Are you on the market looking for the safest oral flea treatment for dogs that is effective, fast acting and kills fleas on dogs instantly?
Listen, the market today is flustered with endless choices on how to treat fleas from our beloved pets, prevent flea infestation and even get rid of fleas if they are actively biting your pet.
Fleas have been known for making a meal out of their host and an insignificant flea infestation can often escalate into a full-blown whole house flea infested hell where both pets and humans cannot safely live in.
So, if you are on the market looking for the best oral or topical flea treatment, there are key features you must be looking into before you actually buy.
What is the best oral flea treatment for dogs?
If you are looking for the best fast acting oral flea treatment, I recommend Trifexis which is probably one of the best if not leading oral flea preventatives you can buy over the counter.
The one thing to keep in mind is that Trifexis flea treatment like most of the other flea preventative medications are a once a month chewable tablet that has to be administered on the eve of every month from when it was first given to the pet if you want the treatment to continue offering flea protection while also it kills adult fleas, prevents heartworms, hookworms, roundworms and whipworms.
I know that the thought of oral flea treatment can be frightening to many pet mums, but such medications like Trifexis whose chemical compounds are formulated to kill pesky pests like fleas, are approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) for safety oral administration to dogs and cats.
You will find some that are capable of dual-use by killing both fleas and ticks, while others will not kill ticks but fleas. One such medication is Spinosad which only kills adult fleas, and will not kill ticks even if they are actively making a meal out of your pet.
The other best flea treatment you can look into is NexGard.
If you are not a huge fan of Trifexis, you should definitely try out NexGard which is a good option for pet owners concerned about fleas and tick infestation.
How Does Nexgard Work
NexGard for dog fleas is formulated with a potent ingredient known as afoxolaner. Now, if you are new to afoxolaner, it works like a flea and tick sniper which literally targets and obliterates (kills ) all adult fleas before they can overpopulate( lay eggs on their host).
The moment you administer the recommended NexGard dosage ideal for your dog size, age, and weight, Nexgard begins to kill fleas and tick breeds like Lone Star ticks, Black-legged ticks, American dog ticks, and Brown dog ticks.
A real concern for the majority of pet owners is how long does it take for NexGard to take effect from when the pet takes the medication? And if NexGard is safe for pets.
Well, according to published reports, NexGard begins to kill fleas within 6 to 8 hours from administering the medication, while ticks will start to drop off within 48 hours onwards.
The effectiveness of Nexgard to fleas and ticks is also slightly different, so flea protection will last for up to 4-5 weeks actively killing fleas while for ticks its only four weeks maxi.
Depending on how difficult it is to give your dog chewable Nexgard, food may not be needed at all. However, many pet owners will need a little bit of persuasion to get their pets to eat chewable Nexgard hidden inside cheese hunks or something the dog enjoys as a treat!
Once your dog takes the medication, keep an eye on your dog’s coat as it can get wet pretty much immediately after taking NexGard.
Nexgard Side Effects
While Nexgard is a great fit for treating dogs from fleas, the need for flea pills for dogs can sometimes be generalized in such away things go wrong. You find pet owners administer flea meds for adults to puppy dogs which is not advised.
So, to make it clear Nexgard is only formulated to help pet owners eliminate unwanted parasites from dogs.
And to understand the implications of miss using NexGard which also contains Afoxolaner which is a flea adulticide. What that means is that it kills adult fleas and not flea larvae.
With that said, the side effects of NexGard if dogs taking it are not properly evaluated for their dosage requirements, establish whether the dog is pregnant, breeding or lactating dogs, expect these reported side effects which may include:
- Vomiting,
- Itching,
- Diarrhea,
- Lethargy
- Loss/Lack of appetite.
And the other thing to keep in mind is how you use Nexgard on dogs with historical seizures.
Other best options for treating fleas in dogs are:
- Bravecto (Fluralaner) Bravecto (fluralaner) which is a relatively new flea pill that is also enjoying some raving ratings from satisfied users.
- Capstar (Nitenpyram)
- Comfortis (Spinosad)
And for Frontline flea treatment for dogs, you actually have Frontline Plus For Dogs And Frontline For Dogs(standard).
Now many pet owners have a hard time to decide which is the best as the difference between frontline and frontline plus for dogs is clear unless you make an effort to learn how different these two products are.
What is the difference between Frontline and Frontline Plus for dogs?
In short, Frontline Plus is an improved version of the Frontline. While they both are potent dog flea treatments, Frontline plus was built on the back of the standard frontline flea treatment.
Which means a whole lot of improved additional active ingredients like methoprene, which kills the eggs and larvae of fleas and ticks was added.
So, if you are buying dog flea treatment, be aware that Frontline kills only adult fleas and ticks. However, if you want to obliterate both adult fleas, ticks, and flea larvae, you need to buy Frontline Plus which is formulated to eliminates both adult and young fleas and ticks.
Is Frontline the best flea treatment for dogs?
Yes! Frontline the best and most successful topical treatment in killing fleas and ticks on pets. What you will find more comforting is that Frontline is also recommended by vets for both dogs and cats.
This is a huge score for pet owners who have trouble giving oral medication to pets with fleas and ticks.
What are the side effects of Frontline Plus for dogs?
Your pet dog may experience side effects from Frontline Plus for dogs if it is not ideal for them. Though side effects are not common in dogs using Frontline plus for dog flea treatment, those who experience side effects may include:
- Swelling,
- Itching,
- Irritation where the product has been applied
- Excessive salivation,
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite.
In the event that these side effects occur, they are most likely to subside within 24 hours of applying Frontline Plus. However, keep an eye out on your pet and if they persist then you must make sure that contact with your local veterinarian has been made.
Is Frontline Plus safe for dogs?
Yes! Frontline plus for dogs is safe to use for treating dogs with fleas.
The only time I would exercise caution in the case of safety is when the dog being treated with frontline plus for dog fleas:
- Has a history of having seizures,
- The dog is predominantly used for breeding purpose,
- The pet is pregnant or lactating,
- You have both a pet dog and cats living in your home,
- Your dog is nursing little puppies,
- If the dog is an older dog.
There is no secret that the more often both pets and people are exposed to chemicals used to make flea treatments, there will be consequential risks. But what seems to be more prevalent in side effects is only if there is underlying causation for safety concern like seizures.
And when I see this, it clearly explains why many dog owners who were not happy using Frontline plus for dogs often go for natural ways to treat flea and tick solutions.
If you are going to use Frontline for dogs, without a doubt, this is an option after you have considered all noticeable problems, associated with chemical compounds used to formulate flea treatments, but if you feel confident, now is the best time use it on your pets.
What is the safest flea treatment for dogs?
Frontline plus, Petamor and Sentry Fiproguard plus are some of the safest flea treatments for dogs. And the reason why I would choose these brands is that they’re safe for use on pets and around people, simply because of their FDA approval.
With their dual-acting features, it means when you treat your dog with any of these they will kill off adult fleas, larvae and all this is possible with just a single spot-on treatment like Frontline Plus, PetArmor Plus, and Sentry Fiproguard Plus.
All these flea medications use something called insect-growth regulators (IGRs).
Select the right dosage for your pup
As a pet owner, take your time to familiarise yourself with all the different sizes of dogs as they all require different doses of medication.
The good news is that the majority of oral flea treatments actually do come in two varieties:
- For dogs 4-22 pounds,
- For dogs 23+ pounds.
The Spot-on Treatment for fleas on dogs Dosage
The Spot-on treatments generally offer three different doses:
- For dogs 5-22 pounds,
- For dogs 23-44 pounds,
- For dogs 44+ pounds.
If you order your medication on Amazon, you can rest assured that you will be able to select an ideal size of your dog, otherwise ordering elsewhere, make sure to check the box before you buy so you can make sure you’re purchasing the right dose for your dog’s weight.
More reviews for your pup
They say a pet dog is not only for Christmas, rather a long term commitment that goes beyond fleas, ticks, and covert pill administration in pet treats if not hunks of cheese.
Who cares, as long as it gets the job done! So to make sure that you have all the help you need to get stuff out of the way and enjoy the fun parts of being a pet owner.
We have put together some reviews that can become handy in key topics about caring your pet — from dog food to pet insurance — so that you can keep your best furry-friend happy and healthy all the time.
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