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Generic Flea Products

Image of a hand writing on a piece of paper with boxes of flea products in the background.



Fast forward to present day and you can find many flea products both over the counter (OTC) and through veterinary or "ethical" channels. Annual sales of flea and tick medications exceed $1 billion and there are many companies eager to get their share of the pie.

Recently, the compound, fipronil became available for generic use. The original patent holder, Merial, produces an excellent flea product (Frontline®) that was the main choice of veterinarians for many years. Now, no less than 15 "generic" fipronil flea products will be offered in the OTC markets.


First, let's look at what a generic medication is. When a specific pharmaceutical company develops and patents a new drug, they are allowed the exclusive rights to sell that drug for a period of time. When the patent expires, other companies can then market their own products that use that drug. Since the generic companies don't have any research and development costs and very little advertising is needed, their costs are much lower and, therefore, their selling price is also lower.

Although generics utilize the same active ingredients as the original, they are not exactly the same product - and that is very important to know. Different inert ingredients that are generally recognized as safe may be included. In the case of flea medications, these inert ingredients are usually the carrier molecules, or what helps spread the medication across the pet's body. The FDA requires that generic manufacturers prove their product exhibits bioequivalence to the original product.

In the case of topical parasiticides, many of these products are actually regulated by the EPA instead of the FDA. This means that a veterinarian's prescription is not necessary to purchase the product, although, as mentioned above, most of the original pharmaceutical companies chose to sell their product "under veterinary supervision". The generic manufacturers do not have that same belief and the new copycat flea products will be found on shelves of Wal-Mart, Target and other big box stores across the country.


Fleas, as well as other parasites, can cause a host of medical problems that go beyond simple itching. Serious diseases can worsen if the issues are not handled properly. In a general merchandise store, you will not find anyone with the expertise or training you'll find at your veterinarian's office. Not to mention someone to call should your pet have an adverse reaction to any topical treatment.


Veterinarians will also often provide a single dose of the flea product instead of the six pack you find at the store. It's another way he or she can help you save money!


Your veterinarian knows that your pet is unique and may not tolerate certain products as well as others. Your veterinarian's medical advice has real value…especially since the wrong product used improperly actually has the potential to be fatal! Your veterinarian will understand if there are other possible interactions between flea preventives and other medications your pet is taking.

Finally, the healthcare team at your veterinarian's office can not only show you how to properly use the products in question, but they will keep a complete record of what you have used in the past, taking the guesswork out and possible preventing future complications. And you already know they will keep track of your pet's overall health and find medical problems early while they are still inexpensive to treat. Your family veterinarian is a part of your pet's health care team.