Flea and Tick Control in Dogs
Flea Control:
Fleas are most often seen during the warmer months but as we keep our homes nice and warm throughout winter, we can see fleas all year round. Only a small part of a flea population actually live on your animal.
The fleas’ eggs and larvae live in the environment and can survive there for up to a year, so it is important to not only treat your animal directly for fleas but its environment as well eg wash your animal’s bedding using the hottest cycle and regularly vacuum / clean carpets. The flea products we recommend also reduce flea numbers in the pet’s environment.Fleas will tend to jump onto your animal only to feed and then jump off again. Dogs and cats can have a reaction to flea saliva resulting in FAD (Flea Allergy Dermatitis). Treatment of FAD can be complicated and veterinary consultation is recommended.
Some signs that your animal may have fleas include:
- Scratching, biting and hair loss
- You may see fleas crawling over your animal’s body (especially over the rump and groin region)
- If your animal has a long or dark coat, it can be difficult to find the fleas. To check for flea droppings, moisten a cotton ball, part your animal’s coat and place the cotton ball on the skin over the rump. If the cotton ball takes on black specs surrounded by a reddish area, this may be flea dirt and can indicate that your animal has fleas.
- Frontline Plus - for fleas and ticks
- Advantage - for fleas only
- Advocate - for fleas and worms, heartworm, and some mites
- Advantix - for fleas and ticks, for dogs only
- Permoxin spray - a less expensive alternative for fleas and ticks, for dogs only
ADVANTIX AND PERMOXIN ARE ONLY TO BE USED IN DOGS. It is recommended that cats be kept SEPARATE from treated dogs overnight to allow time for product to distribute on the dogs coat. Cats should not groom or have physical contact with a recently treated dog.
Please refer to product inserts or speak to us for more information regarding any of these products. Tick Control:
The main tick of concern for pet owners is the Paralysis Tick (Ixodes holocyclus) as it can cause death within 2-4 days of attachment. Whilst Paralysis Ticks do not occur naturally in the A.C.T. they can attach to pets who visit the coast during the warmer months, particularly if they are allowed to run through scrub. Ticks may also hitch a ride back with you or a neighbour in cars, rugs, towels or plants.
Should you notice a tick on a pet that is not displaying signs of tick paralysis, remove the tick straight away. To do this, grasp the tick firmly where it attaches to your pet’s skin and give a quick sideways pull. It is better not to try and kill the tick first using insecticides etc, as the dying tick may inject more of its potent toxin into your pet. The animal should then be kept cool and quiet whilst being closely monitored for 24 hours. If your pet starts to display any signs of tick paralysis eg vomiting, weakness, staggering, breathing difficulty, or altered bark, seek immediate veterinary attention. Do not offer food or water as these may be accidentally inhaled in tick affected dogs.
Treatment of tick paralysis includes searching for and removing all ticks. This may include clipping the animal completely and/or the application of a pesticide. Tick antiserum is administered and supportive care provided. This can be costly in comparison to what it would cost to use tick prevention initially. However, no tick prevention is 100% effective and should be used in combination with daily searches of your pet. Searching your pet shouldn’t cease once you return from the coast but should continue for at least 7 days after returning home. Feel over the entire body, especially under the collar and around the front of the dog. Don’t forget to check between toes, under the lips and in the ears.
There are five tick preventatives sold at Hall Veterinary Surgery:
- Advantix: (ONLY FOR USE IN DOGS). It is recommended that cats be kept SEPARATE from treated dogs overnight to allow time for product to distribute on the dog’s coat. Cats should not groom or have physical contact with a recently treated dog. Advantix is a ‘spot on’ product that repels and kills paralysis ticks. It remains effective after contact with water and shampooing. Advantix should be applied 1 week before entering a tick paralysis area and re-applied fortnightly. Advantix also reduces bites from other parasites such as fleas, lice, sand flies and mosquitoes
- Proban: This tablet is given every second day during the tick season. Proban needs to be started 1 week before tick exposure and continued for 2 weeks after returning from a tick area.
- Permoxin: (ONLY FOR USE IN DOGS). A concentrate liquid made up to spray onto the dog. One application a week is recommended, but it can safely be used daily for increased efficiency. After swimming, your dog needs to be dried properly and then re-sprayed.
- Preventic collars: licensed to work for 2 months. They are only suitable for dogs and must not be used on cats.
- Frontline spray can be used on both cats and dogs, starting 2 days before visiting a tick area and reapplying every 14 days. Frontline ‘spot on’ also reduces the risk of tick attachment, but is less effective than the spray.
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