Comfortis vs. Frontline Plus Comparison

Comfortis

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Frontline Plus

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Vectra 3D

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Kills Fleas

Repels Fleas

Kills Flea eggs and Larvae

Prevents all flea stages (eggs, pupae, larvae, and adult fleas) from developing.

Kills Ticks

Repels Ticks

Kills and/or Repels Mosquitoes

Prevents Heartworm

Other Parasites Information

Eliminates infestations with chewing lice, aids in the control of sarcoptic mange infestation

Also kills biting and sand flies, live and mites for one month

Waterproof (shampooing once a week can reduce effectiveness)

N/A

Safe for pregnant or nursing Pets

Consult your veterinarian

How long does it take to work

Kills fleas within 30 minutes.

Kills Fleas within 12 hours and Ticks within 48 hours

Starts to reduce flea feeding in just 5 minutes

Taste

Beef Flavor

Applied to Skin

Topical

Active Ingredient(s)

Spinosad

Fipronil/(S)-Methoprene

Dinotefuran, Pyriproxyfen, Permethrin

RX Required

Dosage

Monthly

Usage

Video

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Vet Review

I have started to use this product over the past several months and have mixed feelings about it. A big advantage is the ease of administering the beef and pork flavored tablet but it should be administered on full stomach. And while it avoids the oily liquid pesticides on the back that many clients don ' t like, if a pet is allergic to beef or pork this is a big disadvantage. The best thing about this product (which is similar to Capstar) is the quick kill of adult fleas working within 30 minutes and being almost 100 percent effective against fleas within 4 hours of giving it, and lasting for a month!!! (much longer than a Capstar pill.) A big problem is not only the expense but it also has no tick coverage. In my experience and opinion, I have also seen several dogs vomit when given this pill and it is really not supposed to be used in patients with seizure disorders, which is also a concern of mine in terms of safety. Along the same line, it is not supposed to be used in pregnant or nursing females, as from what I understand when the product was tested there were supposed loss of litter during pregnancy, poor weight gain of puppies and vomiting, the latter symptom which I have seen in clinical practice. In general I am always a little worried about products not approved for young puppies, as the puppies have to be at least 14 weeks of old, according to the label use of this product. It is not a cheap product, and for the above reasons I don't use it often even though it is tremendously effective against fleas. For the reasons stated above, I therefore give this product an overall rating of 2 with effectiveness (for fleas) of 4, the ease of use a 5, and the taste a 4. I still prefer Front line, Advantage and K9 Advantix despite the oily spot because of the increased coverage of parasites, and my concerns about safety

I find that the effective combination of an ingredient like fipronil, along with the insect growth regulator methoprene, provides the best spectrum of activity and protection against all stages of the flea life cycle from egg through larval stage on to adult. Because of these two main ingredients and their method of action, I find that clients don't have to treat the environment as much. I find that this product tends to be safer in smaller breed animals when compared to its competition. I find its tick efficacy quite good. The fact that it is waterproof also allows clients, whose pets swim frequently, to confidently use this product during the swimming months. I also find that this product works the longest for fleas, while some of the competitive products have to be reapplied before the end of the month. The lack of label efficacy against mosquitoes and flies, as well as the fact that this product does not repel fleas or ticks are the two main disadvantages. As with any insecticidal products, I find that every pet is an individual, in terms of which of the products works best on them. When I am dealing with more of a flea issue in a patient, this is the product I will likely reach for first.

For clients that prefer an outstanding topical medication that has thus far had an excellent record of efficacy against both fleas and ticks. This product includes 3 very powerful and synergistic flea/tick pesticides that work in slightly different ways, with one preventing development of flea eggs and larvae, while another ingredient quickly kills; killing probably the fastest of any products on the market, starting to act within 5 minutes. Ticks will take somewhat longer, but within 2 days most ticks are killed. The addition of the permethrin ingredient does add the benefit of this product in BOTH repelling and killing ticks, , as well as the additional benefit of killing and repelling mosquitoes, the main vectors of heartworm disease in dogs and cats. As with other topicals, occasionally pets will develop an irritation or sensitivity at the sight of application, with some pets being occasionally restless, agitated, or fidgety. On rare occasions vomiting and/or diarrhea may be seen but this has not been much of a problem in clinical practice, where most pets seem to tolerate the product quite well. While the trio of main ingredients in this product seem to provide additional efficacy and coverage of various stages of the external parasites, including the benefit of repelling them, I am always a bit cautious about combination products like this, which rarely may lead to unknown chronic side effects that we are not yet aware of. With that consideration, this product is still an excellent and effective choice. I give this product an overall rating of 4 out of 5.

Our expert panel consists of licensed veterinarians and the knowledgeable staff of PetMed Express, Inc. d/b/a 1-800-PetMeds. Neither the Company nor any of its employees or consultants make any warranties, expressed or implied, or representations about the accuracy or completeness of the content or the content of any site or external sites. Likewise, no legal liability or responsibility is assumed for the accuracy or completeness of any information, or usefulness of products discussed. While every effort has been made to accurately represent the qualities and characteristics of each product, which for the most part were taken directly from the websites of the manufacturers, we are not responsible for any errors. The information presented is for educational purposes only and is intended to be a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise and professional judgment of your veterinarian. The information is NOT to be used for diagnosis or treatment of your pet. You should always consult your own veterinarian for specific advice concerning the treatment of your pet. The information is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, allergic reactions, drug interactions or adverse effects, nor should it be construed to indicate that use of a particular drug is safe, appropriate or effective for your pet. It is not a substitute for a veterinary exam, and it does not replace the need for services provided by your veterinarian. Note: Any trademarks are the property of their respective companies.