Getting rid of fleas on dogs
There are so many ways that we can get rid of fleas on dogs.
Advantage for cats was the first real topical made for dog flea control. It had both an ingredient for stopping the fleas and for stopping the eggs and larvae from developing. Now, the fact is that the eggs and larvae are not on the pet, but still, it sounds good. It works well and is comparatively priced.
K9 Advantix for dogs is the newest on the market. It is a combination of the old Advantage and the old BioSpot. We sold BioSpot for eons. It was convenient but had the disadvantage of entering the blood stream. Somehow the idea of using just enough poison to kill the fleas and not the dog, does not sound good. Not only are the individual ingredents the same, but there are massive warnings to not use Advantix on cats. BioSpot used to kill cats as well.
Capstar for dogs is not really a topical treatment. It is a pill that can be given to the pets that will stop the fleas almost instantly, typically within 30 minutes. The fleas run first, and the pets scratch like mad for about 15 minutes. It has no residual effect and will not continue to kill the fleas within hours after being taken. But by then, all of the fleas are gone and the dog will not be reinfested until he goes back into an environment with live fleas. At that point, the dog is totally susceptible to being reinfested. You always have to follow it up with a topical like Advantage or Frontline to keep the dog free of fleas for any length of time.