🛡️ Vet Guide 2025: Flea & Tick Products for Dogs – Full Comparison Chart 🐶

By Dr Duncan Houston, BVSc

Protecting your dog from fleas and ticks is essential for health, comfort, and disease prevention. With so many choices—chewables, topicals, collars—it can be overwhelming to know what’s best for your pup. This 2025 vet-reviewed chart compares the leading flea and tick medications for dogs by ingredient, dosage, age, safety, and more. 🐾

💊 Oral/Systemic Flea and Tick Medications for Dogs

🔹 Fast-Acting Tablets

• Capstar / CapGuard / Capaction (Nitenpyram) – Works within 30 minutes; kills adult fleas; safe for dogs 4+ weeks and 2+ lbs; can be given daily

🔹 Monthly Chewables

• Bravecto (Fluralaner) – 12-week protection (8 weeks for some ticks); 6+ months, 4.4+ lbs
• Credelio (Lotilaner) – Monthly; fleas and multiple ticks; 8+ weeks, 4.4+ lbs
• Comfortis (Spinosad) – Monthly flea-only chewable; 14+ weeks
• Simparica (Sarolaner) – Monthly; fleas + 5 tick species; 6+ months, 2.8+ lbs
• Nexgard (Afoxolaner) – Monthly; multiple tick species; 8+ weeks, 4+ lbs
• Trifexis (Spinosad + Milbemycin) – Monthly; fleas + heartworm + GI worms; 8+ weeks, 5+ lbs

🔹 Lifecycle Interrupters (Non-Adulticidal)

• Program (Lufenuron) – Breaks flea lifecycle; does not kill adults; 4+ weeks
• Sentinel / Sentinel Spectrum – Adds GI and heartworm control; monthly

🧴 Topical (Spot-On) Products

🔹 Fleas + Ticks

• Bravecto Spot-on (Fluralaner) – 12-week protection; ticks/fleas; 6+ months
• Certifect – Multiple ticks + sarcoptic mites + lice; NOT for cats
• Effipro Plus / Effitix – Kills ticks and lice; contains fipronil or permethrin (NOT for cats)
• Frontline Plus / Frontline Gold / Tritak – Kills fleas and all major tick species
• K9 Advantix II – Broad-spectrum; also repels flies and mosquitoes (Permethrin = NOT for cats)
• Vectra 3D – Fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, lice, and flies; monthly

🔹 Flea-Specific Topicals

• Activyl Tick Plus – Kills fleas and ticks (Permethrin: NOT for cats)
• Advantage / Advantage II – Kills fleas + larvae; waterproof
• Advantage Multi – Also covers internal parasites and heartworm
• Combiva II / Cross Block / Para Defense / Provecta – Similar to Advantage II
• Revolution (Selamectin) – Kills fleas, ticks, mites, and prevents heartworm

🧣 Flea & Tick Collars

• Seresto (Bayer) – 8-month protection against fleas, ticks, lice, and sarcoptic mites; waterproof
• Scalibor (Merck) – 6-month tick and flea collar; NOT for cats
• Preventic (Virbac) – Tick-only collar; 3 months; no flea protection

⚠️ Important Safety Notes

• 🚫 Do NOT use dog products on cats. Permethrin-containing products are especially dangerous.
• 🧬 Breeding, pregnant, and nursing animals: consult your vet before using any product
• 🐾 Watch for side effects: vomiting, tremors, itching, or lethargy warrant vet attention
• 💦 Topical products are water-resistant, but frequent bathing/swimming may reduce efficacy

📲 Not Sure What to Use? Ask A Vet

Choosing the right product for your dog can be confusing. With AskAVet.com, you can get expert help 24/7 to find the safest, most effective option for your pup. 🩺

Use the Ask A Vet App to:

• 📸 Send pictures of packaging or suspected reactions
• 💬 Chat with a vet about your dog’s health and lifestyle needs
• 📅 Get monthly reminders and dosing support

Flea and tick protection isn’t optional—it’s a year-round responsibility. 🐶📱

📝 Final Thoughts

Whether you prefer a chewable, a collar, or a spot-on, there’s a reliable flea and tick solution for every dog. Be sure to match the product to your dog’s age, weight, and health status—and never mix up your cat and dog treatments. For personalized advice or urgent concerns, Ask A Vet is here to help anytime. 🛡️