Review | Advantage II Flea Prevention and Treatment

Flea prevention and treatment, especially in the summer months, is an issue most pet owners have to contend with at some point. In a previous post I wrote about how we generally deal with fleas in our household. The minute we spot a flea on any of our boys we bust out a tube of Advantage Flea Prevention and Treatment II and apply it to all 3 pets. Prior to settling on this product we tried going the cheap route - i.e. experimenting with brands readily available at your local big-box retailer: Hertz, Sentry, Bio Spot, etc. For the most part those products were completely ineffective. 

While Advantage is pricey (it generally starts at $50 for a 4 pack) it really has been worth the investment for multiple reasons:

1. It's safe. The active ingredient in Advantage is imidacloprid, an insecticide that kills fleas instantly, and when applied properly is safe for both dogs and cats.

2. It's fast and effective. Within a couple of hours after application I've come across fleas, both on the dog and ones that have dropped off, that are stunned and well on their way to a chemically induced death. This may sound sadistic but I get a kick out of seeing the fleas skitter around in circles as the imidacloprid causes paralysis in their nervous systems.
3. It can be used on BOTH cats and dogs. The active ingredient in Advantage's dog and cat products are exactly the same - the only difference is in the dosage that is administered. Generally with other brands you absolutely CANNOT use flea products formulated for dogs on cats. Most often the active ingredients in these products are highly toxic to cats.
4. It's readily available. Advantage is available, without a prescription, at major pet supply and online retailers.

5. Advantage II, the most recent formulation, and what you find on the market kills all flea life stages including flea eggs and larvae.
6. It lasts up to one month.

I'm pretty sure some of the other high-end flea preventative and treatments work just as effectively as Advantage. Some even have the added benefits of tick prevention and treatment (Frontline) or heartworm prevention (Revolution). My experience thus far has only been with Advantage. What I really want to get across is that when it comes to flea meds you really do get what you pay for.

Advantage II Flea Prevention and TreatmentPetCareRX
1-10 lbs | 4 month supply | $43.50
11-20 lbs | 4 month supply | $43.99
21-55 lbs | 4 month supply | $44.45
Over 55 lbs | 4 month supply | $44.99