My oldest daughter is a Vet Tech @ a Speciality and Emergency Clinic in Overland Park and they recommend Advantage or Frontline for the tick and flea problems in dogs and cats.. Here's a little ditty on Advantage, if anyone's interested.
Advantage kills fleas on dogs, cats, puppies, kittens
Applied to the back of the neck on cats and between the shoulder blades on dogs, this topical solution spreads naturally on the skin surface at the hair follicle level. Advantage flea control treatment continues to kill fleas and their larvae even after a shampooing, swimming, rain or exposure to sunlight. Under normal conditions, one Advantage treatment will provide at least one month flea control on dogs and up to one month control on cats. In the event the pet swims more than once weekly, re-treatment may be necessary. The pet may be treated as often as once weekly!
Advantage is so gentle it can be used on puppies as young as seven weeks and kittens as young as eight weeks. Advantage is also used on older cats and dogs. Simply "being geriatric" would not preclude the use of Advantage on a dog or cat. As with any product, pet owners with specific concerns (pregnant, nursing, sick, etc.) should consult their veterinarian prior to use.
For best results, clean and dry your pet before applying Advantage. Once Advantage flea control is applied to your pet (to the back of the neck on cats and between the shoulder blades on dogs,) it spreads on the surface of the skin at the hair root level, aided by body movement, to provide whole body coverage. Advantage topical flea treatment causes the flea’s nervous system to become impaired, and the flea dies.