Are vanillin and citric acid safe for topical dog flea & tick control?

I do not recommend any flea or tick shampoos, these are usually not safe products and not as long lasting as more modern preventive treatment for fleas and ticks. here is the list of the best flea products on the market. Spot ons: Revoulution Advantage Advantage Multi Frontline (ticks as well) Tablets: Trifexis/comfortis Bravecto (ticks as well) - for dogs Collar: Seresto ( (ticks as well) House spary: Indoorex

I occasionally see toxicity issues with some of the over-the-counter topical flea products like Hartz, Sergeant's, etc. - this is more commonly a problem in cats, but can sometimes be an issue with small dogs as well, especially if they've been dosed above their weight range. All of the prescription flea/tick medications currently on the market (Bravecto, Nexgard, Simparica, etc.) are quite safe and effective.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Benson. There are a variety of safe flea and tick preventive medications. I prefer topical formulas because the flea or tick is repelled. When you give an oral chew the flea or tick has to bite your pet to die. This will still kill the pest, but it allows diseases to spread to your pet. For that reason, I prescribe Vextra 3D. Frontline Plus is also a good product, but does not cover quite as many pests as Vectra. Vinegar and water will not be effective. I hope this information helps!

It is safe to do that but it probably won't work. You really need a chemical product. "Natural remedies" do not work on parasites, especially ticks. You are better off with a Seresto collar - once you put it on it works for 8 months and it is very effective and cost effective. It is also a lot less work for you. ( https://www.budgetpetsupplies.co.za/seresto-collar-for-small-dogs-upto-8kg-pack.aspx?utm_source=googleshopping&gclid=Cj0KCQjwgezoBRDNARIsAGzEfe4Be68gs5yQEEholjfB9YB_V2EDksungI7ALxaaGEZciXBwKzmPG0oaAkHJEALw_wcB )

I would be concerned the baking soda would dry the skin out and cause irritation. Unfortunately a homemade shampoo like this is unlikely to kill fleas. It may slow them down while they are wet and allow you to pick them off, but it will not kill them. There is not an effective "natural" flea killing product unfortunately, as fleas are very hardy. A shampoo will also only be effective at killing the fleas on your pet at that moment and will not prevent more fleas from the environment from infesting your pet. I would recommend talking to your vet about the flea prevention options available at their office. There are a variety of very effective products now available including topical products like Advantage, oral products like Nexgard and Bravecto, and some effective long lasting collars such as the Seresto collar. You can read more about fleas at https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=7955321

Hello! It is great you are thinking of tick prevention as ticks can transmit an alarming number of diseases to humans and dogs. Permethrin is in some products labeled for tick protection in dogs- use of these products is generally regarded as safe for dogs (NOT cats). However, I would not advocate the use of a non-canine product on a dog as the concentration of permethrin could be very different, and the other ingredients in a non-canine product may not be safe for dogs or alter the absorption of the permethrin. If your current tick prevention is not enough for hiking in the deep woods, I find that Seresto or Preventic collars can be helpful. I hope this helps!

No. This does not work very well. Pets that ingest large amounts of vinegar may also get G.I. upset so it is generally not recommended. The best products for fleas are oral products like Simparica and Nexgard. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.