Fleas and ticks are more than unsightly, irritating insects; these tiny parasites can trigger severe reactions and transmit various diseases that can harm your pet. If you do not protect your pet with year-round veterinarian-prescribed flea and tick preventives, your furry pal and your home are at risk for serious parasite problems. Don’t let these tiny creatures jeopardize your pet’s health or your ability to sleep at night! Learn the why and how of effective parasite prevention by reading this helpful Providence Vet guide.

Small but sinister: A close look at fleas and ticks, and how they affect your pet

As unpleasant as it sounds, learning about these tiny foes, including their appearance, behavior, life cycles, and preferences, can help you minimize your pet’s infestation and disease risk. Consider how these pests can affect your pet’s health:

  • Fleas — Fleas are tiny, wingless insects that survive by feeding on mammals, including dogs and cats. Infestations can occur year-round in warm climates but are common nationwide during spring and summer. Fleas reproduce rapidly, laying numerous eggs in the environment, and you must quickly address infestations before maturing fleas become reproducing adults. Health issues caused by fleas include painful bites, intense itching, skin irritation, anemia in puppies and kittens, and allergic reactions (i.e., flea allergy dermatitis [FAD]). 
  • Ticks — Ticks are eight-legged arachnids that, like fleas, bite and feed on mammals. After attaching to a host, feeding ticks remain in place until they become engorged with blood, then drop off to molt or reproduce. Through their saliva, infective ticks can transmit various debilitating diseases, including Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis. Ticks come in various species and often inhabit grassy and wooded areas, making outdoor activities, such as hiking, hunting, or camping, a significant exposure source. Although ticks may be present year-round, they are most active during the early spring and late fall.

Why all pets deserve year-round parasite prevention

Although parasites may seem like a fair-weather problem, these industrious pests pose a year-round threat to pets. Flea and tick populations are increasing across the United States, with rising average temperatures and associated shifts in wildlife migration being the most common reasons for these pests’ prevalence. Ticks can re-emerge from dormancy on a mild winter day, latching on to a passing pet’s fur. In addition, you can unknowingly bring a tick indoors if it is attached to your clothing. Visiting wildlife (e.g., rabbits, deer, raccoons, squirrels, and field mice) and stray pets can bring fleas to your yard, which can then leap onto your dog or cat. Finally, flea populations can establish themselves indoors in carpeting or your pet’s bedding, where they can reproduce and thrive in any season or weather. 

Before you presume that only indoor-outdoor pets need preventives, consider this: If your outdoor-loving dog brings in a flea or tick, the parasite can harm your unprotected indoor-only cat or other pet, putting them at risk for discomfort and disease.

By administering your pet’s year-round preventives, you ensure consistent protection against fleas and ticks. Because no gaps or delays in preventive medication occur, you don’t have to worry about remembering to resume your pet’s seasonal preventives after a winter hiatus.  

Why we recommend veterinary prescription preventives

While over-the-counter (OTC) products may seem convenient, veterinary-prescribed preventives are safer, more effective, and tailored to your pet’s specific needs. Veterinarian-approved preventives are available in various formulations to suit each pet’s and owner’s preference and lifestyle, including topical solutions, oral medications (e.g., flavored tablets or treat-like chews), and collars. Your Providence Vet veterinarian can help you determine which method will best suit your pet’s needs, based on their age, size, lifestyle, and overall health.

Additional tips for reducing your pet’s parasite exposure

In addition to administering year-round flea and tick preventives, maintaining your pet’s environment can further reduce their parasite risk. To help reduce your pet’s parasite exposure, follow these tips:

  • Vacuuming carpets, rugs, crevices, and baseboards where fleas like to hide
  • Washing pet bedding 
  • Clearing leafy debris from the yard
  • Relocating wildlife feeders or outdoor pet food stations 
  • Keeping grass trimmed to discourage ticks
  • Maintaining regular grooming appointments or regularly bathing and brushing your pet
  • Checking your pet for visible fleas and ticks immediately after being outdoors. Pet body areas to which you should pay close attention include around the eyes, ears, axillary (i.e., armpit) areas, groin, and around the tail base.

Flea and tick prevention is not just a seasonal obligation; it is a year-round commitment to your pets’ well-being. By understanding the risks associated with these parasites and taking proactive measures, you can ensure your beloved companion has a healthy and happy life. Schedule your pet’s next visit with our Providence Vet team or request a refill for your furry pal’s current prescription preventives.