The Do’s and Don’ts of Flea and Tick Prevention

Posted by Wendy Milledge on 14 June 2023

As a pet owner, do you stick to a strict parasite control routine for your pet, or are you sometimes a few days (or even a few weeks) late with the administration?

Whilst we understand that “life happens”, our team wants to gently remind owners about the importance of a solid external parasite control routine for dogs and cats. Here’s how to keep your pet properly protected against fleas and ticks.

Why should pets be protected against fleas?

Fleas are particularly common in warm weather but can also reproduce in warm indoor environments throughout the year.

So maintaining good flea control is also important when the cooler winter weather is upon us.

In many cats and dogs, flea bites will cause mild to moderate skin irritation. However, for dogs and cats with an allergy to flea saliva, flea bites can lead to severe inflammation and discomfort. Additionally, pets may scratch or chew excessively at any irritated areas, potentially triggering secondary bacterial skin infections requiring veterinary treatment.

As well as causing skin problems, fleas can also transmit Dipylidium tapeworms and other infectious diseases.

Why is it important to protect your pet against ticks?

Traditionally, we have thought of the life threatening paralysis tick predominantly being of concern in Queensland and the Eastern coast of Australia, but the reality is this dangerous tick is widespread and also seen in parts of Victoria, particularly in Gippsland. These ticks are also travelling to Melbourne by hitching a ride on pets, people or belongings that visited infested areas.

Whilst the paralysis tick season has traditionally run from early spring through summer, some areas of Queensland now also see paralysis cases all year round.

If you and your pet travel together, you may inadvertently enter a tick area without realising.

Tick paralysis is caused by the toxin of the Ixodes tick, and can affect both dogs and cats. Affected pets develop progressive muscle weakness, leading to an inability to walk, vomiting or regurgitation, and severe breathing difficulties which can sadly prove fatal.

Brown dog ticks infected with Ehrlichia canis (a bacteria) have now also been detected in Queensland, as well as Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and South Australia. Erhlichiosis infection is passed to dogs via the bites of infected ticks, leading to unwellness symptoms including fever, lethargy, bleeding disorders and potential death.