The Best Flea Pills for Dogs
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Preventing the appearance of parasites in dogs isn’t an easy task. If you want to find the best flea pills for dogs, it may take you some time to find one. You only have to enter the web and browse for a few minutes to see that there are countless options.
How can you know then which one is the best? In this space, we’ll make some suggestions so that you can make the best possible decision. When it comes to fleas, it’s important to be prepared, as flea infestations are difficult to eradicate. Don’t miss this article!
The effectiveness of oral flea control treatment
In 2014, the first oral flea control tablet was launched on the market. These days, there are many more, but at that time an important step was taken in the treatment and prevention of external parasites. Some of the most important advantages of tablets over pipettes and collars are the following:
- They’re easy and convenient to administer: The tablets are usually chewable and have a good taste (or are tasteless), so the dog takes them without any problem.
- They have curative and preventive action: If the dog has fleas, the tablet will eliminate them in a matter of hours. In addition, the effect lasts for 1-3 months, depending on the brand.
- Fast effect: The active ingredient reaches its peak in the blood 24 hours after administration, but the fleas start to die within 8 hours. With these times, moreover, the parasites don’t lay eggs on the dog.
- The animal can be bathed days before and after the treatment, unlike with pipettes.
- The tablets are safe for puppies from 8 weeks of age and 2 kilograms of weight, as well as for lactating and pregnant bitches.
As you can see, using flea pills to eradicate this pest is a fairly effective and safe method. However, if you opt for a specific flea drug, remember that you must also protect your dog against other parasites, both external and internal.
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What’s the best flea pill for dogs?
Now that you know the advantages of oral treatment, you’re probably wondering which of the thousands of brands that exist is the most suitable for your dog. Below you can explore the best-known flea pills and select the most effective, so don’t miss it.
Nexgard tablets
The active ingredient of these tablets is afoxolaner, an insecticide within the group of isoxazolines. Although it’s effective, this drug is only indicated for when the animal is already suffering from an infestation, as the parasites have to feed on the dog’s blood to ingest the active ingredient that kills them.
However, this drug also has an effect after administration, as it protects against fleas and ticks for 5 weeks afterwards. The effect starts 8 hours after ingestion.
Bravecto tablets
This brand uses a different active ingredient, fluralaner, which also belongs to the isoxazoline class of insecticides. Bravecto tablets work in the same way as the previous ones and the fleas need to be already attached to the dog. However, their action is longer lasting, as they have an antiparasitic effect for 12 weeks after administration.
Lufenuron
Depending on the characteristics of the infestation, efforts may have to be focused on one of the stages of the flea’s life cycle. This is the case of lufenuron, an active ingredient that focuses its action on flea larvae, leaving the adults intact. It’s an effective method to prevent infestations from spreading over time.
Nitenpyram
This may be the best flea pill for dogs when you need to get rid of a severe infestation. Nitenpyram is a fast-acting insecticide, but has no subsequent preventive effect, so it’ll be up to the veterinarian to decide if it’s a good idea to use it on a case-by-case basis.
Spinosad
This active ingredient kills adult fleas by attacking their nervous system. However, it leaves eggs and larvae as well as other parasites intact. Spinosad is a naturally occurring insecticide obtained by fermentation of the bacterium Saccharopolyspora spinosa.
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Other options to fight fleas
If, after all this information, you still have some questions or aren’t convinced by any of the options, then have a chat with your vet, as they are the best person to choose the best flea pills for your dog. This professional has the necessary knowledge to select a treatment according to the weight, lifestyle, and environment your pet moves in.
On the other hand, many people look for home remedies to complement flea treatments, which should be consulted with a professional before making and using them. Others opt for animal cruelty-free medications or natural ingredients. Whatever your choice, make sure your canine is properly protected against parasites of any kind.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Snyder, D. E., Meyer, J., Zimmermann, A. G., Qiao, M., Gissendanner, S. J., Cruthers, L. R., … & Young, D. R. (2007). Preliminary studies on the effectiveness of the novel pulicide, spinosad, for the treatment and control of fleas on dogs. Veterinary parasitology, 150(4), 345-351.
- Hink, W. F., Zakson, M., & Barnett, S. (1994). Evaluation of a single oral dose of lufenuron to control flea infestations in dogs. American journal of veterinary research, 55(6), 822-824.
This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.