Protection from ticks

Ticks in dogs and cats

Finding ticks has become a common occurrence in recent years and has increased the risk of tick-borne diseases. We cannot eliminate the risk of ever getting a tick on our pet, but we can do a few things to reduce that risk.

Ticks become active when the temperature is above 7 degrees Celsius. In the past, we thought that treatment from April to November was sufficient, but as our temperatures rise, we now recommend a year-round preventive treatment. There have been many days in January and February when the temperature has been 7 degrees and even warmer. The ticks are active on those days and are hungry, so they are looking for a meal.

Protecting your dog and/or cat also means protecting yourself from ticks. Our pets often sleep in our beds and on our couches. If your pet has a tick, it can fall off and then attach itself to us. Tick-borne diseases can be a problem for our pets, but are much more serious for humans.

Tick-borne diseases can be a problem for our pets, but are much more serious for humans.

Checking your pet regularly for ticks is important, even if you use preventatives. No single product protects 100% against ticks!

There are several products available to protect your pet:

Spot-on medications

Because spot-on medications are effective for a month, you should apply them monthly. However, you should make sure that your pet does not come into contact with your children or other pets immediately after you apply the spot-on medication. Good tick repellent spot-on products for dogs are Advantix, Frontline Combo, and Pulvex.
For cats, Advantix is recommended. For cats, Effipro is recommended for tick prevention.

Collars

You can use a collar to protect your animal against ticks for longer.

Collars

The Scalibor collar protects for 5 to 6 months against ticks and sandflies.
A Seresto collar protects up to 8 months against ticks and is also available for cats. The Seresto band also protects against fleas and lice.