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The 8 Best Flea and Tick Prevention Products for Dogs in 2021

k9 advantix dog price medications online homelabvet shop

Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products.

Our Top Picks

“These flea prevention soft chews are delivered through your dog’s bloodstream to kill ticks and fleas before they can lay eggs.”
“Offering up to 12 weeks of protection against fleas and ticks, this chew is available for both large and small breeds, 6 months and older.”
Just one application a month provides protection against fleas and heartworms.

 Flea and Tick Collars

These collars are treated with medication that releases slowly over the course of several months, meaning you only have to replace them a few times a year
Kills fleas, flea larvae, flea eggs, ticks, and mosquitoes on contact.
“Applied every 30 days, this topical kills fleas, flea eggs, flea larvae and ticks including the ones that carry lyme disease.”
“This waterproof topical treatment gives long-lasting protection for a full 30 days, killing fleas and ticks.”
“Working for up to 30 days to kill fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes on contact, this treatment can be used safely on dogs as young as seven weeks.”

Particularly if your pup spends a lot of time outdoors, it’s important to make sure that they’re protected from fleas and ticks (and the various diseases that they carry). But flea and tick prevention products aren’t just important for your dog’s comfort and health—they can also prevent you and your family from getting Lyme disease or another tick-borne illness.

From pills and chews to ointments and shampoos, there are plenty of options to choose from to keep your dog healthy. However, regardless of which tick prevention product you choose, you should still check your dog for ticks after time outdoors.

Read on for the most effective options on the market today.

nexgard chewebles afoxolaner

Your pup will like NexGard as much as you do because each month he’ll get his medicine as a tasty beef-flavored treat. From there, the main ingredient afoxolaner kicks in to kill fleas before they’ve had a chance to lay eggs, and ticks, including the Lone Star, black-legged, American dog, and brown dog varieties. Nexgard is also FDA-approved to help prevent infections that cause Lyme disease. In addition to effectiveness, because the drug is delivered through your pup’s bloodstream, other benefits include that your dog can get wet immediately and it’s safe for other pets and young children in your household.

You can buy it HERE.

bravecto

An oral chew is a particularly good option for breeds with thick or long coats (including collies and Shih Tzus), where topicals are harder to apply correctly and collars may not be as effective. Each of Bravecto’s prescription-only chews provides up to 12 weeks of protection against fleas and ticks, and starts to kill fleas in just two hours. They control four tick species: black-legged ticks, American dog ticks, brown dog ticks, and Lone Star ticks. If Lone Star ticks are a concern where you live, you may want to give your pet a chew every eight weeks.

The one downside to chews is that they don’t kill parasites on contact, rather your dog must get bitten first. If Lyme disease is prevalent in your area, you should talk to your vet about having your dog vaccinated.

You can buy it HERE.

Americans choice: Revolution (Stronghold) by Zoetis

revolution-plus stronghold

No matter how big or small, our dogs need our help to protect them from parasites. REVOLUTION (selamectin) provides that help. Just one application a month provides protection against fleas and heartworms, treats and controls ear mites and sarcoptic mange, and controls ticks infestations due to American dog ticks. REVOLUTION can treat puppies as young as 6 weeks, and is available in sizes to treat dogs up to 130 lbs with one simple monthly dose.

You can buy it HERE.

Flea and Tick Collars – Seresto/Foresto by Bayer

seresto by bayer

If you’re looking for a way to keep fleas off your dog, flea collars are a popular choice, as they’re extremely convenient to use. These collars are treated with medication that releases slowly over the course of several months, meaning you only have to replace them a few times a year, and they’re also less messy to apply than topical flea and tick treatments.

Most flea collars for dogs contain insecticides, which can pose risks to your family and other pets, so it’s important to carefully research the ingredients of these products before buying.

You can buy it HERE.

 Vet’s Best Flea & Tick Pet & Home Spray 

frontline-spray fipronil

Kills fleas, flea larvae, flea eggs, ticks, and mosquitoes on contact. When spraying your dog, be sure not to miss their armpits and in between their toes, two favorite hiding spots of parasites. It takes some trial and error to figure out how often you should spray your dog—some owners report spraying dogs daily at the start and then paring it back to weekly. You’ll also need to reapply if your dog gets wet.

You can buy it HERE.

Best for Small Dogs: Fipren (Sentry Fiproguard Plus analog)

Sentry Fiproguard Plus analog fipronil

Fipren is a fast-acting, long-lasting squeeze-on formula made to help protect your canine companion against dangerous pests. It’s formulated to kill fleas, flea eggs, flea larvae, ticks and chewing lice for up to 30 days. By killing flea eggs and larvae, this treatment helps break the flea life cycle. It also helps kill ticks that may transmit Lyme disease, providing your pup with even greater protection! This squeeze-on solution is waterproof, long lasting, fast acting and is intended to be used on dogs who are 8 weeks of age and older, weighing 5 to 22 pounds.

You can buy it HERE.

Fypryst FIPRONIL Frontline Plus Drops Treatment for Dogs 88 lbs image

This topical flea and tick treatment contains fipronil, which kills adult fleas and ticks, and (S)-methoprene to flea eggs and larvae. After you snap open the tube and apply the formula to your dog’s shoulder blades and back, it’s stored in the oil glands to give long-lasting protection for a full 30 days. Your dog should stay dry for at least 48 hours, but after that it’s waterproof and safe around young children. Frontline has been around for 20+ years and is recommended by many vets. The large variety is intended for dogs 45 to 88 pounds.

You can buy it HERE.

k9 advantix dog price medications online homelabvet shop

Not all flea and tick treatments are recommended for puppies, so it’s important to check with your vet first before purchasing one. K9 Advantix can be safely used on dogs as young as seven weeks and the small dog variety is made for dogs that weigh between 4 to 10 pounds. The topical works for 30 days and kills on contact, which means fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes don’t have to bite your pup for it to be effective. It starts killing fleas in 12 hours after application.

You can buy it HERE.

Final Verdict

Our best overall pick is the NexGard Soft Chew for Dogs (Homelabvet.com), which is as tasty as your pup’s favorite treat and works well to kill fleas before they’ve had a chance to spread infection.