How fast does flea medication work

Some oral preventatives, like Nexgard , work by absorbing into the bloodstream after ingestion and causing uncontrollable activity in flea and tick central nervous system, which caused death. Others, like Bravecto Chews , absorb into the tissue fluids beneath the skin. When fleas and ticks feed on your pet and ingest Bravecto, they die.

The ingredients are slowly excreted through your pet's metabolism, which is why they last a month or more. Fluralaner, afoxolaner, spinosad, milbemycin oxime, praziquantel, and sarolaner are among the many common ingredients found in oral flea and tick preventatives. Keeping your pet protected at all times, including winter, is key to keep your pet safe from harmful, disease-carrying fleas and ticks.

In order to make sure your pet is safe, the correct dosing schedule must be followed. Like topical medications, most oral medications require monthly dosing, except Bravecto , which provides your pet 12 weeks of protection from fleas and ticks. Review and follow your pet's oral flea medication dosing instructions, or ask your vet and follow their instructions exactly as prescribed.

Choosing the best oral flea preventative can be difficult. It can depend on a lot of factors. Use this chart to help you choose the best oral medication for your pet.

Toll Free Number Call or Text :. Sign In. Ask the Vet Ask the Vet. Ask the Vet. Switzerland Suisse. Switzerland Schweiz. United Kingdom. United Arab Emirates English. United States. For Dogs. For Cats. About Hill's. Media Press Releases Media Kit. Other Careers. Flea and Tick Medication: Oral vs. Topical Treatments. Published by. Oral Treatments Oral flea and tick medication treatments—which come as chewables or pills — are ingested by your pet, rather than applied to his body.

The most common active chemicals in oral treatments include: Lufenuron: This compound does not kill adult fleas. Instead, any larvae produced by the adults will not survive. It does not kill ticks. Spinosad: Spinosad only kills adult fleas, not ticks. It works by overstimulating the flea's nervous system, which causes its death. Medicines with spinosad are not recommended for dogs with epilepsy.

Harvard Medical School also reports that the FDA approved a topical medication called Natroba for humans as a head lice treatment.

The active chemical in Natroba? Nitenpyram: This fast-acting insecticide kills adult fleas in as little as thirty minutes. It doesn't have long-term effect, so it shouldn't be used for continuous flea control.

Instead, it might be an option if you are planning a short-term trip to an area where you expect fleas will be present, such as a boarding kennel or a dog park. It is worth noting that most vets use this to kill fleas quickly, rather than use it as a preventative solution. It is approved for use by the FDA in cats and dogs, and it also kills ticks. Topical Treatments Topical flea and tick medication, also called "spot on" medications, are generally applied between the pet's shoulder blades so the pet can't lick it off.

The most common active chemicals in topical medications are: Fipronil: Fipronil works by attacking the nervous system of the parasite to paralyze fleas and ticks to ultimately kill them. Fipronil spreads over the cat or dog through body oils in about a day.

It releases over time — usually about a month. Imidacloprid: This ingredient kills fleas by disrupting the nervous system. It kills both adult and larval stage fleas that come in contact with the pet. It is approved by the EPA for use on cats and dogs. Advantage further prevents infestations for up to a month by also killing flea larvae in the home. With monthly, year-round use, Advantage provides long-term flea protection for your cat or dog, keeping your pet and your family happy and protected.

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