Here are just a few of the features that make Vethical AcuGuard an ideal choice for convenient flea protection:

• Beef-flavored, palatable, chewable tablet
• Easy to give with no mess
• Starts to kill fleas in 30 minutes
• Lasts a full month
• Kills fleas before they can lay eggs
• Approved by the FDA
• Demonstrated safe for dogs and puppies 14 weeks and older

Along with fast-acting, month-long flea protection, Vethical AcuGuard offers these additional benefits:

• With Vethical AcuGuard, you can play with your dog immediately after treatment. No need to isolate pets. Just treat and play.
• Because Vethical AcuGuard is administered orally, there's no risk of application site reactions.
• Vethical AcuGuard won't stain carpeting, upholstery or clothing.
• Vethical AcuGuard can't be rubbed or shaken off.

Fleas can be a major problem for dogs and dog owners. Your pet may be exposed to these blood-sucking parasites anywhere: in your own backyard, when you are on walks or even in your own home.

• Each female flea can produce 40 to 50 eggs a day, up to 2,000 in their lifetime[1]
• Even a few fleas can turn into a major infestation in a matter of days

• Fast, month-long flea protection
• Starts killing fleas within 30 minutes
• Lasts a full month
• Kills fleas before they can lay eggs
• The convenience of a chewable, beef-flavored tablet

Thanks to the fact that Vethical AcuGuard comes in beef-flavored, chewable tablets, it's one of the most convenient flea products on the market today.

• Administer Vethical AcuGuard chewable tablets once a month with food for maximum effectiveness.
• If necessary, Vethical AcuGuard may be administered like other tablet medications.
• Administer the correct dose of Vethical AcuGuard as prescribed by your veterinarian based on your dog's body weight.
• For best results, and in areas where fleas are common year-round, monthly treatment with Vethical AcuGuard should continue the entire year without interruption. Ask your veterinarian about your pet's specific needs.
• To minimize the likelihood of flea reinfestation, treat all animals in your household with an approved flea product.

The active ingredient in Vethical AcuGuard is spinosad. When ingested by fleas, spinosad targets the flea's nervous system, causing the flea to show involuntary muscle contraction and tremors. Spinosad-induced excitation leads to flea paralysis and rapid death.

While extremely toxic to fleas, Vethical AcuGuard is safe for dogs at the label dose. Dogs do not have the same response to Vethical AcuGuard.

Because you give Vethical AcuGuard to your pet orally, you do not have to tolerate the mess and inconvenience of topical pesticides. Vethical AcuGuard is rapidly absorbed in your dog's bloodstream, where it circulates and protects your dog from flea infestation for a full month. Vethical AcuGuard begins killing fleas within 30 minutes, so you know your dog is getting fast relief and long-lasting protection.

Vethical AcuGuard does not depend on your dog's skin and hair coat to distribute across the body. That's why Vethical AcuGuard is a great choice for dogs with skin problems, as flea protection is vitally important and cannot be compromised.



The introduction of spinosad for use in agriculture resulted in the receipt of a Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award* in 1999 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The award was presented to Dow Agro Sciences LLC in the category of "Designing Safer Chemicals" for the introduction of spinosad as an insect control product for use on crops. This award demonstrates that spinosad as a technology for insect control has a favorable environmental profile. This award is not relevant to the safety and efficacy of Vethical AcuGuard, nor does it confer any environmental benefit to Vethical AcuGuard.

Q: What are Vethical AcuGuard™ (spinosad) chewable tablets?
Vethical AcuGuard is a chewable, beef-flavored tablet you give to your dog to kill fleas and prevent flea infestations for one month. Vethical AcuGuard chewable tablets are recommended for monthly use in dogs and puppies 14 weeks of age or older.

Q: What is spinosad?
Spinosad is the active ingredient in Vethical AcuGuard. It belongs to a new novel class of antiparasitics known as spinosyns, which are derived from a naturally-occurring soil microbe. It works by attacking the nervous system of insects, causing rapid death of adult fleas.

Q: How long does Vethical AcuGuard last?
Vethical AcuGuard has demonstrated full effectiveness over a 30-day duration[1].

Q: When should treatment with Vethical AcuGuard begin?
Treatment with Vethical AcuGuard chewable tablets can begin at any time of the year. Vethical AcuGuard is most effective when given one month before fleas become active. To minimize the likelihood of flea reinfestation, it is important for you to treat all animals in your household with a veterinarian-approved flea protection product.

Q: How long should I use Vethical AcuGuard chewable tablets?
The CAPC – Companion Animal Parasite Council, recommends to administer year-round parasite control with efficacy against fleas.

Q: Can Vethical AcuGuard be given to cats?
No. Vethical AcuGuard is not registered for use on cats. Vethical AcuGuard was developed exclusively for administration to dogs. If you also need flea control for your cat, we offer a great choice for flea control for cats.

Talk to us about any flea control product before administering or applying it to your pet to ensure it's the best choice for your pet's health. Involving your veterinarian in your pet's healthcare choices helps you avoid the expense — and potential danger — of the guesswork involved with using direct-to-consumer treatments.

Q: How quickly will Vethical AcuGuard kill fleas?
In a laboratory study spinosad, the active ingredient in Vethical AcuGuard, started to kill fleas within 30 minutes and killed 100% of the fleas within 4 hours. Vethical AcuGuard chewable tablets kill fleas before they can lay eggs[1].

Q: Does seeing fleas on my dog mean that the treatment is not working?
Vethical AcuGuard kills fleas before they can lay eggs, when used monthly according to the label directions. If, within a month after your dog receives Vethical AcuGuard, you see fleas on your dog, it is most likely that these are new fleas. These new fleas will be killed before they can produce eggs that contaminate your home. Continued monthly use of Vethical AcuGuard can prevent any new flea infestations.

However, your dog can continue to be exposed to the fleas living in the environment, so all animals in the household should be treated with an approved flea product to help control the flea population. Learn more about controlling flea infestations.



Q: Is it safe to give my dog Vethical AcuGuard?
Vethical AcuGuard has been demonstrated to be safe in pure and mixed breeds of healthy dogs when used according to label directions for dogs and puppies 14 weeks of age and older and five pounds of body weight or greater.

Q: My dog has allergies. Can he still take Vethical AcuGuard?
Vethical AcuGuard contains beef flavoring made from a pork-based protein. If your dog has an allergy to pork, another alternative for flea treatment and prevention might need to be considered. Please discuss these options with us.

Q: What side effects might occur with Vethical AcuGuard?
As with any medication, sometimes side effects can occur. In some cases, dogs vomited after receiving Vethical AcuGuard. During field studies, no severe or prolonged vomiting occurred.

Additional adverse reactions observed in the clinical studies were itching, decreased activity, diarrhea, inflammation of the skin, redness of the skin, decreased appetite and redness of the ear. All reactions were regarded as mild. See the Important Safety Information at the bottom of this page.

Q: How should I give Vethical AcuGuard to my dog?
Give Vethical AcuGuard with food for maximum effectiveness. Because Vethical AcuGuard is a beef-flavored, chewable tablet, it can be also be offered as a treat. In fact, up to 90% of dogs accept it freely or in their food[2]. For more detail, download the Vethical AcuGuard label.

To help you remember the monthly dosing schedule, enroll in our Home Delivery service. We will deliver your Vethical AcuGuard one dose at a time every month, when it's time to be administered.

Q: How much food do I have to give my dog when administering the Vethical AcuGuard tablet?
In field trials, dog owners were instructed to give the Vethical AcuGuard chewable tablet with food. However, the quantity of food was not specified and Vethical AcuGuard was still effective.

A suggestion might be to give the Vethical AcuGuard tablet first then feed your dog his/her regularly scheduled meal. For free feeders (dogs who nibble throughout the day), you might take the food away at night, give the Vethical AcuGuard tablet first in the morning, then put their food back down.

Q: What if I miss a dose of Vethical AcuGuard?
Give your dog his or her regular dose immediately, then resume a regular monthly schedule from there. Download the Vethical AcuGuard label for more detail.

Q: What if I give more than the prescribed amount of Vethical AcuGuard to my dog?
Contact us if you believe your dog has ingested more than the recommended dose of Vethical AcuGuard.

Q: Should I restrict either my dog's activity or contact with my dog after the tablet is consumed?
No. Since Vethical AcuGuard is an oral formulation, you may maintain normal activities and interactions with your dog.

Q: Can other medications be given while my dog is taking Vethical AcuGuard?
Yes, Vethical AcuGuard chewable tablets have been given safely with a wide variety of products and medications. Your veterinarian should be made aware of all products that you administered and/or intend to administer to your dog.

Q: What should I discuss with my veterinarian regarding Vethical AcuGuard for my dog?
Your veterinarian is your dog's healthcare expert and can make the best recommendation for medications for your dog. This includes the prevention, control and/or treatment of parasites such as fleas, heartworms and intestinal parasites that can cause conditions that include flea allergy dermatitis, anemia and heart disease. Key points of your discussion might include the following:

• What dosage options are best for your dog
• What to do if you miss a dose of Vethical AcuGuard
• What other medications you are giving your dog

Fleas are found in every region of the United States. There are over 2,200 flea species worldwide[2], but by far the most prevalent species infesting dogs and cats in the United States is the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis[2].

Today, Americans spend nearly $1 billion on flea products for their dogs[3]. Yet, an estimated 46 percent of all dogs in this country suffer from some level of flea infestation[4]. Given this startling fact, it’s easy to see why your pet can be exposed to these blood-sucking parasites when you least expect it.

Depending on where you live and the time of year, your pet can encounter fleas in a variety of locations, including:

• Your yard
• Public parks
• Beaches
• Playgrounds
• Wooded areas
• Even your own living room

Flea infestations are acquired from a contaminated environment – and areas can become contaminated very quickly! A flea may begin feeding within seconds after emerging from its cocoon. Within 24 hours of taking its first blood meal, a flea can begin laying eggs at a rate of 40 to 50 per day, infesting your entire home.[1]

Contrary to popular belief, most flea infestations are not acquired from other pets. When fleas have found a host (such as a dog or a cat), they stay on that host until the environment becomes inhospitable or they are groomed off, die naturally or killed by treatment with an effective flea product.


If you discover fleas:

• Consult your veterinarian. Your veterinarian is your best source of information on flea control for your dog and your home. Your veterinarian may make specific recommendations.
• Eliminate fleas on your dog. Vethical AcuGuard kills fleas quickly, providing fast relief.
• Eliminate fleas in your home. The most effective means for severe environmental flea infestations is the use of a pest management specialist (exterminator). Steam cleaning (not shampooing) is also extremely effective at killing pre-adult flea stages. Other simple steps include vacuuming frequently and the use of premise sprays, foggers, bombs or aerosols. Launder bedding, blankets, pillows and throws weekly. Treat all pets in the household with an approved flea product.
• Prevent future infestations. Once-monthly Vethical AcuGuard kills fleas before they can lay eggs, breaking the life cycle.

Female fleas that are living on animals produce eggs that fall from the animal into their surroundings. These eggs usually hatch within a week; larvae then emerge and spin cocoons to become pupae. The entire life cycle can be completed in as little as three weeks, with new adult fleas emerging from the pupae, to jump onto your dog. If conditions such as temperature and humidity aren't perfect for flea development, the time from egg to new adult flea can take as long as two to four months to complete. Because each female flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day there is potential for a large buildup of eggs, larvae and pupae, resulting in a constant supply of new adults emerging in the dog's environment[8].

Regardless of the product used to kill fleas, the dog can continue to be exposed to fleas that live in the environment. When these fleas jump onto the dog, they can feed almost immediately but will be quickly killed by Vethical AcuGuard chewable tablets.

If you see fleas on your dog within a month after your pet receives Vethical AcuGuard chewable tablets, it is most likely these are new fleas that have very recently emerged from pupae and jumped onto the dog. These new fleas will be killed quickly before they can produce eggs that contaminate the environment. Consistent monthly administration of Vethical AcuGuard should be continued to provide continued protection for your dog against these fleas.

Talk to your veterinarian today about the only oral product that kills adult fleas and lasts for a full month – Vethical AcuGuard chewable tablets.



Adult fleas are reddish-brown insects with a body that is compressed from side to side[5]. While visible to the naked eye, they are so small you could line about eight adult fleas end-to-end in 1 inch.

Fleas are wingless, but possess incredible jumping ability. This enables them to easily jump from ground level to “ambush” a pet.

Fleas feed on blood, and female fleas consume about 15 times their body weight each day[6]. This poses a threat of anemia to puppies as well as heavily infested or debilitated adult dogs.

Why do they have to eat so much? They need nourishment to reproduce. In fact, adult female fleas may begin to feed on an animal within minutes of contact and actually begin to lay eggs within 24 hours. These eggs then fall off the dog and become larvae. The larvae turn into pupae which are generally more impervious to flea control products applied to the animal or it's environment.

Adult fleas erupt out of their pupal stage, or cocoon and quickly find a host, such as your dog. Because these pupae can be found almost anywhere, including your own living room, it seems to pet owners that fleas appear out of nowhere.

One myth about fleas is that fleas leave their host regularly[5]. This is rarely the case. Once an adult flea begins feeding, it will die within 24 hours if removed from its food source. So unless the flea population approaches 200 fleas per pet, they don’t “hitchhike’ to other targets. Studies show that even when pets sleep together, fleas generally do not transfer hosts[5].


Depending on your dog’s age and overall physical condition, fleas can pose a serious threat to its health.

• Fleas can cause severe discomfort for dogs, including scratching, chewing, biting and restlessness
• Fleas are the source of flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), the most common veterinary dermatological condition[7]
• Severe flea infestations can cause anemia, especially in puppies or debilitated adult dogs
• Fleas also can transmit tapeworm infection
  
  In humans, fleas can transmit murine typhus, bartonellosis (the agent causing cat-scratch disease) and bubonic plague[5]. What’s more, eliminating fleas in a house or apartment can be costly and inconvenient, often requiring repeated insecticide treatments.

To protect your pet and home from fleas, it helps to understand the flea life cycle.


A flea newly emerged from its cocoon (pupa) can begin feeding within seconds and laying eggs within 24 hours after taking its first blood meal. Vethical AcuGuard begins killing fleas in 30 minutes, before they lay eggs.


Adult fleas can begin feeding within seconds of finding a host. They must feed to begin reproduction, and female fleas will begin producing eggs within 24 to 48 hours of taking its first blood meal[6].

Female fleas can produce 40 to 50 eggs per day, up to 2,000 in their lifetime[1]. The eggs readily fall off the hair into the environment, so you can think of your dog as a flea egg “salt shaker.” Wherever the pet spends the most time is usually where the heaviest flea infestations are found.


Larvae hatch from eggs in one to six days given appropriate environmental conditions (a relative humidity between 50 percent and 92 percent). Their principal food is adult flea feces (“flea dirt”)[5].

Flea larvae are small, thin and white, measuring 1 to 2 millimeters in length (about the thickness of a dime). Indoors, flea larvae tend to live deep in carpeting or under furniture. Outside, they develop best in shaded areas or under leaves or similar yard debris. Any area of a yard where a pet seeks shelter from the heat or cold is potentially a great environment for fleas.


A mature larva transforms into a pupa inside a silk cocoon. Under most household conditions, the adult flea will emerge in three to five weeks. However, a fully developed flea can remain inside the cocoon for up to 350 days[8], a reproductive strategy that enhances the flea’s chance of survival. This helps to explain how a flea infestation can seemingly “explode” out of nowhere, even inside your home.


Adults emerging from cocoons can begin feeding immediately if a host is present. They are attracted by body heat, movement and exhaled carbon dioxide[6].

The flea feeds through a tiny, slender mouth part called the proboscis. Before feeding, it pumps saliva, which contains an anticoagulant, onto the skin. This prevents the blood from clotting, and the protein it contains can cause a severe allergic reaction in the host (flea allergy dermatitis).

Adult fleas can survive throughout the winter on pets as well as wildlife.



Your veterinarian is the best source of information regarding your pet’s health. When talking with your veterinarian about flea protection, your visit may include:

• A thorough examination of your pet to determine the severity and possible sources of any flea infestation
• A review of flea control options, including immediate remedies as well as a long-term flea protection program
• An assessment of your lifestyle and that of your pet’s to determine which flea product is best suited for your specific needs
• A discussion of the need for year-round flea protection

[1] M.W. Dryden, Integrated Flea Control: Flea Control for the 21st Century; presented at the North American Veterinary Conference, January 2001
[2] The Merck Veterinary Manual, 9th Edition, pgs. 710-715, 2166
[3] Brakke Consulting, Inc., The U.S. Flea Control and Heartworm Markets Report, 2006.1
[4] Elanco pet owner market research, January 2006
[5] Bowman, Dwight D. Georgi’s Parasitology for Veterinarians, pgs 38-43
[6] 2005 Flea Guidelines, Flea control for dogs and cats, Advanstar Veterinary Healthcare Communications, sponsored by an educational grant from Merial
[7] CA Sousa: Fleas, Flea Allergy and Flea Control, a review. 1997 Dermatology Online Journal 3(2)
[8] Michael W. Dryden and Michael K. Rust. 1994. The cat flea: biology, ecology and control. Veterinary Parasitology 52:1-19