Ingestible Products

Solid forms

Capstar - A fast-acting adulticide pill that can be administered daily to your cat or dog whenever you see fleas on them. The active ingredient is nitenpyram. It can be safely used in combination with Program (see below). This product doesn't require a prescription.

• Program - This once-a-month insect development inhibitor (IDI) contains lufenuron as the active ingredient. It can be given orally to both cats and dogs or as an injection (the only form of Program that requires a prescription) for cats; each injection is effective for six months. As it only prevents flea eggs from developing, it might be necessary to use Program initially with an adulticide such as Capstar to get the flea population under control, otherwise significant results might not be observed for several weeks.
• Sentinel - A monthly prescription product orally administered to dogs only, it has the main ingredients found in both Program ( lufenuron) and Interceptor ( milbemycin oxime). This means it's effective in reducing flea populations as well as preventing heartworm, hookworm, roundworm, and whipworm infestations.

Liquid forms

• Program for Cats - Works like the pill form of Program, but it must be mixed with food. No prescription is required.

Surface Applied Products

Indoor surface sprays/powders can be applied to floors/rugs, fabrics, furniture, pet sleeping quarters, etc. Room foggers are effective but require you and your pet(s) to leave the vicinity for a certain time period. Outdoor surface sprays can be used in kennels, doghouses, and/or on the lawn or near the entryways to your house; many can be applied with the use of a hose attached to the sprayer bottle. While most of these products are direct kill in nature, some are inhibitors or repellents. Many work against fleas, ticks, flies, ants, roaches, and numerous other insects.

Medicated Products

There any many medicated products on the market that are aimed at controlling flea, tick, and mosquito populations that can affect you and your pet. Advances continue to be made in the effectiveness, lower toxicity, and range of applications for such products. Let's take a look at some of the most widely recognized and most often-utilized products currently available.

• Advantage - This is a non-prescription spot on topical treatment for dogs and cats that must be given monthly. Imidacloyrid is the active ingredient that works by killing adult fleas upon direct contact. Side effects are minimized by the fact that the product isn't absorbed into your pet's system. Your pet shouldn't get wet after being treated with Advantage, as it isn't completely waterproof. While it hasn't been officially approved for such “off label” uses, it has been tested by the manufacturer (Bayer) on chinchillas, ferrets, guinea pigs, and rabbits. Advantage flea control and Program can be safely used together.
• Bio Spot - This non-prescription over-the-counter insecticidal product can be easily purchased. It's a monthly topical spot on product that's effective at killing and repelling all stages of fleas, as well as adult ticks and mosquitoes. It also comes in a shampoo and mist for dogs and their environment (e.g., bedding). However, do not use the permythrin and/or pyrethrin containing Bio Spot products on cats as they can cause seizures in such animals. Bio Spot products for cats come in a topical form that contains the insecticide etophenprox and biolar/nylar IGR's as well as a mist that can be used directly on the cat and/or their environment. The mist for cats contains pyriproxyfen and biolar/nylar.
• Frontline and Frontline Plus - These products are topical spot on treatments for both cats and dogs. The active ingredient in Frontline Top Spot flea control products is fipronil while Frontline Plus also contains (S)- methoprene, an insect growth inhibitor (IGI); neither are directly absorbed into your pet's bloodstream and/or internal organs. Both are effective at directly killing fleas and ticks, many before they bite and/or attach to your pet. While they're considered "once-a-month" products, they can actually have residual effects for six weeks to three months. Another benefit of using Frontline flea and tick products is their resistance to water. There's even a Frontline spray with fipronil that can be used on cats, kittens, dogs, and puppies and that aids in controlling sarcoptic mange in adult dogs. All Frontline products can be purchased without a prescription from your veterinarian. Regular Frontline can be used with Program if necessary.
• K9 Advantix - Considered a step above Advantage, K9 Advantix contains imidacloprid (the active ingredient also found in Advantage) as well as permethrin that all aid in killing and/or repelling fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes. A monthly non-prescription topical treatment for dogs only, it remains effective even if your dog gets wet.
• Program - As previously discussed.
• Revolution - One of the newest products on the market, this multifunctional agent requires a prescription from your veterinarian. This is because it not only kills fleas and prevents their eggs from hatching, but it also works against heartworms in dogs and cats, as well as hookworms and roundworms in cats. A monthly-applied spot on product, it works on ear mites in both cats and dogs and sarcoptic mange mites and American dog ticks in canines. Selamectin is the active ingredient.
• Sentinel - As previously mentioned.

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