Tips for Canine Flea & Tick Prevention

Labrador Retrievers love spending time outside, which is great for their physical health and mental stimulation. Unfortunately, the great outdoors are filled with parasites such as fleas and ticks. Preventing these pests from latching onto your dog can save your pup from serious discomfort and illness. Keep reading to learn must-know tips for canine flea and tick prevention.

Why is Tick & Flea Prevention Important?

Tick populations have nearly doubled within the last two decades and are no longer seasonal pests, making prevention more important now than ever. Fleas and ticks may be tiny, but they can harbor harmful diseases such as Lyme Disease and pass them on to humans and pets. Lyme Disease can cause many undesirable symptoms, including high fevers, joint pain and swelling, lethargy, vomiting, and weight loss. The best way to avoid these diseases is to prevent parasites from attaching to Fido in the first place, which is why flea and tick prevention is so important.

Risky Areas

Hunting dogs like Labrador Retrievers, who spend lots of time outside and in fields, are at a higher risk of being exposed to ticks. Ticks and fleas are a year-round threat to dogs in many geographic areas, so dog owners must be mindful of risk areas during all seasons. Ticks often hide in dense or wooded areas, including parks, hiking trails, bushes, and thick grass. Experts recommend keeping your dog away from risky areas when possible and doing your best to make your home and yard undesirable for ticks.

If you know your pup has ventured through an area where ticks are common, thoroughly search them afterward. Ticks are master hiders, so a fine-tooth or flea comb is ideal for checking your pooch’s coat. Pay extra attention to areas of your pup’s body that have thick fur or are hidden. After you complete a general check for ticks, do an extra inspection around their paws, armpits, ears, and tail. Inflamed skin or rashes, excessive licking and chewing, and a hard bump on the skin are all indicators of a tick.

Choosing a Medicine

Countless tick and flea medications are available on the market, which can make choosing one feel overwhelming. When hunting for a flea and tick treatment, the first thing to consider is your dog’s size. Large dog breeds like Labradors need different medicine types and doses than small dogs, so take this into account when researching products.

If your pup has diagnosed medical conditions you should proceed with caution before giving them tick medication. Dogs with a history of seizures or neurological disease shouldn’t have certain tick preventatives due to the likelihood of seizures. Additionally, do not give your dog medication if they’re sick, underweight, pregnant, or nursing. Most importantly, always consult your veterinarian before giving your pup a new medicine.

Oral Treatments

Oral treatments are one of the forms flea and tick preventatives commonly come in. These treatments are often chewable tablets that can be placed inside a treat for quick and easy consumption. The NexGard PLUS Chews for Dogs is a highly-rated prescription option for oral treatment. These tablets come in various doses for different dog weights, ranging from 8 to 132 lbs. This prescription medication protects canines from fleas, ticks, heartworms, hookworms, and roundworms. Another oral treatment that’s more budget-friendly is the Bravecto Chew for Dogs, which is effective after just two hours of ingestion and provides up to 12 weeks of pest prevention.

Topical Treatments

The other main option for tick and flea preventative treatment is a liquid topical treatment. After the application, you should monitor your dog to ensure they don’t wipe off the treatment before it’s fully dry. Regularly grooming your dog will make it easier to apply a topical treatment and prevent ticks.

Here are some of the best topical treatments:

• Prescription Topical Solution: Revolution Topical Solution is a prescription topical solution for dogs of all sizes. Dog owners should apply this treatment monthly between their pup’s shoulder blades or down their back to prevent flea and tick infestations. Revolution prevents heartworm disease, prevents parasite eggs from hatching, kills fleas, and controls tick populations.
• Tick-repellent Shampoo: TropiClean’s Maximum Strength Flea & Tick Dog Shampoo is an effective pest preventative with natural ingredients and can conveniently be used in the bath.
• Non-Prescription Topical: Frontline Plus for Dogs is one of the best non-prescription flea and tick treatments on the market. This tried and true treatment kills adult ticks and fleas at all stages. Even though this treatment doesn’t require a prescription, we still recommend letting your vet know that you’re using this product on your pup.

Removing a Tick

If you’ve taken all the preventative steps above and your pup still gets a tick, don’t worry. This step-by-step guide will teach you to properly remove a tick from your dog’s skin.

• As soon as you find a tick on your dog, immediately gather supplies to remove it. The longer a tick is attached to your dog, the more time it has to feed on your pup and potentially spread disease.
• Use a pair of tweezers to grab the tick at its base and pull upwards securely. Get the tweezers as close to your dog’s skin as possible without hurting your pup.
• If you aren’t successful at removing the tick with tweezers, consider buying a tick removal tool from a nearby store.
• After you’ve detached the parasite from your dog, clean the area on your dog’s skin with an antiseptic. You likely already have isopropyl alcohol or rubbing alcohol on hand, which is a great option for disinfecting Fido’s skin.
• Lastly, place the tick in a plastic bag and set it aside to show your veterinarian if your dog begins showing signs of illness. If you notice symptoms such as swollen joints, a fever, decreased appetite and activity, or lethargy, take your dog to the vet immediately.

By preventing parasites, carefully monitoring your pup’s coat, and knowing how to remove ticks, you can protect your furry friend from serious diseases and health issues. Now that you know these tick and flea prevention tips, you should be equipped to keep Fido parasite-free.