Top 8 Best Flea Shampoo for dogs in 2020

Fleas and ticks are unpleasant to dogs and their owners. They can cause itching and damage to your best friend’s skin. Your dog’s thick fur is an excellent breeding ground for these bugs. If left to accumulate, they can cause lots of damages and must be treated early.

There are many treatment methods you can use to treat these pests. Selecting the best flea shampoo for dogs is a classic option to kill these bugs and provide your dog a healthy skin. Dog shampoos come in different types with varying benefits for your dog.

But what is the best flea and tick shampoo for dogs? Well, that will depend on many factors. This guide explains the criteria for selecting the ideal shampoo for your dog, tips for safe use of these shampoos and a review of the top shampoos.

Who Should Buy Flea Shampoo for Dogs?

Dogs can get fleas and ticks from anywhere. Fleas don’t fly, all they do is hop from host to host. So it could happen through contact with animals or from the environment when exploring the undergrowth.

There are many methods you can use to kill these bugs depending on your preference and your dog’s lifestyle. But who should buy flea shampoo for dogs?

Well, shampoos are ideal for people whose dogs love bathing. If you bathe your pet regularly and she enjoys it, then the best anti flea shampoo for dogs should be your ideal way to treat fleas and tick infestation. If bathing time is fighting time for your dog then look for other means of treatment like pills or a flea and tick collar.

Comparison Table

Important Features to Consider

There are many features you should consider when selecting the best over the counter flea shampoo for dogs. Below are the main factors to help you choose a shampoo for your dog.

Efficacy

There is no sense in buying a flea shampoo that doesn’t work. So the most important thing to look at is whether the shampoo performs the purpose you bought it for. But don’t just look at what is written on the label because not all shampoos perform the function they claim to do. To be sure of its efficacy, look at what the customer reviews say about the product.

Also, there are many species of flea and ticks worldwide. It’s advisable to understand the type of ticks and fleas are found in your area and then choose the best flea shampoo treatment for dogs that is effective against those species. Your veterinarian should help you with this. Alternatively, you can buy products labeled "broad spectrum," as these are effective in killing several species.

What it eradicates

Most flea shampoos work on both fleas and ticks, but others don’t kill ticks. If your purpose is to kill fleas then most shampoos should be okay, but if you intend to kill ticks you have to double-check that your shampoo is effective on eradicating ticks. Reading the labels should help you select the right product for your situation.

Shampoos also work differently. Some only kill the pest, while others also attack the immature form of the pests. The shampoos that work on the larvae and eggs, help to break the life cycle of the bugs and are more effective in completely eradicating their infestation.

Preventative powers

Flea shampoos work differently on pests. Some repeal these bugs, others prevent reinfestation while others kill on contact. There are even some that can perform all the three at once. You can choose a shampoo based on your preferences.

Package size

If you want good value for your money, you must consider the size of the package. If you have two bottles say 1 and 2, with Bottle 1 costing some dollars more than Bottle 2, and it is twice the size of Bottle 2, then you should choose Bottle 1 as it gives you value for your money.

Scent

Scent is an important factor to consider. You don’t want your dog smelling awful after showering with a flea shampoo. So check out customer reviews on the scent before buying a shampoo.

Dogs usually have a more refined sense of smell than humans. Therefore, some smelling shampoos can easily harm their respiratory system. The best way to prevent this is to buy dog shampoos that are naturally scented with citrus, lavender and other non-artificial ingredients.

Review of the Best Flea Shampoo for dogs in 2020

There’s no one fit all dog shampoo. Everyone has their own needs and dogs react differently to shampoos. So below is a review of the best rated flea shampoo for dogs on Amazon to help you choose what suits you best.

Dangers of Some Flea Control Products

The FDA and the Environmental Protection have the legal authority to regulate and approve all dog drugs and treatment products. Despite these regulations, there are flea control products that still contain toxic chemicals. Most of these chemicals used as ingredients are effective at killing fleas and ticks, but they also have adverse health effects on your pet over time.

Such cases have been experienced in the past. An example is where the FDA had to give an alert regarding some flea products which contained a harmful chemical called isoxazoline. According to FDA, this active ingredient “had been associated with neurologic reactions like muscle tremors, and seizures in dogs and cats.”

There have also been studies done by U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that indicate increased illnesses resulting from the use of dog flea shampoos. The main ingredient mentioned in most of these reports being pyrethrins. According to these reports, pyrethrin based shampoos are toxic to cats but safe for dogs.

Tips for a Safe Use of Flea Shampoo for Dogs

Read labels

Labels indicate the ingredients present in the flea shampoo. Always read the labels and if you notice any ingredients that your dog might be allergic to then avoid using those products. You should also stay away from products that do not indicate their ingredients.

Follow directions

Shampoos are used in different usage frequencies. Some will require you to wash your dog daily while others can only be used once in a week. If you bath your dog daily with the shampoo that requires to be used once in a week, you might end up irritating your pup’s skin.

Also, some of the best flea shampoo for dogs will require you to apply it to the dog and wait for some minutes before washing it off. Failure to let it stay for some minutes will not kill the fleas. So be sure to read the instructions before using a shampoo and follow them to the latter.

Dog’s health condition

Dog flea shampoos are generally made for healthy animals. If your dog has a health condition, for instance, if they are sick, extremely old or pregnant, you may want to talk to your Veterinary officer about your flea shampoo before using it. Some flea shampoos can worsen your dog’s health condition.

Supervise the dog

Watch your dog before and after using any product on them. If you notice any side effects, immediately bathe your dog with plenty of water to get rid of the chemicals from the Shampoo. Mild soap can also help remove the chemicals.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I wash my dog with flea shampoo?

While flea shampoo helps in removing fleas, overdoing it can harm your dog instead. Some shampoos contain chemicals that can irritate while others can make your pet’s skin dry if overused.

Ideally, you should wash your pet with the best flea and tick shampoo for dogs once or twice per week depending on the infestation. You should also consider how the shampoo works. For shampoos that prevent infestation, bathing your dog once every month will suffice. If your shampoo only kills the bugs but does not prevent them, washing your dog whenever you notice any fleas is the best way to go about it.

Will flea shampoo get rid of fleas on my dog?

The best flea shampoo for dogs kills both immature and adult fleas and prevent infestation. Such shampoos should help you eliminate the flea infestation. On the other hand, flea treatment for dogs that only kill the adult fleas will require you to bathe your dog after every week for one month. Alternatively, you can use treatment that kills eggs and larvae alongside your shampoo. Once you’ve shampooed your pup, treat your entire home to get rid of fleas that may be hiding in the carpet and couch as they can get back onto your pets.

Does flea shampoo expire?

Yes. Similar to other dog products, flea shampoo also expires. While some shampoos can last up to 18 months, be sure to check the expiration date to avoid buying expired products. Buying expired dog shampoo puts your pooch’s healthy at risk. Besides, they do not work effectively.

Will regular dog shampoo kill fleas?

No, it does not. Regular dog shampoo does not contain active ingredients such as Permethrin that kill fleas. As such, you will require a flea shampoo to effectively eradicate fleas.

Conclusion

Dog owners will tell you the best way to protect your canine friend from fleas and ticks is by bathing your pet with the best flea killing shampoo for dogs. The benefits go beyond killing the bugs and protecting your dog from reinfestation. You get more skin benefits.

Our top pick, Lillian Ruff Flea, and Tick Shampoo does just that. It kills fleas and ticks and soothes and cleanses your skin giving it relief from itching. Other dog shampoos in the list give many other benefits including leaving lasting residual effects, providing essential amino acids and conditioning effects. You’ll just have to choose the best flea shampoo for dogs that meets your requirements.

The shampoos may not do all jobs including getting rid of fleas and ticks that hide in your couch or on the lawn. So be sure to use additional indoor and outdoor treatments and sprays to get rid of all fleas and keep your best friend safe.

More Dog Flea Shampoos

Images credits: Amazon.com , Chewy.com, Photo Stocks.