Flea Control Reviews

Perhaps because they're mostly prescribed or dispensed by veterinarians, we found the most thorough reviews of flea control products at veterinary websites like DrLarryPetVet.com, PlacervilleVet.com, Main Street Pet Care and the online pharmacy 1-800-PetMeds. However, the top-rated source in our All Reviews chart is Helium.com, where 20 authors -- ranging from pet owners to pet experts to veterinarians -- post essays on the subject of "the best products for getting rid of fleas." We also found some useful flea-control information at general websites like About.com, Yahoo! Answers and All-Pets-Info.com.

Unfortunately, because veterinarians are the gatekeepers for most flea control medications, we found online retail and opinion sites -- where owners post comments about various products -- less useful here than for other pet categories. Still, we've included Petco.com, PetSmart.com and Epinions in our reviews chart, because the limited number of reviews here shed some light on the most effective (and the most ineffective) methods of flea control.

When it comes to flea control, there's a huge gap between what unsuspecting pet owners believe will work, and what veterinarians and dog and cat experts know will work. If you prowl the Internet (or your average chain pet store), you'll find all sorts of products -- shampoos, dips, sprays, collars -- that promise to eradicate or prevent fleas, but that quickly prove disappointing or even harmful (as witnessed by the negative comments about some of these products on review sites).

An April 2007 piece from Texas Farm News puts it best. Says veterinarian Bob Judd, "The first thing most people think of when they think of flea control is to get a flea collar. Unfortunately, flea collars are basically useless in most dogs and cats. They do not provide enough coverage to kill or repel fleas; in our practice we see many pets loaded with fleas that are wearing new flea collars." Judd goes on to criticize flea shampoos -- which will rid a pet of adult fleas, but will not prevent re-infestations -- and adds that "many sprays, powders, and dips are still available for flea control but unfortunately they do not last long enough to be effective."  ... Continued

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

Most recommendations for flea-control medications such as Advantage, Frontline, Revolution, Sentinel and Program come from veterinary websites. Advantage is also cited frequently by pet owners and non-vet experts. Although the Preventic Flea & Tick collar earns some recommendations, we haven't included it in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers because it is no longer available. Other flea collars aren't recommended.