My dog has fleas. Well, not all the time. But when we go to Florida for the winter, she really gets them. Sometimes I hardly see the fleas, but I know she has them because of her endless itching. It's painful to watch her scratching away; I'm sure it is even more miserable for her. I suppose she is allergic to fleas, maybe to their eggs--allergic dermatitis it's called. Fleas aren't just annoying; they can cause other problems. I rely on Frontline Plus flea control to keep my girl safe and healthy.

Frontline provides long-lasting control not only for fleas but also for ticks. Frontline kills almost, if not all, of the fleas and ticks within 24 to 48 hours. It kills flea eggs and larvae before they mature. Fipronil, the active ingredient in Frontline, is stored in the oil glands under the pet's skin. It's reapplied automatically through the hair follicles.

To apply Frontline, place the applicator tip of the tube on the skin between the pet's shoulder blades. Fipronil dissolves into the natural oils of the skin and coat and is stored in the sebaceous glands. It spreads over the pet's entire body. Gracie is a border collar; she has a thick coat. When I apply the Frontline, I have to be careful that the liquid gets on her skin and not on her hair. For some reason, Gracie doesn't like it when I apply the Frontline. I know it doesn't hurt her, but she hides when I get out the tube. Her sister Lily, who's not so sensitive or attractive to fleas, doesn't mind it at all.

When we're up north, in the cool weather, I apply the Frontline once a month. But in Florida, every three weeks is recommended. I learned that the hard way the first winter we spent in Florida; I took Gracie to the veterinarian because she had hotspots, was scratching constantly, and was losing hair. After the vet gave Gracie a cortisone short to stop the inflammation, she told me Florida fleas require Frontline treatment every three weeks. Since I've been vigilant with the Frontline, all is well.

However, my wallet is suffering from the more frequent Frontline applications. This stuff is expensive, especially when you buy it from the veterinarian's office. That's why I buy Frontline and other pet medications online. Online pet drug markets offer the exact same products you buy from the vet, at a significantly lower cost, up to 20 per cent less. As I said, these are the same products--not knock-offs, foreign-made, or generics. If you buy in quantity, you can save even more.

I haven't talked much about ticks. Ticks thrive in warm and moist environments. They attach to pets and engorge by feeding on the pets' blood. Ticks cause very serious illnesses, like Rocky Mountain spotted tick fever and Lyme disease.

Frontline is one of several brands of flea control applied topically. (Before I go on, I must warn you that there are different flea control products for dogs and for cats. Be careful to choose the right product for your pet.) Advantage and Advantix are two popular alternatives to Frontline Plus flea control. Some pet owners alternate between products, but I don't know if that's necessary.