I have a dog with a severe flea allergy. If he gets one or two fleas on him, he will bite and scratch himself bloody. If he gets several on him, he loses all his hair, gets hot spots, and seems physically ill.

Of course, we don't let him to get that stage now that we know that those pesky little fleas cause him so much distress.

My veterinarian suggested - and sold to us - Adams Carbaryl Flea & Tick Shampoo. I am not sure if this is the same product as their regular flea and tick shampoo but my bottle clearly states that it has Carbaryl in it on the label. Carbaryl is "a wide-spectrum carbamate insecticide which controls over 100 species of insects on citrus, fruit, cotton, forests, lawns, nuts, ornamentals, animals …" according to a report put out by Cornell University.

The Manufacturer's Claims

This is a rich lathering shampoo that quickly kills fleas and ticks on pets while cleaning and deodorizing skin and coat. Also repels gnats, flies and mosquitoes. Contains Carbaryl for added pest stopping power.

www.thatpetplace.com

Packaging

This shampoo comes in a blue 12 ounce plastic bottle with a red screw off lid. The shampoo is thin and seems to be ultra concentrated. I need a tiny amount to cover my little Jack Russell Terrier from head to toe.

The scent is pleasant. It's fresh and not too medicinal.

My Use

My dog knows immediately when it is time for a bath and he is never thrilled. But, once I finally get him in the tub, he settles down. I wet him thoroughly and then apply a small amount of the shampoo to his back. It lathers amazingly well. I cover his whole body, making sure not to go near his eyes.

Then I TRY to wait. Ideally, leaving this shampoo on for a few minutes will kill any creepy crawly bugs on my dog's skin. He slips, he slides, he tries to jump out of the tub, but I manage to get him to hang on for a few minutes and then I rinse.

The shampoo rinses off well and leaves my dog's coat amazingly fluffy ad super clean. He smells great too, not like medicine but like a fresh, clean puppy again.

I have seen dead fleas on the tub's floor so I know it works and, after his bath, Mickey doesn't have any that I can find and I look very carefully.

I usually towel dry and then blow-dry my dog because he isn't fond of being wet (unless it's a very hot summer day).

Immediately, I see him perk up. He seems refreshed and to be feeling better right after he's dry. Because he is so small and this does have chemicals in it, I wait about a week before I apply Advantage to his coat to long-term kill fleas and keep them away from Mickey.

I note no signs of irritation when using the shampoo and, even when Mickey had red spots and raw skin, he seemed totally unaffected by the shampoo sitting right on his skin so I can only assume it doesn't irritate or burn him

I note no irritation on my hands after using the shampoo.

If I don't use any other flea treatment, the fleas will return after a while. However Adams Carbaryl Flea & Tick Shampoo seems to ward off fleas and other bothersome critters and allow Mickey to be comfortable for quite a while. I sometimes skip the Advantage and bath him twice monthly with the shampoo and it seems to do the trick if it isn't a heavy flea season.

This shampoo is really good stuff. I worry at times that it may be too harsh for my little guy but he is SO much perkier after his bath and feels so much better that I don't see any evidence that the chemicals in the shampoo are causing him anything but comfort by getting rid of those fleas he is so allergic to.

Buying Info

I buy this at my vet's but it is sold online here and there. I think Amazon sells it and a few pet shops do as well. Offline, I am sure many pet stores or even some large stores with pet departments carry it. It isn't too expensive - only about $6.50 for 12 ounces. Those twelve ounces last us a long time because the shampoo is concentrated and my dog is so small.

Conclusion

Adams Carbaryl Flea & Tick Shampoo works. Period. If your dog is suffering from flea infestation or even ticks or lice, this will get rid of those pest and leave your animal's coat fluffy, shiny, and smelling great.

It's so inexpensive yet so effective!

I am going with 5 stars because it is the best flea shampoo we have ever tried and we have had dogs continuously since both my husband and I were toddlers. We went through many brands of flea shampoo separately and together and my husband and I agree that we have found the one that we will use for good.

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 6.50