There are a number of medications for prevention of dog fleas. Most of these treatments are also useful for eradication of fleas, if a dog already has fleas.

Preventative measures are much better than treatment after getting infected with fleas.

If you live in an area that is prone to flea-borne diseases, or an area that frequently has fleas, it is really important to keep your dog up-to-date with flea (and tick) treatment (see table of Common Flea and Tick Treatments).

A few minutes, once a month, applying a flea product is a lot easier than getting rid of a flea infestation. If the fleas are just on your dog, there are sprays that will kill the fleas. However, if you don’t notice the fleas immediately, they will be on the dog’s bed, in the carpet wherever your dog has been. If your house becomes infested with fleas, they can be hard to get rid of.

Fleas are one of the intermediate hosts of tapeworms. Preventing and eliminating fleas will help reduce the risk and spread of tapeworm infections in dogs.

Products For Prevention of Dog Fleas

Pick a product that is optimal for your pet and location

In addition to fleas, many products are effective against one or more other dog pests such as ticks, mites and tapeworms. Either do your research, or talk to your vet about which products might be best for your dog and the area that you live in.

Always follow the product directions. Dogs can get sick or even die due to improper use of flea and tick products. More is not better.

• Use the correct dose for the weight of your dog
• Follow the instructions
• Apply in the correct location(s)
• For young puppies, pregnant dogs and old dogs, use a product approved for the relevant age or reproductive state
• Handle with care; the active ingredients are pesticides

 

For more information about using flea and tick medications see the blog post Are flea and tick medications making your dog sick?

When to apply flea medications

Usually flea and tick medications are applied year round in climates that do not have severe freezes in the winter. In climates that have below freezing temperatures most days during the winter, often the medication is not applied during the month coldest months of the winter.

Common Products

For full details of common flea treatments, type of application, which other pests they kill, and frequency, see the Table of Common Flea and Tick Treatments.

Many flea (and tick) products do not need a prescription, but some that do include Revolution and Sentinel.

Spot On Products

Most of these products are liquids that are spotted on the back (Frontline Plus, Frontline, Top Spot, K9 Advantix, Advantage, Biospot, Promeris). The reason most products are spotted on the back is that a dog cannot reach the area. When the product has just been applied there is a high concentration of the insecticide and licking the area and swallowing the product can be harmful to your dog. The products are made for use on skin and to spread on the skin. When they have spread on the skin there is just a very low concentration on any areas the dog may lick.

The products that do require a prescription, are those that also are effective against heartworm (Advantage Multi, Revolution, Sentinel) and contain spinosad (Comfortis).

Collar Products

Another way to control ticks is for the dog to wear a flea collar. These usually last for many months.

When handling a new collar it is best to wear gloves since there is several months worth of pesticide impregnated into the collar. Do not allow children to play with the collar.

Monthly Tablets

There are several monthly tablets available, most of which require a prescription.

Capstar

Capstar is a tablet that is given daily. It is useful for situation where a dog may be temporarily exposed to fleas, such as boarding at a kennel, or on vacation.

Sprays

There are a number of spray products available. Most of these are intended for use on a dog that has a flea (or tick) infestation. Frontline spray is a once per month treatment. If you decide to use this be very careful, since you are spraying pesticide. Be careful not to get the spray on your skin or in your dog’s eye, nose or mouth. Read and follow the instructions carefully.

Elimination of Dog Fleas

The faster that fleas are detected the easier it is to eliminate them.

On detecting fleas, treat your dog immediately.

It is important to immediately treat your dog (and any other animals that you have) with medications that will stop the dog being a food source and help breaking the Flea Lifecycle.

As described in Dog Flea Lifecycle, eggs may lodge in bedding, carpet, floor boards, soil, dog house etc. so flea control measures need to include everywhere your dog goes and has been recently.

Which Dog Flea Treatments?

Most flea treatments are effective for treatment of fleas as well as elimination. See Table of Common Flea and Tick Treatments . Some products will kill just kill adult fleas, others will also stop the development of larvae and eggs. Those that kill eggs, larvae and adults will help eliminate fleas faster.

If your dog has lots of fleas, a dip, spray or flea shampoo can be used as a first step in eliminating fleas. Most shampoos will only protect the dog for a day or two, but will give your dog short relief. It is perhaps, not a good idea to use any long lasting shampoo, dip or spray in addition to other treatments. There is the risk of overdosing a dog and making them sick. See Are flea and tick medications making your dog sick?

Treatment of Flea Allergies (flea dermatitis)

Many dogs have an allergic reaction to flea bites. See Treatment of dog allergies to see which treatments are available and are suitable for your dog.

Once your dog is treated, use them as a flea magnet

It may sound counterintuitive, but it may be better to let your dog go wherever there are likely to be fleas in the house. Once your dog has been treated, fleas that land on your dog are not going to survive and not lay eggs. Your dog can act as a “flea magnet” and will help reduce the time it takes to eliminate fleas form your house.

Measures to eliminate fleas from the house

Frequent vacuum cleaning, washing bedding several times in hot water, putting pillows and other non-washable things in the freezer for a day every so often, will all contribute to eliminating dog fleas.

Repeated treatment is usually necessary

The time to a new generation of fleas can be anywhere from about 2 weeks to longer than a year. The length of time depends most on humidity and at least moderate temperatures, but there are other factors. The length of the lifecycle means that elimination measures must be repeated intervals to rid the house of fleas.

Bombing the house may eliminate them, though this deposits insecticide over the room/house. Make sure that the product instructions are followed. Sometimes professional extermination may be necessary.

Fleas will usually prefer to bite your dog rather than you. However, if there are lots of fleas and/or your dog is absent for a period of time, they may bite you. If your dog sleeps on your bed, you may wake up with bites.

 
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See also Flea Lifecycle