Sarah Metlova
Best Way To Prevent Fleas And Ticks On Dogs – We independently review everything we recommend. We may earn commissions when you make purchases through our links. Learn more>
A deep scratch by a dog or cat can scratch the pet’s spine. The last thing you want is a flea or tick outbreak in your home, not to mention a disease-carrying parasite that could endanger your family. We’ve rounded up veterinarian-recommended flea and tick treatments to protect pets and humans from these fears.
Best Way To Prevent Fleas And Ticks On Dogs
Every product we recommend can treat fleas, but fleas aren’t the only parasite you have to deal with. Depending on where in your country you will need protection against different area-specific ticks and internal parasites, such as heart or roundworms. And some treatments can be done differently or in different ways. So consult your veterinarian: they are the best resource for advising you on the correct treatment based on your pet’s medical history and the prevalence of infections in your area.
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Provecto lasts up to three months, so you’ll need to use it less frequently than other common treatments we recommend (and it’s in a chewable form for dogs with sensitive skin). But a prescription is required. See below for medications to treat small or large dogs.
Bravecto for Cats lasts up to three months and is one of the only brands we found that offers a heartworm prevention formula. But Prevecto requires a prescription. See the link below for proper sizes for cats outside of weight specifications.
Who should use it: Bravecto Topical Solution for Dogs and Bravecto Topical Solution for Cats are best if you like the idea of three-month intervals between treatments and your main concerns are fleas, American dog ticks, black-legged ticks, and brown dogs choose. Ticks (dogs) or fleas and ticks (cats). Pravecto is also available in oral form if your dog prefers to swallow the chew instead of hanging it around the neck. Provecto works against these ticks in 12-week cycles, and it works against individual star ticks (dogs) and American dog ticks (cats), but only for eight weeks at a time. This gives you a four-week window during which your dog or cat will be exposed to the virus.
How it works: Our veterinarians agree that Provecto is their favorite flea and tick treatment for cats and dogs. It’s the only brand that sells a single-use interval that lasts three months. But if you live in an area where lone star ticks are common, including the eastern, southeastern, and south-central states, you’re better off with a monthly treatment such as Frontline Plus. Prevecto only provides 8 weeks of protection against Lone Star ticks (compared to 12 weeks against other tick species). You can keep your pet free from a single star tick for a full month between Prevecto treatments, or you may need to use it more frequently (PDF).
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Provecto is one of two options that offer a formula that protects cats from heartworms, roundworms and hookworms. (Deworming can also protect cats from certain parasites.) The Heartworm Society of America notes that there is no cure for heartworm disease in cats, so you should prevent your cat from getting infected in the first place.
Bravecto Chew and Bravecto Topical Solutions for Dogs provide up to 12 weeks of protection against fleas, blacklegged ticks, American dog ticks and brown dog ticks, and up to 8 weeks of protection against the lone star tick. But they don’t prevent heartworm. The chewable formula is convenient because you don’t need to use sticky gum on your pet’s fur. But if you use this mixture, the insects have to bite your pet to get the insecticide. Relatively speaking, the threads are divided into the pet’s fur and oil glands, so when an insect touches the fur, it’s over. (If your pet is particularly sensitive to insect bites, choose a base cream over a salve.)
Prevecto Topical Solution for Cats protects against fleas and black-legged ticks for 12 weeks, and American dog ticks for 8 weeks. Bravecto Plus for cats protects against fleas, black-legged ticks, heartworms, roundworms and lice for up to eight weeks.
Known side effects: Nervous system adverse effects, including ataxia (lack of coordination), seizures, and tremors; other known side effects – vomiting, hair loss, rash, drowsiness, diarrhea, loss of appetite, dry skin, and itching
Best Flea & Tick Prevention For Dogs: Frontline Vs Advantage Vs Seresto Vs Adams Vs Wondercide Vs Cedarcide
Types: Bravecto Cheese for Dogs 4.4 to 9.9 lbs, 9.9 to 22 lbs, 22 to 44 lbs, 44 to 88 lbs, 88 to 123 lbs; Prevecto Topical Solution for Dogs 4.4 to 9.9 lbs, 9.9 to 22 lbs, 22 to 44 lbs lbs, 44 to 88 lbs, 88 to 123 lbs; Bravecto Plus for cats 2.6 to 6.2 lbs, 6.2 to 13.8 lbs, 13.8 to 27.5 lbs 2.6 to 6.2 lbs, 6.2 to 13.8 lbs, 13.8 to 27.5 lbs
Revolution Plus for Cats fights more pests than any other treatment we recommend – fleas, ear mites, roundworms, hookworms and many types of ticks. But it usually requires a monthly application, and you need a prescription. See below for versions suitable for light or heavy cats.
Unlike other treatments, this formula kills fleas and also fights ear mites, mange, and heartworm in dogs. But it only treats ticks on American dogs. It also requires a veterinarian’s prescription and must be used monthly. See below for versions for light or heavy dogs.
Who should use it: If you have a cat and don’t mind monthly medication, Revolution Plus for Cats provides broad-spectrum coverage, including fleas, ear mites, roundworms, and some ticks. If you have a dog and are not concerned about ticks, Revolution for Dogs can prevent heartworms and ear mites.
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What it treats: Revolution Plus protects cats from more pests than anything else. This is a great solution for cat owners living in the Southeast and mid-Atlantic states, as it is the only primary treatment we recommend for Gulf Coast ticks that breed in these areas. This is our only option for treating ear mites, which according to VCA Hospitals are the second most common infection after fleas. Like Provecto, Revolution Plus also protects against common parasites in kittens, including roundworms and hookworms. It also fights fleas, black-legged ticks, American dog ticks, gulf coast ticks, ear mites, roundworms, hookworms and heartworms. (The non-Plus version of Revolution for Cats does not protect against ticks, so we do not recommend it in this guide.)
Revolution for Dogs protects a narrower range of dogs than the other flea treatments we recommend – but it’s the only one that will prevent heartworm. Revolution does not protect against the brown dog ticks found around the world. (Bravecto, Frontline, and Seresto fight these diseases.) Revolution kills fleas, ear mites, mange, American dog ticks, and heartworms.
Categories: Revolution Dogs 5.1 to 10 lbs, 10.1 to 20 lbs, 20.1 to 40 lbs, 40.1 to 85 lbs, 86 to 130 lbs; 2.8 to 5.5 lbs, 5.6 to 11 lbs, 11.1 to 22 lbs
Frontline Plus is our preferred over-the-counter topical treatment for fleas and many types of ticks. But it needs to be used once a month, and it doesn’t fight parasites like heartworm. See below for appropriate medications for dogs of other weights.
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This monthly non-drug treatment for cats prevents the same mites as dogs (and requires the same monthly schedule).
Who should use it: Frontline Plus for Dogs and Frontline Plus for Cats are available over-the-counter treatments so you can take them easily. Consider this remedy if you have dogs and cats at the same time and want to protect them from the same pests.
What it treats: Frontline Plus is the only flea and tick treatment that treats the same pests in cats or dogs for the same amount of time, without a prescription. Since they are species-specific, the two versions have slightly different active ingredient levels, but you can put cats and dogs on the same application schedule and treat the same pests. Both treat fleas, lice, lone star ticks, American dog ticks, deer ticks, and brown dog ticks. So there’s no need to mix and match different brands of medication to ensure the same level of protection for every pet in your family. In contrast, Bravecto offers four formulations that protect against different combinations of pests, but its cat products have less coverage; for pet owners of cats and dogs who want to protect their pets from multiple parasites in a single dose , this can be confusing. Frontline Plus takes the guesswork out so pet owners can focus on play time instead of flea bath time.
Frontline Plus is the only basic product we recommend that does not require a prescription. so you can quickly pick up a new box while you’re at work
Vet’s Best Flea & Tick Spray For Dogs, 8 Oz.
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