Preventic

Frontline

Proticall

Vectra 3D

Advantix

Promeris

Tick Shampoo

Tick control

Preventic tick collar

Fair tick control.  Zero flea control.  Inexpensive.

For occasional tick exposure, we generally recommend the Preventic tick collar. Ticks attach, become paralyzed in an hour or two, then fall off and die. Amitraz, the active ingredient, spreads slowly backwards from the collar to the hindquarters, so Preventic collars work less well on the back half of large dogs and are not a good choice for dogs that swim or are frequently bathed. 

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Frontline Spray + Frontline Plus

Good tick control.  Excellent flea control.  Expensive. 

Frontline does an excellent job killing fleas and a good job on ticks. Ticks usually attach and then die within a day or two. Unfortunately, many of the dead ticks stay attached and must be removed by hand.  Frontline’s effectiveness against ticks can be much improved by using Frontline spray in addition to Frontline Plus.  Every two or three weeks, lightly spray your dog’s legs, chest, and ear tips. These are the places ticks go first.  Frontline does not wash off easily and is well tolerated by both dogs and cats.  Frontline is the only satisfactory product for tick control in cats. 

Proticall

Excellent tick control.  Poor to fair flea control.  Inexpensive.

Proticall uses the same ingredient for tick control as Vectra 3D for Dogs, and for ticks works about the same.  It does not contain Vectra’s flea control ingredients and for fleas, isn’t nearly as good. Like Vectra and Advantix, Proticall repels mosquitoes and biting flies. If you have a severe tick problem, no fleas, and no cat in close contact with the dog, Proticall may be your best choice.
 

Vectra 3D for Dogs

Excellent tick control.  Excellent flea control.  Expensive.

Vectra is a new product for flea and tick control.  It is applied to the skin once a month like Frontline, but works better. Better for fleas and much better for ticks.  It is a tick repellent, so most ticks jump off right away.  Those that hang around die quickly. 
      Permethrin, one of Vectra’s ingredients, is well tolerated by dogs and people, but not by cats. Vectra for dogs should never be applied to cats.  If your cat and dog curl up together, or if your cat grooms the dog, don’t use Vectra.  Frontline is fine, but not Vectra.  Vectra must be purchased from a veterinarian.  It is not available on line. 

Advantix

Excellent tick control.  Good flea control.  Expensive.

Advantix is a combination of the flea control product Advantage and permethrin. The two chemicals work together well enough that tick control can be achieved with significantly lower amounts of permethrin. Advantix is reasonably water-resistant and fairly effective. We have seen more skin irritation problems with Advantix than with other products, but if you have a serious tick problem, Advantix is a reasonable choice. Vectra 3D for Dogs seems to be more effective. 

Promeris

Effective tick and flea control. Occasional toxicity.  Not recommended.

Promeris is a bit messy and smelly, but it works quite well - almost as well as Vectra 3D.  We were very happy with the product, but started getting reports of dogs acting strangely after application, and the owners experiencing disorientation and numbness in their limbs after being exposed to it.  These effects are temporary and rare, but we don't use Promeris any more. 

Flea & Tick Shampoo

Safe and effective.  Lots of work.

If you are concerned about the potential toxicity of all these products, you aren’t alone. Most city-dwelling dogs have exposure to ticks only on weekend outings with the family. When you get home, give Rover a good bath with flea & tick shampoo. Rinse thoroughly afterwards and you’ve got a clean, tick-free puppy with no residual insecticide.