A flea problem is rarely obvious until it's already established, because by the time you spot the scratching the eggs are usually already in the carpet as well as on the dog.

Frontline Plus is a veterinary spot-on parasiticide, applied from a pipette rather than a spray or tablet. Its active ingredients are fipronil and s-methoprene, and Boehringer Ingelheim's own instruction is to use it every 4 weeks all year round for ongoing flea and tick protection. This is the small dog size, and this pack contains 3 pipettes.

• Spot-on pipette application
• Active ingredients: fipronil and s-methoprene
• For dogs from 8 weeks of age weighing at least 2kg
• Kills fleas within 24 hours and ticks within 48 hours, per the manufacturer
• Apply every 4 weeks all year round for ongoing protection
• Pack of 3 pipettes

On safety. Boehringer Ingelheim's own instruction is not to bathe your dog or let them swim for 2 days after application, and this product isn't suitable for rabbits — if you have a rabbit in the same household, the leaflet in the box is the thing to check rather than assuming a dog treatment is safe nearby.

Who it's for: owners of a small dog wanting a scheduled flea and tick routine rather than a reactive treatment, and households who prefer a pipette over a tablet or spray.