​​Best Flea Spray for Dogs and Cats

How Does Flea Spray Work?

A flea spray works similarly to other forms of flea treatments such as “spot treatments”. Both spot treatments and flea sprays contain the same active ingredient that targets the nervous system of the flea.

The active ingredient or “neurotoxin” is highly effective at killing fleas quickly. However, flea sprays typically offer more short-term protection against fleas, compared to drops treatments.

Following the application of a flea spray, your pet will typically be protected for 2-3 days, however, some chemical flea sprays claim to give your pet protection for up to a month, after just one application.

Natural based flea sprays need to be reapplied every 2-3 days. This is mainly because flea sprays are more effective at killing adult fleas than the larvae and eggs, so you may risk the eggs still remaining on your pet. 

Flea sprays typically also contain chemicals that function as growth inhibitors which can help to prevent flea eggs and larvae developing properly. This works to prevent any future flea population from hatching and surviving.

How To Choose The Right Flea Spray For Your Pet

It can be overwhelming when faced with the number of options available on the market nowadays, to combat fleas and ticks. When it comes to choosing the best flea spray for use at home, the main thing to acknowledge would be the ingredients- mainly considering how safe this product is for your pet, as well as yourself.

As flea sprays are applied in a fine mist, this increases the risk of the ingredients being inhaled. If the flea spray you have selected contains harmful chemicals, you are exposing yourself to the risk of inhaling those chemicals. This can be toxic. Most chemical flea sprays are typically comprised of a cocktail of chemicals such as:

Pyrethrins  

Pyrethrins  are a pesticide found naturally in some chrysanthemum flowers. The mixture within pyrethrin proves to be toxic to many insects including fleas, mosquitos, ants, moths and flies.

Pyrethroids

Pyrethroids are a group of man-made pesticides, which work similarly to pyrethrins. While this chemical is generally considered non-toxic to humans, it is dangerously toxic to fish and cats.

Imidacloprid

Imidacloprid is an insecticide, which is also man-made and is highly toxic to insects by targeting their nerve receptors. While this can be regarded as safe for humans, the main risk is through inhalation exposure. A risk that is dramatically increased when using a flea spray containing this ingredient.

Not all flea sprays are composed of harmful chemicals. Selecting a spray with more natural ingredients will reduce your risk of harming yourself or your pet.

The other factor to consider is how effective the spray actually is at combating fleas. In some cases, chemical-based treatments may be more effective or necessary and a more natural based treatment may be thought to just prolong the process. However, some natural flea sprays can work extremely effectively at preventing fleas all year round.

Best Flea Spray For Dogs

When it comes to treating your four-legged friend for fleas, natural-based flea sprays have many benefits.

Not only do they eliminate potential harm, caused to you or your beloved pet with the absence of chemicals, they can also be sprayed around the house on furniture and furnishings. This will deter fleas and kill any that may be there.

Natural flea sprays contain natural ingredients, mainly essential oils, which have been formulated to work in a similar way as chemical sprays, to effectively kill and repel fleas. They claim to stay on the fur after application, but only really provide protection for a few days. Therefore, the spray needs to be reapplied every two to three days.

No matter what flea spray you decide to use, it’s always best to make sure your dog has fleas and not a different condition before you commence treatment.

Wondercide Flea Control

Wondercide Flea Control is a natural based flea spray that is comprised of therapeutic-grade essential oils and Vitamin E. The brand Wondercide make a variety of different natural based pest protection that is safe for pets, humans and homes.

Stephanie Boone was compelled to create a natural alternative to chemical pesticides, when her beloved pet was poisoned by pesticide and had to be put down. She was then motivated to create alternatives to chemical pesticides to prevent others from going through the same trauma she sadly experienced. This is when she created Wondercide!

Every product created and sold by Wondercide are:

• made of natural and organic ingredients
• free of chemicals, artificial colours, artificial fragrances, pyrethrins and synthetic pesticides.
• Made in Austin, Texas, USA

The Wondercide Flea and Tick control comes in four different scents: Lemongrass, Peppermint, Rosemary and Cedar, all based on the essential oil that works to combat the fleas. You can also purchase this natural flea spray in four different sized bottles, 4oz, 16oz, 32ox and 128oz.

While natural based fleas sprays are thought to be less effective than chemical ones, particularly when it comes to targeting eggs and larvae, Wondercide Flea Control claims to combat eggs and larvae within hours!

Their website states that 95% of a fleas life cycle is in the egg and larvae stage, and that their spray works to totally eliminate fleas at this stage in their life. Additionally, they encourage you to spray around your house, furniture and onto pet’s bedding to ensure that you are also treating any fleas or eggs that may have fallen off of your pet.

As this spray is all natural is can be safely used on pets of all ages and sizes and is safe for use around children as well.

Vet’s Best Flea Spray for Dogs & Home

Vets Best Flea Spray is a natural based flea spray that can be used on both your pets and around your house to help combat fleas. The flea spray is formulated with essential oils to control and kill fleas, flea eggs and ticks. Similarly to Wondercide flea control, there are “absolutely no chemical pyrethrins or permathrins” in Vet’s Best Flea Spray.

Vet’s Best was developed by Dr. Dawn Curie Thomas who had a great love for animals. However, she grew concerned about some of the effects that chemical medication had on the animals she was trying to treat, due to most animals having more sensitive skin than humans. She was determined to create a more natural solution to help animals.

The formulation of Vet’s Best is comprised of Peppermint oil and Clove oil, both of which have insect repelling qualities, particularly for fleas and mosquitos. Vet’s Best claims to kill fleas and flea eggs on contact, whilst also soothing any irritated skin at the same time.

Furthermore, Vet’s Best Flea Spray do not use Cedar oil in its products. While cedar oil is a natural ingredient, its high potency can be toxic for smaller animals and some cats. The absence of Cedar oil in their products claims to make it safe for dogs and puppies over 12 weeks, as well as the whole family.

While this may be a milder formula than Wondercide Flea Control due to the absence of Cedar oil, the same warning applies. In order to ensure your pets are safe using this product, make sure to test a small area of your pet’s skin or apply sparingly on the first use. This will allow you to refrain from using this product, if your pet does have a bad reaction, while causing the least amount of discomfort to your pet as possible. 

It may also be worth bearing in mind that some essential oils can be too strong for pets and can cause irritation.

Does Flea Spray Actually Work?

There are a number of options available to try and eradicate fleas, each working in a different way and therefore, providing different results. Using a flea spray will typically only provide limited results, lasting 2-3 days. Nevertheless, if a natural spray is used, this can easily be reapplied as needed, and will not have any dangerous side effects on the pet or family in the home.

This is not the case with chemical flea sprays, repeated exposure to the toxic chemicals within a chemical flea spray can be damaging over a long period of time.

There are many testimonies that highlight the effectiveness of using a flea spray. However, like most treatments and medications, there is no guarantee of success in all cases. Some people find flea sprays to be less efficient than other forms of treatment.

As long as the product is applied correctly and consistently, and other measures are taken into account to maintain the result, flea spray can yield great results. Keeping a close eye on your pet and their condition, as well as taking steps to prevent your home from becoming a happy environment for fleas, will all support the effectiveness of using a flea spray.

How To Use Flea Spray Effectively

Using a spray treatment to tackle flea infestations, as opposed to an oral or drop treatment, can be more effective in a number of ways, so long as the spray is used to its full potential. The main advantage when doing so, is that it can be seen to give immediate results and can be used more regularly throughout the year than tablets and drop treatments.

In order to make the most of your flea spray on your pet and achieve the best results follow these steps:

1. Take your pet to an area where they can be easily contained. The bathroom is a good option as it has easy-to-clean surfaces after your pet has been sprayed. If space allows, outside in the garden or on a balcony will also work well.
2. Wear rubber gloves and long sleeves, in order to protect your own skin from any fleas that may jump onto you during the treatment. Alternatively, if you are using a natural based flea treatment like Wondercide or Vets Best you can always spray yourself before treating your pet to add an extra layer of protection.
3. Liberally spray your pet’s fur with flea spray, avoiding spraying directly into their face, mouth and eyes.
4. Massage the spray into your pets coat and apply more spray if necessary. Your pet’s coat should be damp to the touch.
5. Allow the spray to dry completely and re-apply every 2-3 days as needed, or as instructed on the product. Some chemical sprays will not need to be reapplied for months.

Please Note: Cats are typically more sensitive than dogs, therefore, if you are applying a flea spray to your pet cat, you may want to apply less liberally at first, to ensure there is no adverse reaction.

You can also use most sprays to get rid of fleas in the yard, among other places if you’d prefer to be extra thorough with your treatment. However, there are usually more effective treatments available for these larger areas.

Top tip! If your pet is scared of spray bottles, spray the product into your hands first and then apply to your pet.

Effective ways to use a flea spray around the house would be to spray areas where your pets may spend a lot of time, such as their bed. Other areas may include rugs, carpets and sofas. This will ensure that present fleas are either killed or repelled. Natural flea sprays are far less likely to stain fabrics and flooring.

Flea Spray Risks & Precautions

As previously mentioned, the main risk with using a flea spray on your pet, is the exposure to the fine mist of the product. This can easily be inhaled and if the spray you are using contains chemical pesticide ingredients, it can be dangerously toxic. However, this risk is greatly reduced if a natural based flea spray is used to treat fleas.

Other things to consider when using a flea spray on your pet, natural or chemical, is how your pet may react to the spray. It is always best to test a small area first or apply the spray sparingly to ensure that your pet will not suffer an injurious reaction. Additionally, getting rid of fleas on kittens, for example, should be approached more delicately, than with fully-grown cats.

The same warning applies to natural sprays. As essential oils tend to have a high concentration level, this can cause irritation in some cases. Always proceed with caution at first to ensure the safety of yourself and your pet, before applying a flea spray more liberally.

Summary

There are many options out there when it comes to protecting your pet dog or cat against fleas. There are also many aspects to consider when selecting the best flea spray for your furry friend.  

While chemical-based products may be the necessary option in some cases, there are a great variety of natural alternatives that achieve comparable results, without the risk to your own or your pet’s health.

Natural based flea sprays have many more benefits when concerning you and your pet. They can be safely used around the house and on your furniture to help protect your home further from fleas.

Whichever spray you decide to try, make sure you initially use it with caution to ensure that you or your pet does not suffer a negative reaction to the product.

Finally, make sure you use the spray in well-ventilated areas, particularly chemical based sprays, to reduce the risk of inhaling any toxic ingredients. If you have any concerns about yours or your pet’s health after using any kind of flea spray, do not hesitate to contact your doctor or veterinarian for support and advice.