Flea Control: Reviews

Veterinarians and pet experts overwhelmingly recommend topical medications for short-term flea control -- and Advantage for Dogs & Puppies is cited most often in expert reviews. This vet-prescribed ointment is applied… once a month on the skin between your dog's shoulder blades, and kills most fleas within 12 hours, preventing re-infestations for four weeks at a time (it will still work after shampoos, baths or exposure to rain or sun). It's available in formulations for dogs under 10 pounds, 11 to 20 pounds, 21 to 55 pounds and over 55 pounds. Although Advantage is available for cats, we found more reviews recommending Revolution.

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For cats as well as dogs, topical flea control medications are recommended more often by veterinarians and pet experts than any other measure for short-term flea control. Although Advantage and Frontline receive some… mentions, we found convincing reviews to the effect that the prescription Revolution is best for cats, since it not only suppresses fleas but also heartworm, ear mites, hookworm and roundworm. Revolution is applied once monthly to the area between the cat's shoulder blades, and will kill fleas (and prevent re-infestations) for four weeks at a time regardless of shampoos, baths or exposure to rain or sun.

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Topical medications like Advantage and Revolution kill adult fleas and prevent re-infestation, while internal medicines cause a pet's skin to secrete a substance that inhibits the development of flea eggs. So giving… Sentinel Flavor Tabs to your dog won't kill adult fleas, but it will keep it from acquiring fleas on a month-to-month basis. We found that more experts recommend prescription Sentinel for dogs, partly because this medication also controls heartworm, hookworm, roundworm and whipworm. The main advantage of oral over topical flea medications is that they don't constantly expose dogs (or people) to insecticide, and they're better for long-term flea control.

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Like Sentinel for dogs, Program works by causing a cat's skin to secrete a substance that inhibits the development of flea eggs. This medication is available in either pill or suspension (liquid) form; the suspension is… slightly more expensive, but easier to administer. While it's not technically a prescription product, Program is stocked mostly by veterinarians. Like Sentinel, the main advantage of Program over topical medications like Revolution is that it doesn't expose cats (or their owners) to insecticide, and Program can be used over long periods of time.

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As a rule, pet experts say practically any shampoo will kill fleas when it's kept lathered on a pet's fur for ten minutes. That said, we found a few favorable reviews of Adams Flea & Tick shampoo from pet owners and… experts, who say it not only kills fleas, ticks and lice but leaves the pet's coat shiny and odor-free.

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