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Looking For The Best Flea Tick and Mosquito Prevention for Dogs?
Here’s a look at our favorites, including our top pick – K9 Advantix II Flea, Tick and Mosquito Prevention.
#1 Best Flea Tick and Mosquito Prevention for Dogs
Fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes can be a major source of irritation for dogs that always leads to excessive itching and scratching. Most cases don’t progress farther than that, but sometimes these pests can lead to hair loss, anemia, allergic reactions, and disease. If the fleas and ticks are accidentally ingested by your dog, they can also lead to stomach worms.
Fortunately, it’s pretty simple to protect your dog against fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes, and hopefully avoid any of the irritation, discomfort, and sickness that tends to follow.
What to look for in flea, tick, and mosquito prevention for dogs
There are several ways to prevent fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes from attacking your dog. Edible pills are common, but they tend to be less effective since they don’t kill the pests until they actually bite your dog (since the medication is in their blood). Topical sprays and ointments are usually the better route as they can kill and repel fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and biting flies. As you’re considering your options, here are a few things to watch out for:
- Pyrethrins – pyrethrins are a type of pesticide that kills fleas, ticks, and lice. While they are absolutely effective at eradicating pests, they don’t necessarily prevent against infections, and they can be harmful if accidentally ingested. Feel free to use pyrethrin-based medication as a treatment for existing infestations, but you’ll probably want to use another preventative measure in addition to pyrethrins to prevent future problems.
- All-natural solutions – most “all-natural” preventative solutions have enzymes and/or essential oils. There are plenty of duds on the market that lack the strength to properly prevent against fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes, but there are some great all-natural options that can both kill and prevent infestations. Cedar wood oil is one of the more common oils that has been proven to be effective. Cedar oil blocks the octopamine that regulates pests’ metabolism, movement, and heart rate, ultimately killing and repelling fleas and ticks. It’s also good to look for natural solutions that have soothing agents like peppermint and lavender to ease your dog’s irritated skin.
K9 Advantix II Flea, Tick and Mosquito Prevention
Bayer is one of the most trusted names in the healthcare industry, so you know that you can count on just about any product that they produce. K9 Advantix II is a prescription-strength topical solution, so it kills pests on contact (in contrast to an edible pill that only kills the pests when they bite your dog).
The medication is veterinarian recommended, and it is proven to kill fleas, ticks, mosquitos, lice, and biting flies. Each application lasts for 30 days, and the doses are easy to apply. The medication is also waterproof, so you don’t need to worry about re-applying when your dog takes a dip in the lake. Note that unlike the other topical solutions, this medication should only be used on dogs—not on cats or on surfaces in the house.
Vet’s Best Flea & Tick Pet & Home Spray
If you’re looking for an all-natural solution to fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes, this topical spray needs to be on your shopping list. The Vet’s Best Flea & Tick Pet Spray has been blending all-natural protection sprays for over 30 years, using plant-based ingredients and certified natural essential oils. They never use added fragrances (that nice scent you’ll smell is from the natural oils), and the formulas are non-staining. This particular blend uses peppermint oil and eugenol from clove plants, and it kills fleas, flea eggs, and ticks on contact.
To apply it to your dog’s coat, lightly spray their coat until it’s damp (but not dripping), then massage the moisture into their coat to help the oils reach their skin. It’s safe to use indoors and outdoors, and it’s even recommended to spray onto the dog’s bed, crate, kennel, and furniture they commonly use. Vet’s Best is also safe to use on cats, so if you’ve got dogs and cats in the house it’s a good single solution to treat both types of pets.
Wondercide Flea and Tick and Mosquito Control Spray for Cats Dogs and Home
Wondercide is another great all-natural solution for fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes, and it’s safe for use on both dogs and cats. Using a special blend of cedar oil and lemongrass oil, Wondercide kills pests at all stages of their life cycle—egg, larvae, pupae, and adult. The solution also comforts hot spots and dry skin, stops scratching and itching, and is pH balanced for a fresh smelling coat and healthy skin.
The ingredients are all sourced in the USA, and the essential oils are therapeutic-grade, certified-organic. As with the Vet’s Best spray, you’ll want to spray your dog and massage the oils into their skin for best results. The solution is similarly non-toxic and non-staining, so you can spray anything inside the house without worrying about stains or toxins around your children.
Natural Chemistry Flea & Tick Spray for Dogs
Natural Chemistry has been manufacturing natural enzyme-based solutions for over 20 years. Their Flea & Tick Spray for dogs is made with clove oil, cedar wood oil, and cinnamon oil (no pesticides like pyrethrins). The solution kills and repels both ticks and fleas, and it’s proven to repel black flies and mosquitos. Each application lasts for up to seven days, so you’ll want to spray and treat your dog at least once a week. Like the other natural sprays, this solution is also safe to use around the house on floors and fabrics.
Flea Away All Natural Flea Repellent for Dogs and Cats
Unlike many edible pills that don’t work until your pet is actually bitten by pests, Flea Away Repellent helps your pets produce a natural odor (undetectable by humans) that keeps fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes away.
Flea Away is a complex vitamin that’s specially formulated for cats and dogs, and it’s flavored with real liver to make it easier for your pet to take each dose. You can give the pills to your pet whole, or you can crumble them up in their food. While Flea Away is proven to be effective and comes highly reviewed, note that it may take up to 30 days for full effectiveness.
Takeaways
Of these five products, K9 Advantix II is hands-down the most effective at preventing and killing fleas, ticks, lice, mosquitoes, and biting flies. If you’d prefer to go with an all-natural option rather than a prescription-strength topical medication, the Vet’s Best Spray and the Wondercide Spray both come highly recommended.
If your dog spends a lot of time outdoors (especially hiking in the woods), it might be a good idea to double-up by using a spray-on solution along with the Flea Away vitamins to offer protection inside and out.
