Flea and tick season in Australia are mainly common from October to January when the weather’s too humid, however, in some areas, ticks can occur throughout the year. Unfortunately, these pests can cause numerous problems to your furry friend like serious skin damage and itchiness which in some cases can lead to Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. So for that reason, you should really consider the idea of preventing this from happening with the right treatments. There are lots of topical over-the-counter flea and tick treatments available on the market, which can ease come in handy anytime you want. All it takes is consulting with your veterinarian first and then choosing the one that’ll best meet your needs. But prior to explaining the treatments, let’s see how fleas and ticks can actually harm pets.

Fleas are pests that can cause many irritations and diseases. They bite the dog and then feed on its blood which is the way in fact diseases are transmitted to dogs. Unfortunately, if your dog has been infected or has caught the flea tapeworm from infected fleas, it can pass it on to other pets and humans as well. Some of the most common signs of skin diseases caused by fleas are skin infection, scratching, hair loss, crusting and thickened skin.

There are different types of ticks, where paralysis ticks are small pests that feed on the blood of animals while releasing a toxin that is lethal and quite dangerous for their health. As the name implies, this toxin can cause paralysis in a dog and even death. Bush ticks also release a toxin in their blood while feeding, but fortunately, it’s not as harmful as the toxin from paralysis fleas.

The truth is that there are many different types of intestinal worms that your dog can catch and the most common are hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms and whipworms. There are some of the most common symptoms that your dog can develop from getting some of these worms.

Luckily, there are numerous treatments that can help dogs in these conditions, so finding a worm, dog flea & tick treatment that’s appropriate for your dog’s condition won’t be that hard. Shampoos, tablets, rinses, serums, sprays and creams are some of the many options from which you can choose.

One thing’s certain, flea control for dogs is easier if you prevent fleas on your dog and that can be done by regular cleaning of your dog’s favourite areas in the home and outside of it. This will help you eliminate flea eggs and larvae which is a fundamental step in preventing their spread. When choosing a flea treatment for your dog, you can choose from several that are able to treat several flea stages. When your dog has already been bitten by a flea and experiences skin itchiness and discomfort, you can invest in a flea treatment that kills flea on contact. Just keep in mind that there are different treatments for dogs and puppies.

Generally, you can invest in spot-on flea treatments to get rid of fleas. They are easy to apply, extremely effective and the best of all is that they are categorised as once-a-month treatments. You can also invest in dog flea shampoos the purpose of which is to kill fleas on your pet when giving it a bath. Unfortunately, shampoos don’t have a long-lasting effect since once rinsed, fleas can attack your dog again. Rinses and sprays are also extremely easy to apply, but what you should know about them is that they vary in effectiveness. Depending on the type you choose, some of them should be used weekly while others monthly. Sprays, on the other hand, should be applied on a clean and mostly dry coat at the needed concentration if you want to have results.

Tablets are a fast and extremely effective dog flea treatment that can act within 30 minutes. And while tablets can kill all fleas and it’ll provide your dog with immediate relief, keep in mind that they won’t kill fleas in the surrounding area. Treatments for ticks are almost the same as for fleas, so depending on your needs and dog’s problem, you can easily find the right dog flea & tick treatment for your dog.