Summer means lots of great opportunities for getting out and about with your dog. Hiking! Trips to the lake! Dog parks! Pet friendly restaurant patios! But…it also means a lot more opportunities to pick up fleas and ticks. Make sure your pet is protected and that you don’t bring these icky bugs home with you.
Why Prevention is Important
It’s cliche, but true…an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Especially when it comes to fleas and ticks.
Fleas are very quick to multiply. A single female flea can lay somewhere around 50 eggs per day! Which means a single random flea that you pick up on your adventures can turn into a LOT of fleas. It takes several weeks before these eggs turn into adults, so by the time you realize you have a problem it’s already well on its way to a major infestation! By having your dog on a prevention, you can kill any random fleas that you come across before they turn into a big problem.
Ticks carry diseases (Lyme disease, Ehrlichia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, etc.) which can make your pet very sick and even be life threatening. These illnesses are transmitted through tick bites and most require the tick to feed for several hours before the disease is transmitted. By having your dog on a prevention, many of these ticks are killed before they have the opportunity to transmit disease to your pet.
Types of Flea and Tick Prevention
Flea and tick protection come in a variety of types. Which is best will depend on your dog’s lifestyle and medical history. Check out a quick overview of the types of products available below, but be sure to talk with your veterinarian about which will be the best option for your particular pet.
Topical: Topical preventions are applied to the pet’s skin. Some of these products will remain on the skin and spread in the haircoat of your pet…others are absorbed into the body to provide protection. Though easy to apply, these products may not be ideal for pets that need regular baths or go swimming frequently (as those that are not absorbed could be washed off)…or those with skin issues. Most topical preventions will need to be applied on a regular basis.
Oral: Oral preventions are given to your dog by mouth in the form of a pill or treat. Though very convenient, these products may not be idea for pets that have a history of seizures or food allergies. The duration varies, most products in this category last somewhere between 1-3 months.
Collars: Some flea and tick preventions are available in collar form. All of these products remain on the skin and/or haircoat, however there is a wide range of effectiveness depending on the type of product used. Like topicals, collars may not be ideal for pets with skin issues. The length of time a collar product is good for depends on the specific type used (some last up to 8 months!).
OTC vs Prescription
Some flea and tick preventions are available over the counter (meaning that you can purchase them without a prescription)…others require a veterinarian’s prescription or must be purchased at a veterinarian’s office. To buy products that require a prescription, you will have to have a valid veterinary-client-patient relationship with your veterinarian (meaning they need to have seen your pet recently). Though there are always exceptions, products requiring a prescription generally are newer and more effective than those available Over The Counter.
Combination Products
To make life easier for pet owners, there are a variety of combination products out there that pair flea and tick prevention with heartworm prevention and dewormer. You may wish to consider a combination product so that your pet is better protected on their travels.
