The Best Flea Treatments for Cats and Dogs
Updated Dec 11, 2022
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A dog or cat overzealously scratching an itch can send shivers down a pet owner’s spine. The last thing you want is to have a flea or tick outbreak in your home, not to mention the chance of disease-carrying parasites harming your family. To protect both pets and humans from these frights, we’ve rounded up the most effective vet-recommended flea and tick treatments.
Bravecto Topical Solution for Dogs (22 to 44 pounds)
Our favorite topical for dogs
Bravecto lasts for three months, so you can apply it less frequently than any other topical treatment we recommend (and it also comes in a chew for dogs that have sensitive skin). But it requires a prescription. For doses to treat smaller or larger dogs, see below.We recommend
Bravecto Topical Solution for Cats (6.2 to 13.8 pounds)
Our favorite topical for cats
Bravecto for cats also lasts three months, and it’s one of the only brands we found to offer a version that will protect against heartworms. But Bravecto requires a prescription. See below for links to doses suited to cats that are outside the weight specifications.We recommend
Revolution Plus for Cats (5.6 to 11 pounds)
Kills more pests in cats
Revolution Plus for Cats combats more pests—fleas, ear mites, roundworms, hookworms, and several species of ticks—than any other treatment we recommend. But it requires a more-frequent monthly application, and you’ll need a prescription. For versions suited to lighter or heavier cats, see below.We recommend
Revolution for Dogs (20.1 to 40 pounds)
Good for ear mites, but misses most ticks in dogs
Unlike most other treatments, this formula kills fleas, and it also tackles ear mites, sarcoptic mange, and heartworms in dogs. But it treats only American dog ticks. It also requires a vet’s prescription and has to be applied every month. For versions suited to lighter or heavier dogs, see below.We recommend
Frontline Plus for Dogs (23 to 44 pounds)
No prescription required
Frontline Plus is our favorite non-prescription topical treatment, and it protects against fleas and a range of tick species. But it requires monthly applications, and it won’t fight against parasites like heartworms. For dosing that is suitable for dogs of other weights, see below.We recommend
