What over the counter flea medicine works the best?

Question

I can't afford the frontline medicine right now for fleas,so I was wondering if anyone knows any over the counter medicine that works for dogs. Thanks

Answer 1

It's( store brands) are all crap & a waste of $$$. Some are even dangerous to dogs!!

Answer 2

Do NOT, NOT, NOT use Seven Dust in your home!! It is TOXIC! The ingredients that are in Frontline and Advantix are not the same as what you purchase in regular stores. Unfortunately, those are the best products and you will waste your money on the OTC products. I also reccomend staying away from Adams and Hartz. If your pet is infested and you cannot afford anything else right now, you can at least wash him in Dawn (and I hate it when people use Dawn) - It will remove kill the fleas but only for now. It is not a great choice, it dries out the skin but it is far better than a flea and tick shampoo. It still does not take care of the fact that you have fleas in your yard and home. Still - best advice is to get Frontline or Advantix

Answer 3

To be brutally honest with you, if you truly can't afford actual frontline (or equivilant brand such as advantage, revolution, etc) I would recommend not wasting your money on the OTC stuff. You'd be better off not doing anything to prevent fleas. The OTC crap just doesn't work and many of them are toxic to you and your dog as well as the fleas. Shop around online and visit local pet/feed/farm supply stores. You no longer need to buy frontline from a veterinarian and some of these sources may have a better deal than your vet.

Answer 4

It stinks to have problems when you don't have the money. But this isn't the place to go cheap. Like most everyone else posted, I have to agree that OTC doesn't work. Hartz is actually really bad and can hurt your pet. Frontline and Advatage (Advantix is for ticks) really are the best. You can buy them online (through petmeds.com) for a bit cheaper; just give a call to PetSmart or your local petstore or vet for their price to compare first.

When my dog had fleas 3 years ago, the vet gave her Frontline and also 1 pill that got rid of them. I wish I could remember the name of the pill. I haven't had a problem with fleas since.

Good luck!

Answer 5

Honestly..NONE.

You can get Frontline and Advantage in some stores. I know Petco carries Advantage and Tractor Supply carries Frontline.
You may spend a little more on them, but they work.

Not all flea drops are made the same. And a flea bath is only going to get rid of the fleas that are on the dog. Once you set the dog on the floor..they can jump back on the dog.

Answer 6

Frontline Plus is one of the safest and more effective pesticides to use on your dog or cat. Natural Chemistry has done wonders for the moment. Natural Chemistry also works on the bedding/carpets as well as your pet. All other cheaper brands active pesticide ingredient isn't as effective and more dangerous for your dog or cat. There are some stores that will sell a single month dose of Frontline if you cannot afford the three months.

Answer 7

The last lady who said this to me was bringing her poisoned cat in to my surgery for treatment. She couldn't afford Frontline, so she'd purchased some Bob Martin - the most infamously evil store-bought flea product in the UK. She'd tried to save money, but now she had a £140 bill for toxicity.

Pet stores aren't licensed to sell the proper chemicals for flea treatment - anything you find in store is just going to be a basic pesticide that you can't expect to work. Many of these chemicals are dangerous since they're not really specifically for flea treatment, or appropriate to be applied to animals.

What I'm saying is, don't fall for the pet-store scams. Yes they're cheaper but in the long run, they're waste of money because they don't work.

You could buy Frontline online, which is cheaper. But even then, you're risking not getting the genuine product, it happens!!

Chalice

Answer 8

I recently bought the store brand for my cats and they still (or again?) had fleas. Last year they had fleas and I used frontline and the fleas were GONE. If you buy the cheap stuff you end up spending more money because you will have to buy the expensive one anyway cuz the cheap one doesn't work!! I know it sucks

Answer 9

Frontline works the best. I have also had success using some store brands from Petsmart or Petco. If your dog is going to be outdoors extensively, stick with frontline. If your dog is mainly an indoor dog, you might be able to get away with using a cheaper brand.

Answer 10

I'm going to be blatently honest with you. Don't waste the little money you've got on the otc stuff, none of it works, and much of it is harmful to your pooch. Check the websites for frontline/advantix, they may have a coupon for a free dose, if not, try contacting your vet or a clinic and see if they can help you out.

Answer 11

Frontline is worthless. Get Advantage, it works much much better. And try Sevin Dust for carpets and such, to kill fleas and the hatches as well. If you can't afford Advantage, just use the Sevin Dust, but don't vacuum it. It will kill the fleas.