Would you like to switch to the accessible version of this site?

Go to accessible site Close modal window

Don't need the accessible version of this site?

Hide the accessibility button Close modal window
Accessibility View Close toolbar
Animal Hospital of Loves Park

5036 N. 2nd Street

Loves Park, IL 61111 US

815-986-4445

Open mobile navigation
  • Home
  • New Patient Center
    • Online Forms
    • What to Expect
    • Veterinary Resources
    • Payment Options
    • Virtual Office Tour
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
  • Services
    • Arthritis in Pets
    • Pet Wellness Exams
    • Pet Allergies
    • Pet Dermatology
    • Pet Diabetes
    • Pet Ear Infections
    • Emergency Surgery
    • Senior Pet Care
    • Pet Microchipping
      • Microchipping FAQs
    • Flea & Tick Prevention
    • Pet Vaccinations
      • Cat Vaccinations
      • Vaccinations FAQs
    • Heartworm Prevention
    • Pet Nutrition
    • Spay and Neuter
      • Spay & Neuter FAQs
    • Disease Screenings
    • Pet Dental Care
      • Pet Dental Care FAQs
    • Pet Wellness Planning
    • Pet Dehydration and Heatstroke
    • Pet Radiology
    • Parasite Prevention
    • Pet Boarding
    • Pet Grooming
  • Contact Us
  • Communities Served
  • Blog
  • Veterinary Topics
    • We Help Your Pet With
      • Chronic Conditions
      • Digestive and Oral Health
      • Diseases and Viruses
      • Pests and Parasites
      • Orthopedics
    • Today's Veterinarian
    • Choosing Your Pet
      • Birds
      • Cats
      • Dogs
      • Ferrets
      • Rabbits
      • Reptiles
        • Lizards
        • Turtles
    • Living With Your Pet
      • Bringing Your Pet Home
      • Providing Care
      • Travel
      • Saying Goodbye
    • Finding Your Pet
    • Newsletter Library
      • Tips for Pet Owners
      • Fun with Pets
      • Equine
      • Visiting the Vet
      • Unbelievable Pets
      • Seasonal Topics
      • Pet Dangers
      • Nutrition & Food
      • Recognizing Illness
      • Cats
      • Keeping Pets Healthy
      • Fleas & Parasites
      • Behavior & Training
    • Video Newsroom
      • Health Topics
      • Technology and Science
      • Other Interests
    • Client Survey
    • Pets4Kids
    • Feline
  • Home >
  • Articles >
  • Newsletter Library >
  • Fleas & Parasites >
  • Flea Preventative Medications: Oral vs. Topical

Flea Preventative Medications: Oral vs. Topical

  • Created in Newsletter Library, Fleas & Parasites

Fleas are not only a source of irritation and frustration, but they also pose a serious health threat to animals. These tiny external parasites can carry a variety of diseases, including bubonic plague, and severe infestations may cause deadly levels of blood loss in very small or young pets, according to national animal welfare organizations. Owners must therefore employ every preventative measure to keep these creatures off of their beloved pets, including the use of topical or oral medications.

The first line of defense is prevention. Prevention can be as simple as removing fleas and their eggs from your household by cleaning, vacuuming, and applying pet-safe pesticides to the yard. Keeping your grass mowed and removing excess sources of shade can rob fleas of their preferred environmental conditions, discouraging them from breeding in the yard. But no matter how scrupulously you keep your indoor and outdoor environments under control, at some point your pet is likely to need some form of flea treatment. These treatments may take topical ("spot-on") or oral forms.

Topical Medications

Topical or "spot-on" flea treatments are readily accessible to pet owners. These products can be highly effective at eliminating flea infestations or preventing new ones from occurring. Veterinary organizations point out, however, that while approved flea preventatives are generally considered safe, owners must follow the instructions on the label with great care to prevent a possible toxic or otherwise adverse reaction to the chemicals in the product. Animal welfare organizations also warn owners never to give cat flea treatments to their dogs or vice versa, because the results could prove fatal.

Oral Medications

Oral flea medications also have their pros and cons. In addition to topical treatments widely available, veterinary clinics also prescribe oral products such as Comfortis. Typically, regular monthly doses of such drugs aim to kill fleas before they have a chance to lay eggs, stopping infestations before they start. You may find that the oral delivery method creates less of a mess than the topical route, while also eliminating concerns over skin reactions to the active ingredients. But oral medications may also cost more than topical treatments, and prescriptions will need to be refilled regularly to maintain constant protection.

Sources:

AVMA, “Flea and Tick Treatments: EPA’s Investigation of Spot-On.”

Comfortis, “Controlling Fleas in Your Home.”

Cruz, Bernadine, DVM; Mesenhowski, Shannon, DVM, “Save Use of Flea and Tick Preventative Products.” AVMA, Dec 2012.

  • We Help Your Pet With
    • Chronic Conditions
    • Digestive and Oral Health
    • Diseases and Viruses
    • Pests and Parasites
    • Orthopedics
  • Today's Veterinarian
  • Choosing Your Pet
    • Birds
    • Cats
    • Dogs
    • Ferrets
    • Rabbits
    • Reptiles
      • Lizards
      • Turtles
  • Living With Your Pet
    • Bringing Your Pet Home
    • Providing Care
    • Travel
    • Saying Goodbye
  • Finding Your Pet
  • Newsletter Library
    • Tips for Pet Owners
    • Fun with Pets
    • Equine
    • Visiting the Vet
    • Unbelievable Pets
    • Seasonal Topics
    • Pet Dangers
    • Nutrition & Food
    • Recognizing Illness
    • Cats
    • Keeping Pets Healthy
    • Fleas & Parasites
    • Behavior & Training
  • Video Newsroom
    • Health Topics
    • Technology and Science
    • Other Interests
  • Client Survey
  • Pets4Kids
  • Feline

New Patients Receive a FREE Exam on Your First Visit ($35 Value)

Call us at 815-986-4445 to take advantage of this exclusive offer.

Featured Links

  • Services

    We strive to provide complete care for our patients. Learn more about all the services we provide.

  • Make An Appointment

    We will do our best to accommodate your busy schedule. Schedule an appointment today!

  • Online Forms

    Our patient forms are available online so they can be completed in the convenience of your own home or office.

Office Hours

Our Regular Schedule

Monday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Thursday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Friday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Saturday:

8:00 am-2:00 pm

Sunday:

Closed

Affordable Pet Grooming

Get $10 OFF for your pets first grooming appointment!

Location

Find us on the map

Testimonials

Read What Our Clients Say

  • "Dr.Amin is AMAZING!!! His staff is always so kind and friendly. My animals love the staff, except for King Leo. He doesn't like anyone though so that's to be expected. The entire staff here are amazing. I wouldn't trust my animals to anyone else."
    Morgan Robinson
  • "Dr. Amin and the staff are great. He saved my dog Buddy's life and gave him 3extra years with us. They've been great to our pets"
    John Falcetta

Newsletter Sign Up

Sign up for more articles

Connect With Us

  • Copyright © 2019 MH Sub I, LLC dba iMatrix.
  • Admin Log In
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Policy
  • Site Map