety Skin and Coat Spaying Submissive Urination Supplements Special Needs Pets Surgery

Toxicity Thyroid Problems

Unexplained or Unhealthy Weight Urinary Tract

Vaccinations Schedule Vaccine Reaction Vision Vomiting

Weight Loss in Dogs and Cats Worms

See advice A-Z

How to administer oral flea medications

Always read the label of your pet's flea medication before administering.
Oral flea medications like Comfortis, NexGard and Trifexis should be given with a meal or directly after eating.

How to apply topical flea preventatives

Always read the label of your pet's flea medication before applying.
Topical flea preventatives like Frontline Plus should be applied to your pet's skin in one spot. For flea medications such as Advantage II, you can apply the solution to 3-4 spots down your pet's back.
For best results, apply your pet's flea preventative at the same time each month to reduce the risk of an infestation.
View product videos on how to apply: Frontline Plus and Advantage II.

Help maintain your pet's skin health.

Omega 3 fatty acids help improve your pet's skin health which allows the flea medication to
easily spread throughout the skin, increasing effectiveness.
Giving Omega 3 acids also helps support healthy function of the brain, eyes, and heart.

Wait 24 hours before bathing your pet.

After applying your pet's topical flea medication, wait at least 24 hours before bathing your pet. This window of time allows the medication to work its way through your pet's skin. Bathing your pet too soon could reduce the effectiveness of the flea preventative.
Avoid bathing your pet with human shampoos. Chemicals inside these types of shampoos can
dry your pet's skin or even cause irritation. Use a shampoo formulated for pets only to help maintain your pet's skin health.

Tip

Some flea medications do not protect against ticks. To prevent ticks from biting your dog, use the Preventic Tick Collar.

Swipe