What's the best way to kill fleas on my 1-year-old dog who scratches?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There are several medications that can be used in dogs to kill fleas and keep them away. I would recommend you consider a flea preventative like Bravecto or Frontline plus. Also, you could consider a medication such as Capstar to help kill as many fleas as possible quickly. Remember to vacuum all the surfaces that have contact with Rico often. This should help tremendously. Good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I recommend that you try a product called Capstar which can help kill a lot of fleas at once. You can consider switching to another flea preventative product such as Bravecto or Frontline. In the meantime, your veterinarian can consider a medication such as prednisone or Apoquel to help with the itch for now. Good luck!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Ricky should be on a monthly flea/tick preventative such as Frontline. These products kill fleas over the course of several days to weeks and prevent infestation with new fleas. You should also consider treating your home for fleas with nontoxic sprays (available in pet stores) and vacuuming. Please keep in mind that scratching may be caused by conditions other than fleas such as skin infections, skin mites, or food allergies. It is important to have Ricky seen by a vet if his condition worsens. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I certainly understand your frustration. There are 2 products that I particularly like in these cases where different therapies have failed to help. I like Bravecto as a preventative and Capstar to be used concurrently as needed for fleas. Capstar is crucial because it can help kill a lot of fleas at once and it can be used as often as once daily to effect. Also, it is important to vacuum the house and all things that have contact with them frequently. Try this for 1-3 months and if does not make a difference, they may have another type of allergy such as a food allergy or environmental allergy. This is likely going to help. Good luck and have a good night!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Fleas can be frustrating to eradicate even when using a quality product like Bravecto. You may wish to consider a product like Capstar or even a topical flea medication in addition to the Bravecto. Products like Frontline Gold, Vectra and Advantix tend to work well. The flea life cycle sometimes necessitates that you also treat your household and even your yard to fully eradicate the infestation. Regular laundering of pet bedding can help but you may still end up needing to have an exterminators help. Finally, make sure all pets in the household are treated with a safe, quality flea preventative as often house cats that have not been treated can harbor fleas. Good luck!

Capstar is effective for killing adult fleas that are on Max. You will need a topical or oral treatment to continue killing adults and eggs both on and off him. Frontline, K9 Advantix and Vectra are just a few topical preventatives. NexGard and Bravecto are newer oral medications. Your veterinarian should examine Max to rule out other causes for the hair loss and to dispense antibiotics or antihistamines if indicated. Topicals are very effective when used properly. Use the appropriate dose based on Max's weight. Do not split doses between pets. It must be applied at least 3 days before or after a bath or grooming. It must be applied directly to the skin. This is accomplished by parting the fur with the applicator tip down to the skin. Treat ALL pets in the house for at least 3 consecutive months, preferably year round. Vacuum all areas and dispose of the bag outdoors. Wash all fabrics and beddings that have had contact with any pet in the hottest water temp allowable. The environment must also be treated. Knockout ES area treatment (by Virbac) is just one very effective product that can be used to prevent reinfestation. Lastly, treat all pets for tapeworm since fleas carry the risk of tapeworm infection.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Thankfully, you have a few options here. I recommend you consider using a product called Capstar which is to kill a lot of fleas at once to complement a flea preventative product like Advantage. You can go ahead and give another dose of Advantage now as well. I would not give up on Advantage just yet. Continue to use it for now as this flea may be was a one time occurrence and the Advantage was still being effective. Another option is switching to Bravecto now though again Advantage may still be effective so it may be best to exhaust its use. Good luck and have a great day!