# Flea and Tick Control for Dogs **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 31, 2012, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flea-and-tick-control-for-dogs/639418 "2012-10-31T11:07:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flea-and-tick-control-for-dogs/639418/1 "2012-10-31T11:07:02Z")
I am amazed at how the [control methods for fleas and ticks](http://www.drsfostersmith.com/dog-supplies/flea-tick/ps/c/3307/6)have changed since the last time I had a dog in the house. What method did you choose, and what were the deciding factors for you? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flea-and-tick-control-for-dogs/639418/2 "2012-10-31T11:59:21Z")
We have three dogs. By veterinary suggestion, we alternate Frontline and Advantix, applying every three weeks throughout the year. Not cheap, but they are always flea free. Ticks are more difficult to control, so I check the dogs daily and pull a tick every so often. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flea-and-tick-control-for-dogs/639418/3 "2012-10-31T13:00:42Z")
I tried several ways, ended up with Frontline and my dog was tick-free after I started using it. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flea-and-tick-control-for-dogs/639418/4 "2012-10-31T13:44:50Z")
I should probably have added - we’ve been using Advantix, and this morning I found a very happy healthy tick stuck to the dog’s head. Thus the question. Given his very thick curly poodle-like coat, there may be more - I’ll have to set some serious time aside to check. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flea-and-tick-control-for-dogs/639418/5 "2012-10-31T14:11:16Z")
I remember the old days of bombs, powders and sprays. Now I use Frontline about once a year, around August. My dog is mostly indoors and we don’t have a big flea problem. I did take a tick off him about a week ago, I think it’s the first time in his 11 years I’ve seen a tick on him. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flea-and-tick-control-for-dogs/639418/6 "2012-10-31T14:13:45Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > I should probably have added - we’ve been using Advantix, and this morning I found a very happy healthy tick stuck to the dog’s head. Thus the question. Given his very thick curly poodle-like coat, there may be more - I’ll have to set some serious time aside to check. How long ago did you apply it? I’ll find a tick or two if I exceed three weeks with Advantix or Frontline. ---
**Author:** ![stretch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@stretch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stretch)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flea-and-tick-control-for-dogs/639418/7 "2012-10-31T15:07:33Z")
My vet recommended Revolution (prescription medicine) because we had a dog with nasal mites and it dealt with that issue as well. Totally worth the money if you have mite issues as well as flea and tick problems. ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flea-and-tick-control-for-dogs/639418/8 "2012-10-31T16:08:31Z")
We use Sentinel for fleas and heartworms, along with various other worms. The product doesn’t say it’s for ticks but I have seen precisely 2 ticks in 15 years, both on the current dog. So we started him on Frontline for fleas and ticks. ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flea-and-tick-control-for-dogs/639418/9 "2012-10-31T17:22:22Z")
Frontline isn’t effective in my area (fleas have become immune) so we switched to Advantage. Our dog doesn’t spend tons of time outside so I’ve only applied it once, to get rid of the fleas she got from visiting her dog cousin. ---
**Author:** ![Foxy40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Foxy40](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foxy40)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flea-and-tick-control-for-dogs/639418/10 "2012-10-31T17:38:37Z")
I use biospot because it is a lot less expensive than Frontline and Advantage. However, I have heard if your animal has fleas, it doesn’t get rid of them. Since I’ve been using it for a while, they’ve never had a flea or tick so I have no problem saving the money.