Fleas and Ticks?

Question

I just bought a puppy, but I'm very worried about fleas and ticks. Can they be prevented? If so how?

Answer 1

Raysin Gyr has it right, I just want to add that you need to treat the dog every month whether you see fleas or not. Also, in winter, fleas go dormant, but you still want to treat them so you don't get an infestation in the spring.
Flea collars are pointless. They only repel fleas around the neck (not the entire dog) and contain chemicals that can make dogs sick or lose their hair.
The first answerer is a lunatic. Don't ever put anything on a dog that's not for dogs. Again, they may get sick.
Ask your vet about Frontline (for fleas and ticks only, you need heartworm prevention, Interceptor is a good one) and Advantix (does it all). They are currently the best.
Good luck.

Answer 2

Totally in agreement with Bonyslar. Flea collars are a waste and you should only use products for your specific animal(and for their age and weight). We got 2 puppies from the humane society over a year and a half ago. One had fleas all over her and was miserable. We used a flea shampoo the first day we got her to kill the fleas that were on her. The other had quite a few ticks that were carefully removed. We have used Frontline Plus drops(covers fleas, ticks and eggs)once a month ever since and neither one of them has had any fleas or ticks at all. We do the drops and the heartworm preventive at the same time(again agree with Bonyslar-we use Interceptor) every month for both of our puppies. Keep your puppy clean and well groomed and it should be fine with the right preventative treatment. Good luck!

Answer 3

I have a pet dog. It's a Jack Russell Terrier and recently we found out that he had some fleas. We bought a special type of Flea Soap which worked extremely well and now he doesn't have ticks or fleas anymore. Maybe part of this is because my dog is a short haired Jack Russell. So it really depends on what type of dog you bought.

Answer 4

I wouldn't use a flea collar on a puppy, warning on package. Actually I use on neither of my two.
I would use flea shampoo when the puppy is older, but only if either fleas or ticks become a problem.
I wish you and your puppy a long, happy, loving life together. I cherish my two.

Answer 5

Many multitudes of parasites love to live in and on dogs - fleas, ticks, mites, heartworm, tapeworms, the list goes on and on and on.

Because medications vary based on the age/weight of your pup, be sure you consult your vet before taking action on your own.

Don't waste your money on anything you can buy at Petco. See your vet. Revolution is an "all in one" medication applied as a liquid to the skin of the animal between it's shoulderblades once a month. It prevents fleas, ticks, heartworm, mange and earmites. In the US, you need a prescription for this medication, but I like that it's an all in one treatment so you aren't putting liquid on for fleas and giving a pill for the heartworm.

Good luck with your new puppy.

I suggest reading http://www.leerburg.com to learn more about how to raise your dog.

Answer 6

Frontline, it is a prescriptiononly medication available from your vet and is a spot on treatment that is applied to the skin between the shoulder blades. Strength required depends on the weight of the dog. Remember that Frontline will only kill adult fleas and if you have an active problem you will have to buy a household spray and spray all carpets, floor edges, bedding etc (again available from your vet). Supermarket brands, whilst cheaper, are totally useless and have been known to irritate the animals skin. Remember, you get what you pay for.

Answer 7

Frontline is the stuff to use. You can get it from your vet or a Bob Martin version of it from supermarkets. Just a drop on the back of their neck and on their rump where the tail meets the body, and you'll never have any trouble.
I live in the Highlands of Scotland and deer and sheep ticks are a major problem up here for both dogs and cats and the remedy I mentioned above is available for both and works brilliantly.

Answer 8

The strongest and best stuff is frontline from the vet. It prevents and kills fleas and ticks so your dog is safe.
If you have lots of soft furnishings that your dog will be on, like carpets and rugs and sofas etc, you should treat those too to make sure that they don't harbour these parasites.

Answer 9

The food that you feed your pup can affect how often your dog get fleas, try also to bath your pup often w/ a flea soap, and make sure if their is other dogs in your house that they don't have fleas, because they will infect your puppy quickly!

Answer 10

Flea and tick shampoo and a flea tick collar. I use a spray on my chows, but on my huskies, I actually use a horse spray as they are more prone outside to more different kind of insects