However meticulously clean we try to be, as children get lice, so will our dogs get fleas. They are an extremely common occurrence, and the only way to keep them at bay is to administer the best flea treatment for dogs on a regular basis. Fleas are particularly prevalent from spring to autumn, but they are present all year round, and cause infestations and diseases that can be harmful not only to the dog but the rest of the household.
There are a wide variety of different flea treatments available, and in a range of formats. There are sprays, topical formulas, collars, oral treatments and even herbal remedies. Many of the treatments also deal with ticks and worms. Your vet is likely to have a favoured system, and will be able to advise on what may be suitable for your dog.
Bear in mind that if your dog does get fleas, the likelihood is that around 95% of flea and egg larvae will be living in the environment rather than on your pet. This means you have to treat your home as well as the dog, otherwise the cycle will start again and the infestation will keep returning.
Best flea treatment options for dogs
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
Frontline Plus Flea & Tick Treatment
Application: Topical by pipette | Sizes: S (for 2–10kg), M (10–20kg), L (20–40kg) or XL (40–60kg) | Frequency: Four-weekly | Active ingredients: Fipronil + Methoprene | RRP: From £41.40 |
Frontline Plus is an advanced “vet-strength” formula. Fleas are killed within 24 hours and ticks within 48 hours. Unlike some flea treatments, Frontline Plus not only kills fleas, but also their eggs and larvae, stopping their eggs from hatching and infesting the home.
Apply by emptying one pipette on to the dog’s skin at the base of the neck and it will spread over their whole coat.
Application: Oral by tablet | Sizes: Up to 11kg or over 11kg | Frequency: Maximum one tablet per day | Active ingredients: Nitenpyram | RRP: £20.99 for 6 tablets |
These tablets are a daily treatment to deal with an infestation and administered to kill any adult fleas present. Fleas will start to die after 15 minutes and all be dead within 24 hours. Depending on the severity of the infestation, you may need to treat your dog daily or every other day to control the fleas.
As fleas jump around, it is advisable to use some other form of flea control, such an insecticidal spray in the house. To prevent reinfestation, a suitable treatment to control the immature stages of the flea life cycle is necessary.
Application: Collar | Sizes: Up to 8kg or 8–120kg | Frequency: Every 7–8 months | Active ingredients: Imidacloprid + Flumethrin | RRP: £34.99 |
One way to avoid the monthly flea treatment is with a collar. The Seresto flea collar is designed to protect your dog for up to eight months in a single application. It releases its active ingredients at a slow and steady rate, repelling and killing fleas and ticks. Added advantages are no mess, grease or odour.
Application: Topical by pipette | Sizes: Small (<4kg), medium (4–10kg), large (10–25kg) or extra large (25–40kg) | Frequency: Every four weeks | Active ingredients: Imidacloprid | RRP: From £11.70 |
This vet-recommended flea treatment kills fleas and biting lice through contact, and starts working within a day of applying. It is also a flea prevention, and needs to be applied every four weeks to keep the pests at bay.
Application: Spray | Size: 500ml | Frequency: Use daily or as needed | Active ingredients: Clove oil, eucalyptus, citriodiol, peppermint oil | RRP: £9.99 |
This spray, made from plant-based ingredients, is formulated to wash away blood-sucking pests such as fleas, ticks and mites, providing long-lasting pest control without harsh chemicals. Whether fighting an active infestation, or applying for routine prevention, this spray is effective against pests, while being gentle enough to use around the family home. It can be applied directly on to the dog’s coat (12 weeks plus), as well as all the surfaces in the home.
It has proven protection against the entire life cycle from egg to adult flea.
Application: Home fumigation | Frequency: One application lasts up to three months | Active ingredients: Permethrin | RRP: £6.49 |
If your dog has suffered a flea infestation, you have to get rid of every part of the life cycle within your home or the problem will never go away. This flea bomb provides a convenient, powerful and easy flea control system. Each bomb treats a room up to 36 cubic metres and has an immediate knockdown effect, killing fleas instantly.
It is 100% safe for use around animals. However, during the time of the treatment, animals should be kept away. The room is treated for two hours with all the doors and windows closed, after which time it should be ventilated for 30 minutes before people and animals can come back in.
It should be used in conjunction with products to tackle infestations on the dog itself, such as Bob Martin’s flea tablets, spot on treatment, or collar.
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Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.
