Do Dogs Need Flea And Tick Medicine?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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“Ticks and mosquitoes are dangerous to the health of people as well as pets,” says Dr. Jill Lopez, a veterinarian with Merck Animal Health. “For that reason,

flea and tick protection is essential for all dogs and cats that live with you

.”

Should you give your dog flea and tick medicine year round?

Yes! Yes!

Keep your pets on flea and tick protection all year round

! It is common today to hear people say “I don’t give my pet flea and tick prevention in the winter there is no need, since it is so cold”.

Do dogs need flea and tick medicine monthly?

Do dogs need flea and tick medicine every month? The best way to prevent and ward off fleas is to keep your dog on flea and tick medication year-round.

Most preventative medications, both topical and oral versions, need to be taken monthly to remain effective.

How often do dogs need flea and tick prevention?

We always recommend giving flea and tick protection

year round

as the weather is unpredictable. Fleas can live outdoors and can survive in temperatures as low as 33 degrees for up to 5 days (long enough to jump on to your dog or you during your short walk outside and make their way in to your home!).

Do you really need flea and tick medicine?

“Ticks and mosquitoes are dangerous to the health of people as well as pets,” says Dr. Jill Lopez, a veterinarian with Merck Animal Health. “For that reason,

flea and tick protection is essential for all dogs and cats that live with you

.”

Which flea and tick prevention is safest for dogs?

If chemical products are necessary for additional flea or tick control, NRDC recommends

s-methoprene or pyriproxyfen

, which are less toxic ingredients—but read the labels carefully because some products use them with other, more harmful pesticides.

Do my dogs need flea medicine in the winter?

Yes. Though many species of ticks and fleas are slowed down or dormant during the winter, certain areas of the United States are not cold enough to truly kill these parasites and stop their activity. Because ticks and fleas can carry diseases that could harm your dog, it’s best to keep them protected all year long.

Does my dog need tick prevention?

Dogs are very susceptible to tick bites and tickborne diseases. Vaccines are not available for most of the tickborne diseases that dogs can get, and they don’t keep the dogs from bringing ticks into your home. For these reasons,

it’s important to use a tick preventive product on your dog

.

Is flea and tick medicine monthly?

The simple answer:

Yes, flea & tick medication is important

.

After a ton of research, the solution seems clear — opting in for long-term flea & tick medication for your furry companion. This should be as important as humans taking their daily vitamins.

When should I stop giving my dog tick medicine?

Our doctors recommend that you continue to use flea and tick

until there are 2 good touches of frost and the temperatures are consistently staying below 40 degrees

. Ticks WILL come out anytime temps are over 42 degrees.

What months should I give my dog flea and tick medicine?


December through February

are arguably the lowest risk months for parasites, so many pet-parents will forgo coverage in those months, and start flea and tick prevention again in March or April when the weather begins to warm.

How do I prevent my dog from getting ticks?

  1. Learn which season is “tick season” …
  2. Know the lay of the land. …
  3. Use tick prevention products. …
  4. Frisk your dog daily. …
  5. Save the ticks you remove. …
  6. Remove embedded ticks promptly and properly. …
  7. Consider the Lyme disease vaccine.

Do vets give flea treatment?

Apply flea treatment


Call your regular vet to find out how to obtain flea treatment under the current restrictions

. They may have a delivery service or be able to give you a prescription to allow you to buy the product online. Treatments come in different forms such as spot-on solutions, oral treatments and sprays.

Which is better oral or topical flea and tick?

A study published in Veterinary Parasitology seems to back up the veterinarians and flea product makers. The ninety-day study found that

topicals were 88.4 percent effective, while oral treatments were 99.9 percent effective

.

Is Nexgard better than frontline?

The answer to this question is the inverse of the answer given for fleas, which is to say that both are equally effective at killing ticks, but in this case,

Nexgard kills them quicker

. Nexgard can eliminate the little bloodsuckers in just eight hours, whereas it takes 24-48 hours for Frontline to work.

How do you know your dog has ticks?

Dogs with ticks

may have pale gums and be lethargic

. Scabs: There may be a tick embedded in your dog’s skin if you find random scabs on your pet’s body. Head shaking: Ticks sometimes crawl into a dog’s ear canal or latch onto the ear’s outer flap, and head shaking may be one indication.

Emily Lee
Author
Emily Lee
Emily Lee is a freelance writer and artist based in New York City. She’s an accomplished writer with a deep passion for the arts, and brings a unique perspective to the world of entertainment. Emily has written about art, entertainment, and pop culture.