Flea and tick treatments for dogs without a prescription

Dear reader, have you ever had to deal with fleas or ticks on your dog? If so, you probably already know how difficult it can be to get rid of them. If not, all the better! However, it’s still important to know how to prevent and treat them, as these parasites can cause a number of health problems for your pet. In this article, we’ll look at flea and tick treatments for dogs in tablet form.

Why treat your dog for fleas and ticks?

Your dog is more than just a pet – it’s an integral member of the family. Like any other member of the family, his well-being and health are of paramount importance. That’s where the importance of treating your dog for fleas and ticks comes in. Not only can these parasites make your dog uncomfortable, they can also pose serious health risks. In the following sections, we’ll explore in detail why it’s essential to protect your four-legged friend from these pests.

Health risks for dogs

Fleas and ticks are not only annoying for your dog, they can also be dangerous. You may be wondering why? Well, these parasites can transmit potentially fatal diseases to your dog, such as piroplasmosis or Lyme disease.

Health risks for humans

And let’s not forget that these parasites can also pose a threat to human health. Yes, that’s right. Fleas can cause allergies and ticks can transmit diseases such as Lyme disease to humans.

Understanding fleas and ticks

Before you can fully appreciate the importance of treating your dog for fleas and ticks, it’s essential to understand what these parasites are and how they can affect your pet’s health. Fleas and ticks are two of the most common external parasites found in dogs. Each has specific characteristics and can cause distinct health problems. In this section, we’ll explore these parasites in detail, their life cycle, how they infest your dog and the potential health problems they can cause.

The flea life cycle

To understand how treatments work, it’s essential to understand the life cycle of these parasites. Fleas go through four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. The majority of fleas in your dog’s environment are actually in the early stages of their life cycle.

The tick life cycle

Ticks also go through four life stages: egg, larva, nymph and adult. Ticks can survive for a long time without a host, making them all the more difficult to eliminate.

Flea treatment tablets

In the modern world of veterinary medicine, there are a variety of treatments available to help protect your dog from fleas and ticks. Among these options, flea treatment tablets have proved to be a popular and effective alternative to other forms of parasite treatment. In this section, we’ll explore in detail the benefits of using tablets to treat flea and tick infestations in dogs.

How do they work?

Now that we have a better understanding of these parasites, let’s talk about tablet treatments. These drugs work by disrupting the nervous system of the parasites, causing them to die. They are usually administered orally and begin to work quickly, often within a few hours.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of tablet treatments include their ease of use and rapid onset of action. They leave no residue on your pet’s skin, which is a plus if you have young children or other animals who might come into contact with your dog. However, some dogs may have difficulty swallowing the tablets or may have adverse reactions to the medication.

The different types of tablet treatment

Tablet treatments are not limited to one type. There are a variety of medicines available, each with its own advantages, modes of action and duration of efficacy. Some are specifically designed to kill fleas, others to eradicate ticks, and there are those that target both fleas and ticks. In this section, we’ll detail the different types of tablet treatments available on the market and discuss how they work to protect your dog from these pesky parasites.

Insecticide tablets

There are two main types of tablet treatment: insecticides and insect repellents. Insecticide tablets kill fleas and ticks on your dog. They generally work quickly and are effective in eliminating an existing infestation.

Insect repellent tablets

Insect repellent tablets, on the other hand, repel fleas and ticks. They don’t kill the parasites, but they prevent them from biting your dog, thus preventing the transmission of disease.

How to choose the right treatment for your dog

Choosing the right veterinary treatment for your dog may seem like a daunting task, given the large number of options available on the market. However, it’s crucial to understand that every dog is unique and the best treatment for him depends on a number of factors, such as his age, weight, general health and lifestyle. In this section, we’ll explore the factors to consider when choosing the most appropriate treatment for your dog, and how your vet can help you make this important decision.

Factors to consider

When choosing a flea and tick treatment for your dog, there are a number of factors to consider. These include your dog’s age, weight and general health, as well as the extent of the infestation. It is always advisable to consult a vet for personalised advice.

Advantages of ectoparasiticide tablets over pipettes

Ectoparasiticide tablets have gained in popularity in recent years for their practicality and effectiveness in controlling fleas and ticks in dogs. Compared with pipettes, they offer a number of significant advantages.

Ease of administration

One of the main advantages of ectoparasiticide tablets is their ease of administration. Unlike pipettes, which require a skin application that can be laborious and stressful for the animal, tablets are simply ingested orally. This eliminates the need to fight a reluctant dog or handle a potentially messy or smelly product.

Nevertheless, it should be borne in mind that some dogs may be reluctant to swallow a tablet, especially if they realise that it is a medicine and not a treat. This is where the ingenuity of the owner comes into play. It’s usually easy to hide the tablet in a treat, a piece of cheese or a meatball, making it virtually undetectable to the animal.

In addition, many brands now offer flavoured tablets, which can make administration much easier. Dogs perceive these tablets as treats and are therefore happy to eat them. It’s also important to note that oral administration of the tablets eliminates the risk of accidental exposure of humans and other pets to the product, which can happen with topical treatments such as pipettes.

No residues

Another major advantage of ectoparasiticide tablets is that they leave no residue on the animal’s coat. Topical treatments, such as pipettes, can leave a sticky or smelly residue on the animal’s skin after application. This can be unpleasant for both dog and owner. What’s more, this residue can sometimes stain the furniture or bedding on which the dog rests.

On the other hand, once the tablet is ingested, it leaves no external traces. This makes the tablet a cleaner, more pleasant option for many dog owners. There’s no need to worry about keeping the animal away from children or other pets while the treatment dries, as is often the case with topical treatments.

What’s more, the absence of residues means there’s no risk of children or other pets coming into contact with the product. This can be particularly important in homes where dogs and children frequently play together, or where there are several pets that may come into contact with each other.

Prolonged effectiveness

A major advantage of ectoparasiticide tablets is their prolonged efficacy. While topical treatments such as pipettes generally need to be applied every month, most tablets offer protection for between one and three months. This means the dog is protected against fleas and ticks for a longer period, reducing the risk of forgetting an application and exposing the animal to infestation.

In fact, this extended period of effectiveness means that you can reduce the number of times you need to treat your dog. This is particularly beneficial if your dog is reluctant to take medication or if you have a busy schedule that makes it difficult to follow a monthly treatment.

It is important to note, however, that although ectoparasiticide tablets offer prolonged protection, they must be administered regularly according to the manufacturer’s and your vet’s recommendations to ensure optimum protection for your dog against fleas and ticks.

Complete coverage

One of the most remarkable features of ectoparasiticide tablets is that they provide complete coverage for the animal. Unlike pipettes, which are applied to the skin and may not spread evenly over the animal’s body, tablets work from the inside out.

Once ingested, the ectoparasiticide tablet diffuses its active ingredient throughout the dog’s body, reaching every part via the circulatory system. This means that every centimetre of the animal’s skin is protected, from the ears to the tail. As a result, there are no untreated areas where fleas and ticks can settle and start an infestation.

What’s more, this complete coverage is maintained at all times, as long as the active ingredient remains in the dog’s system. This contrasts with topical treatments, which can be partially removed by bathing, grooming, or simply rubbing against objects.

No reduction in efficacy after bathing

Another important feature of ectoparasiticide tablets is that they do not lose their effectiveness after bathing or swimming. Because they are administered orally and their active ingredient is distributed throughout the animal’s body via the circulatory system, they remain effective regardless of your dog’s activities.

This is in stark contrast to pipettes, whose effectiveness can be compromised if the animal is frequently wet. Baths, rain or swimming sessions can eliminate or dilute the product applied to the skin. This reduces its ability to protect against fleas and ticks.

What’s more, the fact that the tablet remains effective even after bathing means you don’t need to plan the administration of the treatment around your dog’s bathing routine. You can give the tablet to your dog at any time, without worrying about the effect this might have on its effectiveness.

How do Adtab Elanco lotilaner-based over-the-counter flea tablets for dogs work?

The active ingredient Lotilaner acts as an ‘ectoparasiticide’, proving to be an effective exterminator of parasites residing on the skin or in the fur of animals, such as fleas and ticks. For these pests to be affected by this active substance, they must first attach themselves to the animal’s skin and start feeding on its blood.

Lotilaner ‘s action is specific and targeted: it eliminates these parasites that have ingested blood by interfering with their nervous system. More specifically, it interferes with the normal movement of charged particles in and out of nerve cells, particularly those linked to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate, two crucial elements that transmit messages between nerves (neurotransmitters).

This disruption causes uncontrolled activity in the parasites’ nervous system, leading to paralysis and ultimately death. One of lotilaner ‘s great strengths lies in its preventive action: it kills fleas before they have a chance to lay eggs, making a significant contribution to reducing contamination of the animal’s environment.