6 Best Flea Pills for Dogs in 2022 – Reviews & Top Picks

There are many amazing reasons why anyone should own a dog, but there are some less than stellar things that can’t be avoided. From sudden illnesses to food allergies, your loving companion can go from cute to costly within a blink of the eye. Another part of owning a dog is dealing with pests, such as fleas and ticks. Unless you’re in a low-risk area, flea and tick preventions and treatments are a crucial part of caring for your dog to reduce the change of tick-borne illnesses.

Flea and Tick treatments have come a long way as technology and science improves each decade, but it’s still hard to tell which brands are reliable. Thankfully, we’ve done the research for you. We found the highest quality products available and gave our honest review of each. Here is our list of the Best Flea Pills for Dogs:

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites (2022 Update)

Rating	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		SENTRY Capguard Oral Flea Control	Starts working within 30 minutes Treats flea infestations Kills adult fleas to stop	Check Latest Price
Best Value		PetArmor FastCaps	Works within 30 minutes Nitenpyram kills adult fleas Gives relief from fleas biting	Check Latest Price
Premium Choice		Dog & Cat MD Defense QuickTabs	Prescription-strength tablets Works within 30 minutes Can dose again after a day	Check Latest Price
		Capstar Fast-Acting Oral Flea Treatment	Starts working quickly Gets rid of adult fleas Gives your dog relief from bites	Check Latest Price
		Flea Away The Natural Flea Repellent	All-natural blend On the affordable side	Check Latest Price

The 6 Best Flea Pills for Dogs

1. SENTRY Capguard Oral Flea Control – Best Overall

SENTRY Capguard Oral Flea Control flea pills are easy-to-dose tablets to get rid of fleas on your dog. It starts working within 30 minutes for immediate relief, with no long waiting periods like topical solutions. The tablets are made with nitenpyram, a safe-to-use pesticide used to kill external pests like fleas.

One dose is strong enough to treat most flea infestations on your dog, but a second dose can be given the next day to prevent re-infestation. It also kills adult fleas to stop breeding and repopulation, so you’ll stop the cycle and finally get rid of the fleas.

This pick for the best flea pills for dogs is also the perfect treatment for immediate flea removal, whereas other treatments take multiple doses to see any results. However, Capguard tablets are not a long-term treatment, so it’s important to use additional flea and tick protection to prevent infestations in the first place. Aside from that, SENTRY Capguard Oral Flea Control pills are the best overall flea pills for dogs.

2. PetArmor FastCaps – Best Value

PetArmor FastCaps flea pills are a one-dose tablet to treat fleas quickly and effectively. It works within 30 minutes of giving it to your dog, killing fleas quickly and efficiently with no waiting times like topical medications. It contains the active ingredient Nitenpyram to kill adult fleas, getting rid of around 85% of the fleas on your dog. Because it works so fast, you’ll see it gives your dog relief from flea bites as the tablet starts killing the live fleas.

It’s also not as expensive as other brands, so you won’t have to invest in a lot to get rid of the fleas. However, these pills aren’t recommended for dogs under 25 pounds, so you’ll have to find a different brand for toy and small-sized dogs. It also doesn’t kill flea eggs and the source of the infestation, so you’ll have to use additional treatments to fully prevent them from coming back. Otherwise, we recommend trying the PetArmor FastCaps if you’re looking for the best dog flea pills for your money.

3. Dog & Cat MD Defense QuickTabs – Premium Choice 

Dog & Cat MD Maximum Defense QuickTabs are nitenpyram tablets that quickly kill adult fleas. These are made with prescription-strength ingredients in a convenient tablet to make it easier to administer to your dog, with no messy topical ointments to deal with. It starts working within 30 minutes of giving it to your dog, killing most adult fleas that come in contact with your dog. It’s also safe to dose again the next day after the first dose, killing the remainder of fleas that survived.

This treatment is on the expensive side, so it will add up if your dog needs to take multiple doses for one infestation. It doesn’t kill flea eggs, which can hatch and cause another infestation. It’s also not as effective as the other brands even with the prescription-grade medication, especially compared to Capguard and PetArmor. If you’re looking for a premium brand flea pill treatment for a mild infestation, the Dog & Cat MD QuickTabs may work for you.

4. Capstar Fast-Acting Oral Flea Treatment

Capstar Fast-Acting Oral Flea Treatment is a flea pill given to your dog for a quick flea infestation treatment. It starts working in around 30 minutes, getting rid of fleas quickly and without messy baths and chemicals. It gets rid of adult fleas on your dog, but it doesn’t kill flea eggs or prevent further infestations. Once it starts working it’ll give your dog instant relief from flea bites, which can become extremely painful and itchy.

One issue with Capstar is that it’s not meant for dogs under 25 pounds, but it may also not be effective for bigger dogs. It’s also on the expensive side, which can add up quickly if your dog keeps getting flea infestations. If you have a large dog, we recommend trying other brands first for better results. Otherwise, Capstar dog pills might be an option for you.

5. Flea Away The Natural Flea Repellent

Flea Away The Natural Flea Repellent is a once-a-day supplement to repel fleas. It’s made with an all-natural blend of vitamins and natural herbs, avoiding the use of pesticides and other chemicals. It’s on the affordable side compared to the quick treatments, and it’s also meant for long-term use, unlike the quick treatments. However, it’s not nearly as effective as the nitenpyram pills are, so don’t expect this to kill fleas instantly.

It also takes over 30 days to fully work and kick in, which is too long if you already have an active infestation. It needs to be crushed over your dog’s food, which makes it less convenient than a normal pill form. Because of this, it may cause your dog to have an upset stomach, leading to other issues besides fleas. If you’re looking for a monthly treatment, we recommend asking your veterinarian for better options. If you need an instant flea pill treatment, we recommend trying our Top 3 picks instead.

6. Project Paws Natural Flea & Tick Prevention

Project Paws Natural Flea and Tick Prevention is a daily supplement that’s given to your dog as a long-term preventative. It’s made with natural flea and tick repelling ingredients, with no strong chemicals or pesticides.

It’s also an inexpensive treatment compared to the more traditional methods, coming with 300 tablets per one bottle. However, it doesn’t work instantly as infestation pills do, so it won’t kill adult fleas right away. It may take over a month to work and isn’t nearly as effective as prescription treatments, so you’ll need additional treatments for current flea problems. But the biggest issue with the Project Paws Natural Flea and Tick Prevention is the garlic, which can give your dog indigestion and other stomach problems.

If you need a daily flea and tick prevention, you’ll find better results with a prescription chewable flea and tick medication or a topical treatment. For an immediate solution for flea infestations, we recommend trying a flea pill with nitenpyram to kill adult fleas as soon as possible.

Conclusion

After comparing and reviewing the flea pills on our list, the winner of Best Overall Flea Pill goes to the SENTRY Capguard flea pills. They had the most consistent and strong effect on fleas without a high price. The winner of Best Value Flea Pill goes to FastArmor FastCaps. This treatment is affordable and works well for dogs over 25 pounds.

Hopefully, we have made it easier to find a flea pill for your dog. We looked for the best products with your dog’s health and safety as our top priority. Always ask a veterinarian before trying anything new to ensure the safety of your dog. If you’re still unsure what to do, your vet can recommend the right products for you.

Featured Image Credit: rachanon-cumnonchai, Shutterstock