How to Save Money on Flea Prevention

If you have a dog, you know how important flea prevention is. Fleas can make your dog downright miserable, cause them lost sleep, loss of appetite, and of course a great deal of skin irritation. For you, it can cause a flea circus on your carpet and furniture. Good flea prevention is key to keeping these buggers of your dog and out of your home. What you didn’t know is that fleas can stick around and will stick around until the ground is frozen which means you can’t let up on flea preventative for at least another month or so. So how can you do this without going broke? Luckily, there are some ways to keep your dog flea free for less. Take a look below at how to save money on flea prevention.

1. Ask your vet for samples.

Just like pharmaceutical companies give doctors medicine samples, so do the makers of flea prevention products. The next time you are at your dog’s yearly examine, mention that you were considering switching brands. Ask if any free trial samples may be available for you to test. It is a great way to get an application or two for less. Some vets offer a new puppy package that they give out to new puppies or newly adopted dogs which includes a sample of flea and tick preventative.

2. Look for magazine offers.

In household magazines such as Country Living, Good Housekeeping, and Redbook you can often find tear out offers for flea prevention products. Look for these tear out postcards, often redeemable at your local vet for a free sample or free month’s supply of the advertised product. If you don’t read these magazines but know someone who does ask if you can tear out the card.

3. Opt for a generic.

Just like there are generic versions of medications for adults, there are for pets as well. Talk to your vet about using a generic flea prevention product instead of name brand. They can easily suggest one and you can save as much as 30%. Fipronil is the active ingredient you are looking for in your dog specific flea and tick medication. While no chemical is 100% safe it seems to be tolerated without incident by most dogs.

4. Shop around.

With the number of online suppliers these days, purchasing from your vet may not be the cheapest route in fact many will openly admit that they cannot compete with online retailers. Instead, do some price comparing online and see if it makes sense to place an order there instead of with your vet. But do your research before purchasing any medication online. Make sure that the distributor is not selling out of date product or product tat has been mishandled. You want to use an online store with a Vet-VIPPS Certification. It means that they have gone through certification in the handling, transport, dosing, and sale of veterinary pharmaceuticals. Many of the Vet-VIPPS Certified pharmacies offer end of season and pre-season flea and tick preventative. Stock up when the price is at its lowest. If you sign up for their newsletters you will be alerted to the sales as soon as they begin.

Flea prevention is important, but it does not have to be expensive. Give these four tips a try and see how easy it can be to save on the flea prevention your pet needs and appreciates while still keeping some cash in your pocket. Just think of all of the treats and toys you will be able to buy with the money you save!