Flea prevention for a 15-year-old Pekingese

A 15-year-old Pekingese still going strong — that's wonderful, and it's absolutely right to think carefully about what you put on her at this age. For very old small dogs, you want to avoid anything with a strong systemic load: oral isoxazoline treatments like NexGard or Bravecto are generally off the table for elderly dogs with any hint of neurological sensitivity, and some spot-ons are harsher than others. The most effective prevention depends on size, local tick risk, and treatment type — and several widely sold products are a poor fit for seniors. Can you tell me roughly how much she weighs, whether ticks are a concern where you walk her, and whether you've used any flea treatments on her before?

You're right about Frontline — flea resistance to permethrin and fipronil is widespread in the UK now, so many dogs on Frontline are still getting fleas. The good news is that for a flea-focused brief with minimal tick pressure and a healthy-but-elderly dog, you have a gentler and more effective option available. Given her age and weight, I'd go with Advantage 40 spot-on by Bayer. It uses imidacloprid, which works on contact — fleas don't even need to bite — and it stays on the skin rather than entering the bloodstream in any significant amount, which is exactly what you want for a 15-year-old. It's well-tolerated in older small dogs and has a strong efficacy record. One pipette monthly, applied to the back of the neck.

Good question on both counts. For her self-grooming, the main thing is to apply it right at the base of the skull where she can't reach — the standard spot-on placement — and keep her from rubbing against furniture for about 30 minutes while it absorbs. Imidacloprid is low toxicity for dogs and the dose in Advantage 40 is sized for small dogs, so incidental grooming of a dried application spot is not a serious concern. The cat is a different story: imidacloprid at dog concentrations can be harmful to cats, so you'd want to keep them apart for 24 hours after application until it's fully dry. After that, normal contact is fine.

It can reduce duration slightly if she's bathed with a heavy shampoo, but in practice Advantage holds up reasonably well. The simplest approach is to time her monthly application a day or two after her grooming appointment rather than before it. That way you get the full month of protection without the bath interfering. Advantage 40 is available as a pack of 4 pipettes on Amazon UK, which works out well for the price. Given that she's monthly for life now, the multi-pack is the sensible buy.

Absolutely — and it matters more at her age than it would for a younger dog. Advantage 40, four-pipette pack, applied monthly just after her grooming visits. She should be well protected and you're not putting anything harsh through a 15-year-old system. Enjoy your walks with her.