Flea and Tick Remedies: What You Need to Consider When Using Them
Almost every dog owner has used products for the prevention or treatment of flea and tick infestations at some point. They typically come in the form of tablets, spot-on preparations, or collars. What are ticks and fleas anyway? Which product is the best and what should you keep in mind?
What are ticks and fleas anyway?
Ticks and fleas are parasites, specifically called ectoparasites. They feed on the blood of other living beings. They attach themselves to their so-called hosts just to suck blood. These can be all sorts of animals, like our dogs or even ourselves.
The tricky part is that ticks are only a few millimeters large before they fill up with blood. This makes them often hard to detect in the dense fur of →our dogs or cats. However, once they have filled up, they grow and can become up to one centimeter large.
Fleas, unlike ticks, live both in the environment and on the host animals. They are only a few millimeters big and therefore almost impossible to see with the naked eye.
Why should you prevent and treat against ticks and fleas?
As you have just learned, ticks and fleas are blood-sucking parasites. The bite of these little creatures is not only painful, but it can also lead to local inflammatory reactions, severe itching, and in the worst case, even to the transmission of diseases. For example, ticks are capable of transmitting pathogens for Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, dirofilariasis, and tick-borne encephalitis. Fleas can transmit tapeworms and caliciviruses. Additionally, some dogs develop an allergy to flea saliva and can show severe symptoms like constant itching even with a minor flea infestation.
Note! Fleas do not spare humans either. So if your pet is infested with fleas, you might soon find little crawling creatures on yourself as well.
To best avoid such scenarios, good prevention is important. It is quite uncomplicated to prevent fleas and ticks. However, once your pet is infested with fleas, treatment becomes significantly more laborious. Fleas do not only live on your four-legged friend but also lay their eggs in the environment. In the worst case, you will have to take care of the entire apartment.
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What products are available and what should you pay special attention to?
When choosing a product, you have a wide range of options. There are numerous remedies against fleas and ticks with different active ingredients and varying durations of action.
Collars
These are worn by your pet all the time, and the active ingredient is gradually released. You should avoid intense contact with the collar. If your pet plays a lot in the woods, a collar may not be the ideal product for you, as your four-legged friend can get caught on branches or bushes with the collar.
Spot-on preparations
These preparations are dropped onto your dog's skin, usually at the neck or between the shoulders. It is important that your pet cannot lick this spot to avoid side effects.
When applying, make sure that the liquid actually reaches the skin. You need to part the fur properly, which can sometimes be quite challenging depending on how much fur your dog has. It works particularly well if you distract your dog during the treatment with a snack like →our liver paste. You should also ensure that everything lands on your four-legged friend and nothing on you. If your skin comes into contact with the liquid, you should immediately wash your hands thoroughly and definitely avoid touching your face or eyes.
Read the package insert and follow what the manufacturers recommend in such cases. Spot-on applied and a cuddle session as a reward for being so good? Better not. In this case, it's better to opt for a →healthy snack. Freshly treated pets should not be cuddled too much so that nothing from the anti-flea and tick remedy ends up on your skin.
Sprays
Another option to protect your furry friend from unwanted crawling creatures is to use a spray. It is important to wear household gloves while using a spray.
Lift your pet's fur a bit so that the skin is visible and spray the fur until it is well moistened. Then massage the spray thoroughly into the fur. It usually dries within a short time. Avoid bathing your pet in the first 48 hours after application to prevent washing off the active ingredients immediately.
Tablets
As an alternative to external methods, you can also give your dog a tablet. These either have a neutral taste or taste a bit like a treat. If your pet refuses the tablet, you can also easily hide it in food or in a snack like →our poultry paste**.
Make sure that your pet eats the whole tablet and that no crumbs are left on the floor, so that they are not accidentally consumed by your cat or children.
Conclusion
You can decide for yourself how you want to administer the anti-flea and tick remedy. The various products also have a different duration of action. It cannot be generally answered which one works the longest or is the best, as this depends entirely on the active ingredients contained and the needs of your pet. It is best to consult your veterinarian if you are unsure.
When is special caution required?
You should never use your dog's anti-flea and tick remedies on your cat, unless of course the product is specifically designed for both dogs and cats. There are certain active ingredients, such as permethrin, that are great for dogs but can cause severe side effects in your cat.
You should also be particularly careful if your dog is a herding dog, such as an Australian Shepherd. These dogs sometimes have a genetic defect, known as “MDR-1 defect,” and cannot tolerate certain active ingredients (such as avermectins), which can lead to severe side effects.
If you have a puppy, make sure to get good advice from your veterinarian. Many products can only be used from a certain age. However, there are also active ingredients that you can safely use on puppies.
Regardless of the chosen method, it is important that you do not give the little pests a chance to harm your pet. We hope this article helps you make your decision.
