Essential Tips for Keeping Your Pet Safe from Fleas and Ticks
Keeping our pets safe from parasites like fleas and ticks is as necessary as providing them with a good diet and enough exercise. Fleas and ticks are more than just pests and can be a threat to your pet’s health. As a pet parent, it’s crucial to learn about these parasites, the health risks, and how to protect your beloved pets from them.
By the end of this blog, you will be equipped with the knowledge to keep your dog safe, healthy, and free from the dangers that fleas and ticks cause.
Let’s get started!
The Risk of Fleas
Fleas are tiny, wingless insects that feed on the blood of the animals. Despite their small size, fleas can jump incredible distances. It makes it easy for them to move from the environment onto your pet. Flea bites can cause intense itching, irritation, and even allergic reactions.
Symptoms of Flea Infestation
Here are some common symptoms that your pet displays when infested with fleas:
- Restlessness
- Scratching, licking, chewing, or nibbling at the skin
- Hair loss
- Red, irritated skin
- Scabs
- Pale gums
The Danger of Ticks
Ticks are small arachnids that feed on your pet’s blood and attach themselves to your pet’s skin to feed. They are the carriers of multiple diseases like Lyme disease, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, etc.
Symptoms of Tick Infestation
By being aware of the signs of tick infestation, you can ensure your pet gets the care they need before serious problems arise. Following are the symptoms of tick infestation:
- Fever
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Tiredness
- Skin rashes
- Itchiness or irritation
Preventive Measures of Fleas and Ticks
With proactive steps, you can keep your dog free from fleas & ticks and avoid discomfort. Here’s how you can effectively prevent fleas and ticks:
- Use a vet-recommended flea and tick treatments
- Keep your home clean
- Wash your pet’s bedding regularly
- Maintain your yard
- Check your pet for fleas & ticks regularly
- Groom your pet frequently
- Regularly bath with a medicated shampoo
- Vacuum your house
Protecting Your Dog from Fleas and Ticks
To keep your pet healthy and happy, here’s a simple plan to help protect them from fleas and ticks:
Regular Vet Visits
Scheduled regular checkups with your vet to get best advice on flea and tick prevention and monitor any infestation.
Effective Treatments
Use flea and tick treatment to provide lasting protection. Here are some of the most effective products to protect your pet from these annoying parasites:
Bravecto
Bravecto eliminates adult fleas and prevents flea infestations. It begins killing fleas and ticks within hours of use. Bravecto is available in both chewable and topical forms for dogs and is available in topical form for cats. The treatment is convenient and provides long-lasting protection against fleas and ticks.
NexGard
NexGard is a monthly flavored chewable and is highly effective in killing fleas and multiple tick species. This potent formula is also approved for the prevention of Lyme disease in dogs .
Frontline Plus
Frontline Plus is a topical treatment and popular among pet parents for its reliability and effectiveness. Frontline Plus treatment is available for both dogs and cats and a single dose lasts for a complete month.
NexGard Spectra
NexGard Spectra is a flavored chewable monthly flea and tick treatment for dogs. It also protects against heartworms, intestinal worms, mites, lungworms and eyeworms.
Keep Your Home and Yard Clean
Maintaining hygiene in your home and yard helps keep fleas and ticks away. Here’s what you can do:
- Clean areas where your pet likes to rest.
- Use hot water to clean your pet’s beddings.
- Maintain the yard properly. Trim off the lawn and clear away debris.
Grooming
Regularly brush your pet’s coat and check your pet after outdoor play sessions. Use a flea comb to find and remove fleas or ticks. If you find a tick you can’t remove, ask your vet for help.
Final Thoughts
Protecting your pet from fleas and ticks is the most crucial part of pet parenting. With effective treatments and preventive measures, you can ensure your pet stays healthy and happy. Remember, it’s always easier to prevent a problem than to treat one, so start a better prevention plan today and keep those annoying parasites at bay!
David joined CanadaVetCare in 2013 as a product analyst and veterinary assistant. Being a passionate pet lover and keen animal health researcher, David had always found ways and solutions to help pet parents to improve their pets’ health. He is always happy to answer pet health-related queries and recommending pet parents for the right pet product for their furry companions.