The Hazards and Nuisance of Fleas and Ticks

Posted on May 15, 2018 by Holly

Fleas and ticks are the most common external parasites on dogs and cats and the most common nuisance for pet owners. They flourish during the warm weather months but easily hitch rides inside and can be a year-round problem.

Fleas Are Biting Machines

Can you believe that just one flea can bite up to 400 times daily? So you can imagine how uncomfortable a flea infestation can be for a dog or cat. Even a few fleas can cause skin problems for your pet and may not be readily observable. Fleas can cause allergic skin reactions in cats and dogs, which may be difficult to tell apart from seasonal allergies. They also carry tapeworm larvae, which can lead to intestinal tapeworm infections. Control of fleas has always been a challenge because only adult fleas live on the pet. Flea eggs, larvae, and pupa live off the pet, outside and in the household.

Ticks: Hardy Disease Carriers

Tick prevention is important because, as we know, they carry various diseases that pose serious health risks. Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and ehrlichiosis are the most common. These diseases can be difficult, expensive, and sometimes impossible to cure. The goal is to prevent ticks from getting onto your dog or cat. If you live in a climate that experiences yearly freezing temperatures, you may notice ticks become less active or disappear but don’t be fooled, they can hibernate over the winter.

Flea & Tick Prevention

Fortunately, there are lots of effective preventative medications to help control fleas and ticks. It is best to talk with your veterinarian about which one is right for your dog or cat and your area of the country. We stock a full range of flea and tick treatments to keep your dog and cat safe and healthy.

NexGard for Dogs

NexGard is a prescription, chewable flea and tick preventative. It kills adult fleas and ticks NexGard is formulated to give protection for 30 days and is easy to give with a soft, beef-flavored chew that dogs enjoy.

Provecta Advanced For Dogs

Provecta Advanced is a 5-way parasite treatment for dogs. It kills and repels ticks, all life stages of fleas, and mosquitoes on contact before they bite. It also repels biting flies and kills chewing lice.

Bravecto For Cats

Bravecto is a prescription-strength topical just for cats. Bravecto gives your cat protection against fleas and black-legged ticks (deer ticks) for 12 weeks, and dog ticks for 8 weeks. Bravecto is also designed to help eliminate fleas in as little as 8 hours.

This information is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease and is purely educational. Please seek advice from your pet’s veterinarian with any questions regarding your pet’s health.

Ticks: Knowing How To Protect You And Your Dog

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Holly

Knowing how to protect you and your dog against ticks is the best defense in the fight against ticks. Tick prevention is important because as we know, they carry a variety diseases that pose serious health risks. Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and ehrlichiosis are the most common. These diseases can be difficult and expensive to treat and sometimes impossible to cure. The Brown Dog Tick, American Dog Tick, Black-Legged Tick or Deer Tick, and the Lone Star Tick are the most commonly found in the United States. Get to know the kind that live in your area so you know the risks.

It’s a good idea to check your dog daily for ticks, especially if you spend a lot of time outside. Run your hands slowly over your dog’s entire body feeling for bumps or lumps. Ticks can be very small and like to hide out inside ears, between toes, under the tail and collar, and in the armpit and groin areas. Don’t forget to check yourself too!

When You Find A Tick

If you find a tick on your dog, don’t panic. Use a pair of tweezers or the Tick Twister to grab the tick as close to your pet’s skin as possible, then pull back slowly until the tick is extracted from the body. Don’t grab the tick by the body, twist it, or pull too quickly. Disinfect the wound and apply an antibiotic cream approved by your veterinarian. Keep it clean and disinfected until it has healed.

Watch for signs of tick borne illnesses in your pet. Symptoms may not appear for up to three weeks. If you think a tick has bitten your pet and she’s behaving differently – loss of appetite, lethargy – talk your veterinarian right away.

Don’t Wait Until Tick Season

The goal is to prevent ticks from getting onto your dog or cat. If you live in a climate that experiences yearly freezing temperatures, you may notice ticks become less active or disappear but don’t be fooled, they can hibernate over the winter. Fortunately, there are lots of effective preventative medications on the market. It is best to talk with your veterinarian about which one is right for your dog and your area of the country. Be sure that the medicine you use repels the types of ticks in your area.

Around the Yard Keep your bushes, trees, and lawn trimmed to reduce ticks to help keep the tick population at bay. If you have a tick infestation in your yard, consider using environmental products or hiring an exterminator to address the problem. Use caution when treating your yard, many products can be harmful to people and animals.

We stock a full range of tick preventatives and treatments to keep your dog safe and healthy. Check out NexGard, Simparica, and Bravecto, chewable tick preventatives available at VetRxDirect.