What is the best flea preventative for dogs?

Fleas and ticks are year-round parasites prevalent throughout most of the U.S., and with them come discomfort and diseases such as anemia, Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Fleas and ticks carry diseases that are much easier to prevent than treat, especially ticks, says Stephanie Howe, DVM, a veterinarian at Chewy. Our veterinarian panel rounded up their top choices for best flea and tick medications based on their clinical observations, effectiveness of the product on patients, safety, cost, and other contributing factors. When selecting the right flea and tick preventative for your pup, it’s important to chat with your vet first to determine what makes sense based on their age and health. Your vet can also help you find the best flea and tick preventative depending on your dog’s lifestyle and whether a capsule, chew, or topical preventative would be better suited. Some flea and tick options also offer additional benefits, such as protection against heartworms or hookworms. Your dog should also be on a routine heartworm preventative to protect against heartworm disease—especially if it’s not included in their flea and tick preventative. Keep in mind, flea and tick preventatives for dogs only work when given on time, and when following the manufacturer’s directions on dosing.

From spot-on dog flea treatments to flea tablets, browse our range of dog flea and worming treatments below. Protecting your pet from fleas is an important part of caring for your pet and prevents infestations on both your pet and in your home. All of our products are approved by PDSA vets so you can have peace of mind knowing that you are buying the very best for your pet. If you're fighting an infestation in the home, shop our flea spray to stop the spread of fleas.

Spot-on flea treatments are usually liquid and applied to the skin, typically between the shoulder blades or along the back. These treatments contain insecticides that are absorbed into the dog's body through the skin, entering the bloodstream - when fleas come into contact with the treated area, they are killed or repelled. Some spot-on treatments also have additional ingredients to prevent flea eggs from hatching, such as Frontline Plus. Flea tablets, also known as oral flea medications, are ingested by the dog. These tablets contain chemicals that are absorbed into the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body. When fleas bite the dog, they are exposed to these chemicals, which either kill the fleas directly or disrupt their life cycle, preventing them from reproducing. Dog oral flea tablets provide systemic protection against fleas and can be an effective option for controlling infestations.