Why are some flea meds prescription-only and others sold in stores?

Hi and thanks for posting on Boop by Petco. On the contrary! The over the counter flea and tick preventatives tend not to work as well as the prescription strength ones do. The active ingredients in the over the counter medications have been around for a very long time and fleas have built up a resistance to them over time so they may not work as well. These ingredients also tend to have higher rates of reactions in pets. Over the counter flea medications and preventatives can be toxic to cats especially. The prescription preventatives, however, have been rigorously studied for safety and effectiveness whereas the over the counter products may not. Therefore, it is really best if Gruber get a flea preventative from his veterinarian. That is the most effective and safest bet. I hope this helps and thanks for posting!

Hi and thanks for posting. An in person exam with a veterinarian or valid veterinary client patient relationship is needed in order to get any prescription. Unfortunately these can't be prescribed online for legal reasons. You can try the over the counter flea and tick preventatives but they do not always work very well. The one over the counter flea and tick medication that I would recommend over the others is Frontline Gold. I hope this helps!

If possible I recommend products available at your vet's office. These products are usually more effective than over the counter products and have undergone more extensive testing/safety trials. Often your vet's office will also have rebates or coupons available when you purchase the products that will help decrease the cost to you.

We legally cannot prescribe anything, including flea medication, without seeing the animal in person. That's why it's illegal to buy flea medication online from a vet. Please be careful buying things like Revolution online without a prescription, as those are often counterfeit products.

I personally don't recommend any over-the-counter flea sprays for cats, as they tend to not be very effective and many can be dangerous depending on the chemicals used. Cats are very sensitive! The best over-the-counter flea treatment available for cats is Advantage. Better options for fleas, which also prevent intestinal parasites and heartworm disease, are Advantage Multi (Advocate) or Revolution (Stronghold) - these are prescription medications you can get from your veterinarian, or order online with a prescription from the vet.

I am so sorry that your pet Tori has fleas. Unfortunately you can't get a flea pill that will last without seeing a veterinarian. These are not sold over the counter. You will have to take Tori in to your local vet to get a prescription for safe use of the pill options. I would recommend Comfortis for cats to handle your flea problem. Also she may not be sensitive to all of the topical flea products. However for the good quality topicals (Revolution, Bravecto) she will still require a vet visit first. You should also consider using a flea fogger (from Lowe's or Home Depot) in your home to treat the environment. Best of luck with your flea issues. Take care.

Hi and thanks for using Boop by Petco! Good question! In general it is best to purchase these medications from your veterinarian. When purchased through a veterinarian the company will most often guarantee the effectiveness. This is usually not the case with products bought online or over the counter. When sold through a veterinarian the company that manufactures the product will stand behind the product and often pay for medical treatment should the product not work for some reason. The veterinarian also knows how to properly store the product so that it does not get damaged or becomes ineffective. Finally, sometimes over the counter products or products sold online can be counterfeit or even dangerous to use. Your veterinarian also knows what particular products tend to be most effective for your location.

Regarding OTC products, Frontline is still a good option. Do know there is a diference between what you can buy without a prescription. Generally know the products sold by your vet are the most effective. Top products for dogs are oral products such as Simparica and Nexgard. Top products for cats are topicals such as Revolution and Cheristan. There is also an oral product called Comfortis that both dogs and cats can take. You will need to switch all the pets over to a good flea product. Make sure to discuss these products with your veterinarian first. These products are generally safe for all pets but there are some conditions which are contraindicated for the oral products. Cleaning up and treating the house and yard will also help but it will not clear all the fleas. The main control is making sure the pets are on good products. This is what will ultimately stop the infestation. Also remember every female fleas lays about 50 eggs a day and it could take up to 6 months before the egg

This will depend on the type of flea medication. Some of them are prescroption only , others can be bought over the internet or over the counter without a prescription. You can go to a pet shop and ask about which are OTC. Stay away from Hartz or PetArmour brands.

I can give you a flea treatment program for Daisy, and you can get them from 1800 Pet Meds without a prescription. First, I would give her Capstar. It's a one time pill that starts killing fleas within 30 minutes. Then follow up with a spot on treatment, like Advantage ll. This is a treatment that has to be used once a month. You will also have to disinfect the environment. Wash her bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. You can use a spray to kill fleas in the house, such as Indorex, or a flea bomb would work well to kill the fleas in the home. Best of luck, I hope this helps!