As a result, Advantage should be toxic to fleas, with minimal toxicity to mammals. Advantage is applied as a topical solution to either dogs or cats. A small tube of liquid is applied to the skin between the shoulder blades. Natural movement of the animal causes the substance to be distributed all over the surface of the skin. Advantage has minimal absorption through the skin, further lessening the chances of toxicity in the animal.
Advantage is reported to be safe for use on puppies and kittens, although no minimum age is given.
Advantage is reported to control fleas for at least thirty days in dogs, although this may be reduced if the dog swims or is bathed frequently. The most recently approved product in the US is Frontline. Frontline kills adult fleas by inhibiting GABA, a substance used to transmit nerve impulses in insects. GABA is a less important substance in mammals, and therefore, even though Frontline effectively kill fleas, toxicity to mammals is very low. Frontline is applied as a pump spray, or a topical solution.