We Do NOT Have Fleas. Ever. EVER. (Here's What I Use) 🐾

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Let me say this loud for the people in the back. 📣

We. Never. Have. Fleas.

Not never-ish. Not "well, one time." NEVER. Ever. EVER. 💅

And we're not living in some fancy sealed-up bubble, either. I live in the hills of Kentucky. We go in the woods. Leaves, brush, creeks, all of it. My dogs and my cat live their best country lives.

So what's my secret? It's not a secret. It's a little tube, once a month, and I've been doing it for YEARS. 😂

My pick

Amazon Basics Flea and Tick Topical Treatment. I use all of them. Small, medium, large, AND the cat one. My whole pack is covered.

Pick the one that matches your pet's weight:

• 🐶 Small dogs (5-22 lbs): Amazon Basics Flea & Tick for Small Dogs: 3-pack | 6-pack
• 🐕 Medium dogs (23-44 lbs): Amazon Basics Flea & Tick for Medium Dogs: 3-pack | 6-pack
• 🐕‍🦺 Large dogs (45-88 lbs): Amazon Basics Flea & Tick for Large Dogs: 3-pack | 6-pack
• 🐱 Cats (over 1.5 lbs): Amazon Basics Flea & Tick for Cats: 3-pack | 6-pack

And can we talk about Stevie for a second? 🐱 My boy is an inside-outside cat. He can go out the dog doors anytime he wants, and trust me, he uses that to his advantage. He's a cat of means. He comes and goes as he pleases, and he spends a LOT of time in the woods.

Over 10 years old. His entire life. And I have NEVER seen a single flea on him. Not one. 💅

And yes, I own flea combs. A whole stash of tiny fine-tooth combs. I use them on everybody all the time. Why? Because they LOVE it. 😂 That's spa time, babe. Not flea patrol. A "flea comb" in this house has never met a flea in its life. 💆

Here's what you're getting:

• Same two active ingredients as Frontline Plus: fipronil and (s)-methoprene. One goes after adult fleas and ticks. The other goes after flea eggs and larvae, so you break the whole cycle.
• Up to 30 days per tube. One squeeze a month. That's it.
• Starts working within 24 hours.
• Waterproof after 24 hours. Creek days? Rain? We're good. 💦
• The price. Name brand money for the store brand? Hard pass. Hahaha.

Ticks? Very occasionally. 🕷️

I'm honest, so here it is. Occasionally, and I mean VERY occasionally, I might find a tick. We're in the woods. It happens.

That's why I still do a quick once-over after we've been out. Ears, neck, between the toes, under the legs. Love on 'em and check 'em at the same time. Everybody wins.

Good food, good skin 🐟

I also believe good food plays a part in how my pack looks and feels. And on the skin and coat part? The science backs me up. 💪

Healthy fats in a good diet help keep the skin barrier strong and the coat soft and shiny. My dogs eat Orijen Six Fish, and their coats are GLOWING. ✨

Now let me be real with you. Good food does not keep fleas away. That's not how it works. Great food = healthy skin and coat. The tube = no fleas. You need both, babe. 😘

The honest part

• Weight matters. Weigh your pet. Don't eyeball it and don't round up. If your dog is right on the line, check the label and ask your vet.
• NEVER use the dog one on your cat. Not a little bit. Not a split tube. Never. Cats get the cat one. Period.
• Separate them for a day. The label says to keep the treated pet away from your other dogs and cats for 24 hours after you put it on. In a house of dogs and a cat? That matters.
• Puppies and kittens: these are for pets over 8 weeks old. Read the label before you use it on babies.
• Not everybody's a fan. Some reviewers say it didn't work on their fleas. If you're already fighting a big infestation, call your vet and get a plan.
• Read the whole label. Every time. Then follow it. 📋

Real facts, no fluff

• The EPA says to use flea and tick products only on the species and weight on the label, never put dog products on cats, and apply only the amount for your pet's size. (EPA)
• The AVMA says it straight: "Cats are not small dogs." Dog-only products should never be used on cats, and the weight range on the label has to match your pet. (AVMA)
• The National Pesticide Information Center says more is not better, and over-treating can make pets sick. Their tip: weigh yourself holding your pet, then without, and the difference is your pet's weight. (NPIC)
• The CDC says to check pets for ticks every day, especially after time outside. (CDC)
• A veterinary review in JAVMA explains that essential fatty acids in the diet help maintain the skin's barrier and support skin and coat health in dogs. (JAVMA)

Vet note: I'm not a vet, and this isn't vet advice. Talk to your vet before starting any flea and tick product, especially if your pet is very young, older, pregnant, nursing, sick, or on meds. If your pet acts strange after a treatment, wash the spot with mild soap and lots of water and call your vet right away.