Not all topical flea medications are created equal

Welcome to flea season. If you, like so many people, struggle with a flea problem or are just interested in prevention, there are numerous products available on the market. But which one do you choose???

They all look about the same, are applied the same way, so why not choose the least expensive option?

We’re all trying to save money any way we can these days. Unfortunately, flea medications are not the place to do that. In this instance, you get what you pay for.

Frontline has recently gone generic which has led to a flood of fipronil (the active ingredient in Frontline) products on the market. Honestly, I don’t know how these products stack up. Sure, the active ingredient is the same but what about what the fipronil is mixed in to for application? They may be just as good but then again, they may not work at all or, even worse, they could be potentially harmful. I really don’t know. Until more research has been done on these products, my preference is to stick with what I know: Frontline or Frontline Plus.

I still recommend Frontline (or Frontline Plus), Advantix (for dogs only) or Advantage. We no longer carry these medications because they are so widely available over-the-counter and we can’t compete with pricing so we don’t stand to make any more money off of selling these products. And no, I don’t recommend them because the big drug companies have compensated me or successfully bribed me to say so, although I’ll admit they try. It’s because these are the tried and true products that have shown the least likelihood of causing harmful side effects. This does not mean those products have zero potential for side effects so I recommend anyone looking to purchase a flea/tick medication consult their veterinarian prior to making their choice. Always follow labeling instructions for age and weight requirements. And most importantly:

NEVER EVER EVER EVER APPLY TOPICAL FLEA MEDICATIONS LABELED FOR DOGS ONTO A CAT!!!

I cringe when I walk down the flea preventative aisle at pet stores. I dislike and even fear most other over-the-counter topical flea medications that are on the market. Flea collars are basically useless. The “other” spot-on products have been found to have a higher rate of side effects than Frontline, Advantix or Advantage. Side effects of any topical flea preventative may include allergic reaction, vomiting, tremors, seizures, and in some cases, death. Sure, any drug can have potential side effects and in rare cases may even be fatal but I sure hear stories and read studies a lot more about certain drugs/products than others.

Not only that, but some of the “other” topical flea medications contain an ingredient that is known to be deadly to cats: permethrin. While permethrin is present in products labeled for dogs (Advantix included), permethrin is a serious toxin to cats. So much so that I do not recommend using Advantix on dogs in a household where cats live just to be on the safe side. Yes, the likelihood of the cat having problems because you put Advantix on the dog is minimal, but why risk it? We have plenty of other great options.

For those wanting to avoid topical flea medications altogether, there are oral medications on the market as well. The oral medications are prescription-only and, therefore, are not available over-the-counter. Comfortis is a wonderful oral flea medication that kills adult fleas quickly and prevents flea infestations for 30 days. Our newest heartworm/flea preventative, Trifexis, is essentially Comfortis (for flea prevention/control) and Interceptor (a strong heartworm preventative) combined into one pill. I personally prefer the oral flea medications for a few reasons:

1. No issues with timing baths. It doesn’t matter if your pet had a bath five minutes or five months prior to receiving an oral flea preventative whereas the topical medications generally recommend no bath a couple days before or a couple days after dosage application.

2. No messy goop. Particularly for those who have larger breeds of dogs, some of the topical flea medications contain a large volume of oily, messy insecticide. These large volumes are more difficult to apply because you have to spread them out more and they tend to leave a large greasy spot on your pet’s back/neck.

3. No possible exposure to children in the household. (Unless, of course, your child is giving the pill but I don’t recommend that as a chore for the youngsters.) Your children won’t find themselves with hand full of oily chemicals after petting the dog or cat and there’s no “drying time” needed. Even though these products are tested to be safe around people if used properly, to me, (especially when it come to kids or people with allergies) less exposure to extraneous chemicals is better.

For more information about diagnosing a flea infestation and how to properly treat your pet for fleas, see our previous Tip of the Week!