Choosing a Flea Product for Epileptic Dogs

Interestingly, there’s not much information about controlling fleas on epileptic dogs online. The little information there is about flea treatments points to a few topical flea control products, such as Frontline Plus, that no longer works.

I have a dog with seizures, and I’ve done a ton of research on safe flea products for my epileptic dog. Honestly, I agonized over the decision to use a flea product given my dog’s health. I most certainly consulted with my dog’s veterinarian, several veterinarian friends of mine and then a few more vets who all had different suggestions. Here’s what I discovered, but it’s up to you to choose the best product for your dog.

Always consult with your veterinarian first. 

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Topical Flea Products

These products are applied to your dog’s skin usually for 30 days. If your flea and tick population is under control, then these products may work well for you. Personally, I haven’t had good luck with Frontline Plus, Advantage or Advantix living in the deep South. Also, there are some dogs that have experienced seizures within a couple of days after use, so always ask your veterinarian first.

Several friends of mine with seizure-prone dogs have used Vector 3D topical flea control without incidents. The effectiveness of Vector 3D is a bit questionable though, according to Amazon reviews. It takes six hours to kill fleas that hitch a ride on your dog, but it’s definitely worth a try!

Natural Pest Control

I’ve had great results using cedar oil to control fleas. With several dilutions available, you can most certainly treat your yard and house successfully. Plus, there’s a diluted version that you can apply directly on your dog’s coat. If you don’t like the smell, there’s cedar flea spray with lemongrass as well. Check out more tips on using cedar oil to kill fleas.

Flea Collar

We think of flea collars as outdated and ineffective, but there’s a really good one out there now. We bought the Seresto Flea and Tick collar, and have been quite pleased with the results. This flea control product has been very effective in killing and repelling fleas quickly. In addition, Sobek (a Rottweiler) has been seizure-free (knock on wood!) since putting the collar on. If my dog does experience an adverse reaction later on, I can simply take the collar off.

Oral Flea Products

There are so many oral medications that kill fleas and ticks quickly once they bite your dog. However, several brands should be used cautiously with epileptic dogs. NexGard, Comfortis and Trifexis have been known to cause seizures in dogs shortly after dosing, so use cautiously.

There’s a new oral flea product in town. It’s only been on the market for a year, but it has fast-acting results. Bravecto works for three months and has by far the fastest flea-killing time compared to other oral flea products. I know several seizure-prone dogs that have safely taken Bravecto with no side effects.

Choose a flea control product you and your veterinarian feel is safe for your dog’s needs. Hopefully, these tips and research help in your decision.

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