Pet Flea and Tick Control

If you’ve ever had a pet with fleas or ticks, you know it’s terrible.  Fleas can take over your pet and your whole house and can seem impossible to get rid of.  In my 40+ years as a pet owner, I’ve never seen flea shampoos, flea collars, flea baths, flea sprays or flea bombs work at all.  

In this article, we’ll talk about the best pet flea and tick control and the best flea and tick prevention.

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Best Pet Flea and Tick Control

If your pet already has fleas, it’s best to act immediately to get control of the situation.  Fleas can multiply quickly, and both fleas and ticks can carry diseases that can put your pet’s health at risk.

The best way to control fleas and ticks is to treat your pet immediately with a flea and tick medication such as Frontline Plus Flea and Tick Treatment. This will get rid of the fleas on your pet very quickly.

You should also give your home a thorough cleaning by vacuuming carpets and furniture, plus washing your pet’s bedding and your own.  This will get rid of any existing flea eggs and flea manure (also known as flea dirt).

Best Pet Flea and Tick Prevention

The best flea and tick prevention is to make sure to begin treating your pet with a flea and tick medication such as Frontline Plus Flea and Tick Treatment and continue to apply this medication every month during flea and tick season.

The best flea and tick prevention for dogs and the best flea and tick prevention for cats is to begin the medication just prior to flea and tick season to prevent your pet from getting fleas and ticks in the first place.

Frontline Plus Pet Flea and Tick Treatment

You can purchase this product on Amazon HERE.

Be sure to choose the correct product for cats or dogs, based on their weight.

Flea and Tick Prevention for Dogs

Ticks can carry fatal diseases that can transfer to humans, most notably Lyme disease.  So, it’s important to use tick prevention to ensure your dog, you and your family stay healthy.

I’d like to recommend this blog post by Professional Dog Trainer and Behavioral Specialist, Doggy Dan, the owner of the dog training website, TheOnlineDogTrainer.com.

In the post, Doggy Dan talks about keeping your dog’s outdoor environment safe from ticks, how to check for ticks on your dog, and how to remove ticks correctly if you find a tick on your dog.  Read the blog post here: Tick Protection – How to Check Your Dog for Ticks.

Natural Pet Flea and Tick Remedies

You may find some natural flea and tick remedies online such as applying orange or lemon juice to your pet’s skin or giving your pet a flea bath.

My personal experience proves that citrus juice does not work, nor do flea baths.

I’m a person who chooses natural remedies for things as often as I can.  However, when it comes to fleas and ticks, I personally feel it’s best to use flea and tick medication to solve the issue completely, eliminate the work of trying natural remedies that don’t work, and to prevent serious illnesses from diseases carried by fleas and ticks.

Does Flea Shampoo Work?

No.  I’ve owned pets for more than 40 years and I’ve never seen flea baths get rid of fleas. Giving your dog a bath to remove leftover flea dirt and flea eggs may be advisable, but you shouldn’t give your cat a bath (ever) unless your vet recommends it.

For tips on how to bathe your dog, read my post, How to Bathe Your Dog (includes video).  For all the reasons why you should not bath your cat, read my article, How Often to Bathe Your Pets (includes video).

House cleaning is recommended once the pet has been treated for fleas, to remove flea dirt and flea eggs.  You should use caution when using any sort of lawn treatment, as some can be toxic for your pet.

Do Flea Collars Work?

My 40+ years’ experience clearly proves that flea collars won’t work.  Plus they smell bad and I don’t know how the pet can tolerate it, especially cats who are super sensitive to smells.

Pet Flea Treatment That Works

In my opinion and experience, using a product like Frontline will quickly eliminate fleas and ticks and prevent them in the future.

Fleas and Ticks Can Be Dangerous for Pets

Fleas and ticks can carry diseases and can cause blood loss and anemia, as well as skin irritation and infection.  I once had a tiny kitten die from fleas.

The mother and litter had fleas, so I gave the mother a flea bath, and because flea shampoos and flea products aren’t safe to use on kittens, I sprayed a towel with flea spray and wrapped each kitten in the towel for a few minutes (a bad recommendation I found online).

It didn’t work, and one of the kittens died from blood loss/anemia.

Had I known then what I know now, the mother cat would’ve received flea and tick medication and the fleas wouldn’t have happened to begin with.  To this day, I regret my ignorance on the topic of flea and tick prevention that cost that poor little kitten its life.

You may ask your vet for a recommendation on the best flea and tick medication for your pet, especially if your pet is young, has any health issues or if you’re not sure which product to use.  For more information about the treatment and prevention of fleas and ticks, refer to the ASPCA’s Guide for Preparing for Flea and Tick Season

Related article:  Advantage II Pet Flea and Tick Medication

I Donate to Animal Charities

Thank you for visiting my website. I hope this post helps you get rid of and prevent fleas and ticks once and for all!

I donate 10% of my earnings to animal charities.  You can see a list of the charities I donate to here.  If you like this website, please share it with your friends and family who have a dog or a cat.  Thank you! Debra

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