Flea-Control Shampoo

Flea-control shampoos

As stated above, the only anti-flea product (besides topical and internal medications) that still has some currency among pet experts and owners is flea shampoo. While flea collars, flea dips and anti-flea sprays have become increasingly taboo, the same isn't the case for flea shampoos, which many experts seem to regard as a harmless (and occasionally even effective) way to control fleas in pets.

There are two catches here, though. First, the fact is that pretty much any shampoo, when kept lathered on a pet's fur for ten minutes, will kill any adult fleas (that is, if they haven't drowned first). Second, a flea shampoo will do nothing to kill flea eggs, or prevent re-infestation the very next day.

Still, there are a fair number of flea shampoos out there (which usually also promise to kill ticks). One brand that pops up repeatedly on review sites is Adams Flea & Tick Shampoo (*Est. $12 for 12 ounces) . Owners say this shampoo not only kills fleas, ticks and lice, but leaves the pet's coat shiny and odor-free. We were especially impressed by a lengthy, thorough review of this product on Epinions. Even its adherents don't claim that Adams is a long-term solution, but as far as we can tell, there's no harm using it in conjunction with the flea-control medications described above.