Best Flea And Tick Treatment for Dogs

Written by Laura Ortega

Have you noticed your dog scratching frequently? While there are many possible culprits, fleas are by far one of the most common causes of itchy skin for dogs.

While you might think your well-groomed canine companion is not a likely target, these tiny pests don’t care how clean your dog is. Fleas are notorious for their ability to easily jump from one host to another. Dogs can catch fleas and ticks from playing outside, contact with other dogs, or even from a run-in with a wild animal. And your pooch can come down with a full-on flea infestation of these blood-sucking parasites from the presence of only a single flea. 

Thankfully, there are many readily available and effective flea and tick treatments for dogs. Outlined here, you’ll find details on five of the best flea and tick treatments on the market.

Best Flea and Tick Treatments For Dogs In 2021

Flea control products have come a long way in the last few decades. After a questionable history of dangerous chemicals, uncomfortable flea collars, and ineffective shampoos, there are now many far better options. Variety, safeness, and effectiveness of more recent products make it easy to find the best flea and tick treatment for your dog. 

Frontline Plus Flea And Tick

Got a major pest problem? This fast-acting flea and tick treatment from Frontline is formulated with two powerful, fast-acting insecticides. The broad-spectrum insecticide ingredient, Fipronil, neutralizes and kills fleas while the hormone analog ingredient, Methoprene, interferes with the development and growth of flea eggs, larvae, and pupae. 

This long-lasting, powerful dog flea and tick treatment is designed to break down all four stages of the flea lifecycle, completely ridding your pooch of fleas and ticks, and even lice, and protecting against future infestations. 

This waterproof, topical formula works by adhering to the skin and depositing the active ingredients into the skin glands responsible for secreting sebum, the oily substance that lubricates your dog’s skin and hair. Applied to the skin in one spot, under the coat, from a single-use applicator, Frontline Plus Flea and Tick is easy to use, convenient and effective for a full 30 days. For these reasons and more, we’ve selected Frontline Plus as the best flea and tick treatment available today.

Visible Results

You will notice more fleas after you use this flea and tick treatment. But don’t worry, this simply means Frontline Plus is working. When you use topical treatments, dead fleas will rise to the surface and drop from your dog’s coat as the insecticides take effect. 

Be aware that it may take up to 30 days to fully break the flea life cycle. You may continue to notice live insects through the first 30 days. This product is designed to be a continual, monthly treatment. 

A Few Precautions

While this product is designed for safe and effective treatment for dogs, a few dogs may experience irritation or allergic reactions. Be sure to follow the enclosed manufacturer’s guidelines and instructions for proper use of the product and only use as directed. 

If you notice that your dog seems to be irritated after the application, scratching, or rubbing more at the site of the treatment, in particular, you should contact your veterinarian. Only use as directed, and remember that Frontline Plus canine formulas should never be used on cats and should be kept out of reach of children. 

K9 Advantix II Flea, Tick & Mosquito Prevention

Can’t stop the itch? This veterinarian-recommended product is specially formulated to kill a variety of biting insects on contact. Suitable for treatment of existing infestations and prevention, K9 Advantix II kills fleas and ticks, and even mosquitos before they bite. 

Three fast-acting broad-spectrum ingredients, Imidacloprid, Permethrin, and Pyriproxyfen, are combined in this complete treatment, showing visible results within the first 12 hours of application. While kills fleas, ticks, and mosquitos on contact, in addition, a single monthly application of K9 Advantix II inters with all stages of the flea lifecycle to stop an infestation in its tracks. As an added bonus, this formula also works as an effective repellent for lice and biting flies. 

From the makers of Bayer aspirin, this effective formula continues to work for up to four weeks, and the waterproof quality makes it last through baths, swimming, rain, or puddle-play, so you never have to reapply until the next month. We can happily stand by it as our runner up for today’s best flea and tick treatment.

Watch It Work

Many people notice more fleas within their dog’s coat after using K9 Advantix, but this does not mean the product isn’t working. In fact, dead fleas rise to the surface of your dog’s coat as the flea removal treatment takes effect. 

Keep in mind that it may take a full 30 days for K9 Advantix to completely eradicate an infestation. Treating particular areas of your home, such as carpets, furniture, and even your dog’s bed, with a flea product designed for soft furnishings, may also help prevent future infestations.

A Few Precautions

Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions provided with the product, and do not use K9 Advantix products on cats. Only use this product as directed and keep out of reach of children. Consult your veterinarian before using on senior dogs, pregnant or nursing dogs, dogs taking medication, and dogs with injuries or chronic illnesses. 

While most dogs do not experience irritation from K9 Advantix II Flea, Tick & Mosquito Prevention, individual animals may have different sensitivities. If your dog becomes irritated, especially at the site of application, consult your veterinarian. 

Nexgard Chewable Tablets For Dogs

Battling something you can’t see? With this oral flea-killing treatment, it’s easier than ever to provide year-round flea prevention for your dog in one simple monthly dosage. Chewable tablets are a great option for fidgety and nervous dogs that sometimes make topical flea removal treatment frustrating, and this product from NexGard deserves its place on our list of today’s best flea and tick treatments for dogs.

These beef-flavored tablets are safe and tasty for dogs, and the formulation kills fleas before they even have time to begin laying eggs. After the tablet is ingested, the insecticide part of the active ingredient, Afoxolaner, is transmitted to fleas via the bloodstream as they bite your dog. Each tablet contains enough of the insecticide to keep your dog free of fleas for an entire month. 

While you’re treating for fleas and ticks, Nexgard Chewable Tablets will also kill ticks and mites. Because ticks and mites are arachnids, not insects, Afoxolaner also contains an acaricide property specifically designed to target and kill various members of the arachnid subclass Acari. This extra part of the chemical compound makes it easy, with just a single chewable tablet, for pet owners to not only rid their dogs of fleas, but also of mites and all kinds of ticks, including black-legged tick, American dog tick, Lone Star tick, and brown dog tick. 

You May Notice

You may start to notice more fleas after you’ve administered the tablet. But don’t worry, this fast-acting treatment can have fleas and other pests dropping off your dog’s coat–well, like flies–in a matter of hours. Seeing more fleas and ticks throughout your dog’s coat simply means they are dying and rising to the surface of the hair. 

A Few Precautions

Always follow the manufacturer’s included instructions for Nexgard Chewable Tablets and never give any dog-specific flea removal treatment to a cat. Keep these tablets out of the reach of children. 

Most dogs have no serious side effects from Nexgard tablets. Some may experience vomiting, decreased appetite, diarrhea, or dry skin. These side effects are usually not serious or prolonged. However, if your dog exhibits constant vomiting, complete loss of appetite, shaking or tremors, seizures, or wobbling or difficulty walking after ingesting the Nexgard tablet, immediately consult a veterinarian. 

Nexgard Chewable Tablets should not be given to dogs with a history of seizures or dogs that are pregnant or nursing. 

Trifexis Chewable Tablets For Dogs

Note: Dogs must have current heartworm test results on file to get a prescription for heartworm medication. 

Here a pest, there a pest, everywhere a pest, pest? It can be hard to stay on top of all the different parasites that affect dogs, but Trifexis Chewable Tablets make it easy to prevent and treat flea infestations, heartworm disease, and infections from hookworm, roundworm, and whipworm all in one product. 

With two powerful ingredients, Trifexis works as both an insecticide and an antiparasitic medication. The active ingredient Spinosad works as an insecticide and kills adult fleas before they begin laying eggs. The active ingredient Milbemycin Oxime acts as a broad-spectrum antiparasitic, preventing the development of heartworm disease and killing a variety of intestinal parasites. 

Designed to be administered once a month, these tablets are an ideal solution for quick and efficient treatment of both fleas and all kinds of intestinal worms that can cause infections and heartworm disease. 

Things To Watch For

As fleas are exposed to the Spinosad, they often rise to the top of your dog’s hair, so you may notice more fleas after administering Trifexis. However, visible fleas in your dog’s coat mean the medication is working, and dead fleas are exposed. 

You may also need to treat your home for fleas in some cases to prevent re-infestation due to flea eggs and pupae present in the environment, such as carpets and furniture. 

A Few Precautions

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the correct use of Trifexis and never use Trifexis on your dog without a prescription from your veterinarian. 

Most dogs do not experience serious side effects, but some may experience vomiting, diarrhea, overtiredness or weakness, loss of appetite, itching, hives, and swelling or reddening of the skin. If your dog experiences any of these, consult your vet. Other more serious side effects may result if your dog is allergic to Trifexis. This may include: swelling in the face, pale gums, cold limbs, hives, excessive scratching, sudden onset of severe diarrhea, excessive vomiting, shock, seizures, and coma. 

Sentinel Flavor Tablets For Dogs

Note: Sentinel Flavor Tablets can only be given by prescription from a veterinarian. 

Roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms, oh my! What’s a dog owner to do to prevent a multitude of possible intestinal parasites? 

Sentinel Flavor Tablets For Dogs is an easy-to-use antiparasitic treatment and preventative medicine designed both to prevent infestations of roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms and to prevent your dog from contracting heartworm disease. Even better, this single-dose tablet also aids in controlling fleas by interfering with flea egg development. 

The insecticide ingredient, Lufenuron, is a common insect growth regulator that works by inhibiting the correct development of flea eggs through interference with proper enzyme growth. 

The broad-spectrum antiparasitic ingredient, Milbemycin Oxime, works to kill adult intestinal parasites by manipulation of cell membranes, opening nerve channels to allow interference with movement, feeding, and sensation. 

Tips For Success

If you notice a few adult fleas, you may need to occasionally give your dog a topical treatment that targets adult biting insects. However, this usually only occurs when your dog picks up an adult flea from a foreign environment. 

Treating your home, such as your carpets, with flea products for soft furnishings can also help prevent adult fleas from developing. 

A Few Precautions

Always follow the included manufacturer’s instructions for using Sentinel Flavor Tablets. Only give this medication with a prescription from a veterinarian, and never administer Sentinel Flavor Tablets For Dogs to a cat. 

Most dogs have no problems tolerating Sentinel Flavor Tablets, however, some may experience side effects like vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, excessive salivation, hives, scratching, clogged pores, stumbling or weak limbs, overtiredness or weakness and convulsions. If you notice any of these symptoms, consult a veterinarian immediately. 

Dog Flea Treatment FAQs 

Fleas are not only an obnoxious pest, they are carriers of the unpleasant disease for both you and your dog. Eradicating them is as important as preventing them from invading your home. You may have some common questions about these pets, and we have the answers.

What Is the Most Effective Flea Treatment?

Prevention is the most effective treatment, and to prevent fleas, you have to know what your options are. Many of the best flea and tick treatments are flea medicines you can get from your vet. They include a once-a-month meat-flavored chew treat, as well as topical solutions like K9 Advantix II or Frontline Plus.

The most effective treatment for fleas is the one you remember to administer or apply to your dog on a regular basis. If you are a very busy pet owner and tend to forget things, then the best flea and tick protection is one that doesn’t have to be given or applied often. These kinds of “give and forget” treatments are the most convenient for pet owners and include the once a month topicals like Frontline and K-9 Advantix that you only have to apply to the nape of your dog’s neck each month and not worry the rest of the time. 

Another option is the chew treat you give once a month. Dogs are willing to chew it up and swallow it because it tastes just like a dog treat to them. If your dog is still fussy about it, you can hide it in his/her soft food or coat it with gravy to get him/her to consume it. The active ingredients in these chews alter the way a dog’s blood tastes and makes it rather lethal to consume where fleas and ticks are concerned. There are also chews you can give once a week if you want a more frequent means of protection. 

If you have a pregnant cat or dog, then you might want to consider an alternate option for treatment of fleas. Flea tablets for dogs are typically administered daily or weekly and a product like Capstar flea tablets are perfectly safe for pregnant dogs and cats. The tablets are flavorless (according to the packaging), but you might need to force-feed the tablets or disguise them in food to get your pet to take them. 

The tablets usually begin working within thirty minutes of swallowing. The active ingredient is nitenpyram, a nervous system disruptor in fleas and ticks, but a perfectly safe pesticide for your dog or cat. These tablets in particular kill up to ninety percent of adult fleas within a few hours, but you have to treat the animal’s environment and possibly retreat the animal again in a few days to a few weeks to kill them all. 

As for flea collars and sprays, they are not as effective. Most flea collars will only kill fleas close to your dog’s head and neck, leaving the back end of the dog a free-for-all for the fleas. Sprays can kill fleas on contact, but you have to use them daily or twice a day and respray for several days while simultaneously treating your home. 

How Do I Get Rid of Fleas in My House Fast?

Fleas are content to hide out in furniture, rugs, carpeting, and anywhere else where they can avoid being destroyed until your dog is no longer toxic to them. For that reason you need to wash everything, keep it off the floors, keep the dog off the furniture and spray everywhere the dog goes to lay down (including dog beds and the couch). Your absolute best bet is to hire an exterminator that will spray everywhere and kill not just the adult fleas but the nymphs and eggs too. Within one to two professional treatments, the fleas are gone, so long as you continue to treat your pet against fleas. 

What Kills Fleas on Dogs Instantly?

Oral and topical flea control solutions provide near-instant kill results. Some sprays are the fastest, but their effects are short-lived. The tablets, chews, and topical treatments for dogs may take up to four hours, but the efficacy and lasting results are much longer in duration than the sprays. Frontline and Advantix provide some of the fastest kill rates for fleas and ticks; you can even see the pests drop off dead to the floor the minute you apply these flea medications. They are easy to apply too. 

What Is the Best Flea Control for Dogs?

That is a matter of opinion, especially if you are asking your vet’s best suggestion. Factors in play are how fast you want the fleas dead versus how long you want to protect your dog against reinfestation. You can also try a two-edged sword approach whereby you use something to kill the fleas right away and then use something else to ward off fleas for a week or more. This may be a mix of flea sprays, dips, or powders to kill the pests now and then giving an oral tablet, chew, or using a topical that continues to kill for the next month. 

Other factors, such as a dog’s pregnancy or its willingness to take a pill, may affect your decision in what kind of flea and tick prevention to use. If your dog has special health concerns or develops an allergic reaction to a particular kind of flea medication because your dog can’t tolerate the active ingredient, then your vet has to find and suggest an alternative. Most of the options previously mentioned are available over the counter without a prescription and you can find them in most pet stores. If any of them don’t work on your dog or your dog develops skin or other reaction, consult your vet to see what other flea and tick medication you can try next.