Flea Preventative Medications: Oral vs. Topical

Fleas are not only a source of irritation and frustration, but they also pose a serious health threat to animals. These tiny external parasites can carry a variety of diseases, including bubonic plague, and severe infestations may cause deadly levels of blood loss in very small or young pets, according to national animal welfare organizations. Owners must therefore employ every preventative measure to keep these creatures off of their beloved pets, including the use of topical or oral medications.

The first line of defense is prevention. Prevention can be as simple as removing fleas and their eggs from your household by cleaning, vacuuming, and applying pet-safe pesticides to the yard. Keeping your grass mowed and removing excess sources of shade can rob fleas of their preferred environmental conditions, discouraging them from breeding in the yard. But no matter how scrupulously you keep your indoor and outdoor environments under control, at some point your pet is likely to need some form of flea treatment. These treatments may take topical ("spot-on") or oral forms.

Topical Medications

Topical or "spot-on" flea treatments are readily accessible to pet owners. These products can be highly effective at eliminating flea infestations or preventing new ones from occurring. Veterinary organizations point out, however, that while approved flea preventatives are generally considered safe, owners must follow the instructions on the label with great care to prevent a possible toxic or otherwise adverse reaction to the chemicals in the product. Animal welfare organizations also warn owners never to give cat flea treatments to their dogs or vice versa, because the results could prove fatal.

Oral Medications

Oral flea medications also have their pros and cons. In addition to topical treatments widely available, veterinary clinics also prescribe oral products such as Comfortis. Typically, regular monthly doses of such drugs aim to kill fleas before they have a chance to lay eggs, stopping infestations before they start. You may find that the oral delivery method creates less of a mess than the topical route, while also eliminating concerns over skin reactions to the active ingredients. But oral medications may also cost more than topical treatments, and prescriptions will need to be refilled regularly to maintain constant protection.

Sources:

AVMA, “Flea and Tick Treatments: EPA’s Investigation of Spot-On.”

Comfortis, “Controlling Fleas in Your Home.”

Cruz, Bernadine, DVM; Mesenhowski, Shannon, DVM, “Save Use of Flea and Tick Preventative Products.” AVMA, Dec 2012.

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TESTIMONIALS

  • "Foofie Poochies is a excellent grooming salon. The shop is very clean, Dogs are well taken care of. I have been taking my dogs there for over 8 years. The owner makes sure all dogs are up to date on shots, is very comforting to your dog when it enters to take away any fears you or your pet has, this I have seen first hand many times. They will make you aware of anything they suspect on your pet. My dog had a tick once and the owner even gave me the tick in the bag in case I wanted to have it checked. I have recommended friends to Foofie Poochies because I feel they are a very good grooming salon and are knowledgeable in grooming any type of dog. Also, if your dog has a health issue, the owner is extremely considerate in working with your pet, I have a dog with a health issue and she watches my buddy very closely making sure he is ok. One thing, they do stress you honor your appointment or at least let them know in a timely manner if you have to cancel. I trust them completely!"
    Tawny K (August,2023)
  • "Best groomer in Hoboken! We have been taking our two maltipoos here since we moved to the area 6+ months ago and Doreen does such an amazing job with both of them! She is very patient with both as one gets nervous at the groomer and the other is full of high energy (and I imagine she is difficult to keep still for grooming). They always look so good and smell amazing after! Doreen is always so nice and happy to see our pups. They love her and the sweet treats she gives! She offers a lot of different services that are affordable and never has long booking waits. Highly recommend taking your dog here!"
    Annabeth Canfield (July, 2023)
  • "Only groomers I trust my dog with been going here for years. Love the new location"
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  • "The best grooming salon in town!!"
    MARILYN F. (April,2023)
  • "Doreen took amazing care of my 10 month old puppy! He came home smelling great and looking clean! Doreen was extremely professional, quick to respond, knowledgeable, and very nice. We will definitely be back!"
    LAUREN C. (December, 2022)
  • "I have been using Foofies Poochies for close to 8 years ,my entire family has their fur babies groomed by Doreen.You will not find a more compassionate ,professional groomer anywhere else.I know she treats my fur baby like its her own and always feel secure leaving him there !!"
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  • "My boys Dexter (cockapuggle) & Milo (Kashon) love it here & so do I. The groomers are so sweet and patient with my dogs. I've been coming here for about a year after bad experiences with other places. I've only had great experience with Foofie Poochies. They are excellent. I've recommended them to family and friends for their furry babies and they also love it here."
    JOAN T. (3/1/2017)
  • "Zonti always nervous when i take him to groomers but with them he is more relaxed he loves them he comes out smelling great and looking so handsome they are sweet and do a great job ...Highly recommend"
    JAS Z. (2/25/2017)
  • "King has been going to Doreen since he was a puppy! he's almost 3 now! She always leaves him looking like a million bucks! I Love that we found such a clean nice shop!! "Auntie Doreen" is the best!"
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