What products are available for flea and tick prevention?
There are several products out there and available for both cats and dogs that range from monthly topicals to oral tablets taken each month, as well as long-lasting collars that last 6 to 9 months. They are not all created equally; each provides a slightly different avenue of protection.
How effective are topical treatments?
Topicals do a nice job in general of repelling fleas and ticks. So if the pet picks up a flea or tick outside, they're going to want to get off that animal before they're on there long enough to bite.
What about chewable flea and tick prevention products?
Your chewable products don't have the repellency. The flea or tick has to bite to come in contact with the product, but once they bite and ingest it, they will fall off and die relatively quickly.
How do collars work for flea and tick prevention?
Collars also have a repellency to them. The nice thing with some of the collars is their duration of effectiveness, as they provide coverage for 6 to 9 months, depending on the collar.
Are all products equally effective for flea and tick treatments for my pet?
All things are not created equal as far as topicals, chews, and collars. Some over-the-counter products are not as efficacious. A lot of these have been on the market for a long time, and fleas and ticks have evolved and developed some resistance. So, a lot of times, we'll see pets come in that are on an over-the-counter topical, and they'll still have fleas or ticks.
Why is it important to treat every pet in the household for fleas and ticks?
The important thing about preventing fleas and ticks is to treat every pet in the house. The cat that doesn't go outside can pick up fleas or ticks when the dog goes out, picks them up, and brings them inside. They can get off in the house, and your fleas and ticks can complete their entire life cycle in your home without needing to leave.
What should pet owners know about flea infestations?
Once you have a flea infestation, getting rid of it is a much more complicated and long-term process. Usually, you need to treat for at least 3 months to break that life cycle, and you still may have fleas showing up depending on the weather, temperature, and humidity in the home.
Can fleas and ticks carry diseases?
Fleas and ticks can also carry disease, so it's really important to prevent them versus treating them once you have them.
Do you recommend year-round flea and tick control?
I recommend having your pet on flea and tick control year-round. Our winters are not what they used to be, and anytime the temperature is over freezing, fleas and ticks are out there, moving and looking for a host to get their next meal from.
If you have questions, we would love to answer them for you. Please give us a call at the office at (319) 220-5926, or you can email us at [email protected]. Our staff would love to talk with you!
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