Parasite prevention for dog in Portugal

Our customer asked:

I live in Southern Portugal and have two dogs. I usually buy Advantix flea and tick treatment from my local vet but it is quite expensive. I have realised it would be cheaper to purchase it from you, but my vet doesn't give me a prescription so I don't think I can buy it online. I have used frontline previously but have been advised by the vet here that Advantix is much better. I was looking at your non-prescription flea and tick treatments, Effipro and Fiprospot and wondered how effective they are compared to Advantix? Are they equally effective against fleas and ticks as well as in the prevention of the spread of Leishmaniasis and heartworm or would I be best advised sticking to Advantix? Your advice in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Our reply:

The best thing to do would be to use Frontline Spot-on (or similar, see below) as well as a Scalibor collar. The Scallibor collar is as goood at repelling Sand flies, Ticks and Mosquitoes as Advantix, but it does not do fleas. One collar is effective for 5-6 months.  Frontline should be used for fleas. Using this combination you should achieve very good control for less monry, but your dogs would have to wear their collars at all times.

I agree with your vet that Frontline is no good for heartworm or Lieshmaniasis, which you do need to prevent. Effipro and Fiprospot are both copies of Frontline (they all contain the drug fipronil) and so are interchangeable. They are slightly cheaper than Frontline, but no better or worse.