Life
To protect your dog from fleas, you’ll need to use one of the best flea collars for dogs with effective ingredients. Fleas can cause more than just intense itching for your pet. They can also cause anemia, skin allergies, and for your dog to be more prone to tapeworms. Collars are an easy and inexpensive way to safeguard your pet’s health and prevent a flea infestation from occurring.
According to Mike Merchant, Ph.D., an entomologist and professor at Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, look for ingredients that not only kill off adult fleas but also the eggs or larvae. Most collars contain insecticides (like fipronil) to destroy fleas and ticks, but for maximum effectiveness, look for other ingredients, too, like S-methoprene, imidacloprid, or flumethrin, which help to kill eggs or stop them before they hatch.
However, if you prefer using more natural ingredients on your dog, there are collars with citronella and other ingredients that help deter fleas, though they won’t kill fleas if some have already landed. If you use them before there’s a problem, many customers have found them to be quite effective. (Some have noted that citronella can cause sensitivities in animals, but many pet owners have used the ingredient without problems.) So ultimately, it's up to you to decide if it's worth the potential risk.
When you’re shopping around for the best flea collars, also pay attention to how long the treatment lasts. You’ll want a collar that can last through your state’s flea and tick season. A quality flea collar should also be water-resistant to keep it effective even after a bath or walking and playing in the rain.
To make choosing your pet’s collar easier, here’s my roundup of the best flea collar for dogs available on Amazon. All of these top-rated flea collars will help keep your dog flea-free and safe.
1
The Best Flea And Tick Collar For Dogs, All Things Considered
The Seresto flea and tick collar delivers low concentrations of ingredients like imidacloprid and flumethrin to repel and kill fleas and ticks. This collar lasts eight months to safeguard your pet against flea infestations beyond flea season. It’s vet-recommended and odorless. Plus, with more than 6,000 positive 5-star reviews from pet owners, it’s one of the most popular options. This collar is not fully waterproof, but it is water-resistant. (If your pet is prone to getting wet or goes for an occasional swim, you may want to opt for another option.)
What fans say: “I hesitated to pay $50 for a flea collar that might not work, but took the chance and ordered this Seresto collar. We put it on the dog two days ago, and I'm amazed! The first day, we noticed that the fleas on the front half of his body were gone. Today we didn't find one single live flea on him, nostrils to tail tip.”
2
The Best Waterproof Flea Collar For Dogs
For active outdoor dogs, the Rolf 3D flea collar is worth considering. This flea collar is waterproof and provides flea, tick, and even mosquito protection. The collar offers up to six months of continuous protection (which is a little shorter than my top pick), but the Rolf is also nearly half the price. With ingredients like fipronil, D-cifenotrin, and pyriproxyfen, it can quickly kill fleas within the first 24 to 48 hours. The manufacturer says this is safe when placed on your dog, plus it’s odorless. This collar is perfect for dogs that spend a lot of time outside or if you live in a wooded area.
What fans say: “We have some wooded land on our property and I can already tell this product is working. My little one has only had this collar on for a week and I haven't seen one of those pesky creatures on her.”
3
The Best Natural Flea Collar
For protection using natural ingredients, this collar provides up to eight months of continuous protection and uses no toxic ingredients. Instead, it uses active ingredients like citronella essential oil to repel fleas, ticks, lice, and mosquitos rather than potentially harmful chemicals — and while it won't kill ticks that have already landed, with a 4.1-star rating, fans have found that it's effective at repelling them. It can even help prevent sarcoptic mange. It has a citrusy scent, though customers say that it's not too strong. The collar is also waterproof, so you don’t have to worry if your dog gets wet during baths or a swim.
What fans say: “Seems to really work. My dog hasn't been getting bit by mosquitos or ticks since she's been wearing her collar. The collar has a pleasant smell. It fits my dog's 18 inch neck, with room to spare. Looking forward to taking her outdoors hiking with it now.”
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