At Canine Cottages, we love nothing more than knowing our four-legged friends are happy, which is why we believe no dog should be left behind when it comes to taking a holiday. And our pals at Beaphar want our dogs to be happy too, which is why they specialise in pharmaceuticals to keep our furry friends in top-dog condition – covering everything from looking after your pup’s nails to cleaning their ears!
As any dog owner knows, it’s important to protect our fluffy friends against ticks and fleas but, with so many products on offer, it can be hard to know if we’re taking the right action.
To help put our minds at ease, Beaphar took over our socials to answer questions from our Canine Club on Facebook, covering everything from applying flea medication to spotting a tick. If you missed the social takeover, read the Q&As below to find out everything you need to know about preventing fleas and ticks for dogs.
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Fleas Q&A
Can humans catch fleas from dogs?
While cat and dog fleas may well bite you, you are not their preferred host and they will jump off in search of a cat or dog.
Can my dog get worms from fleas?
Yes, fleas can carry Dipylidium caninum, a type of tapeworm, which is ingested when your dog grooms off the flea. Therefore, it is important to have a regular flea and worm control regime.
How can an elderly, poorly dog catch fleas when he never goes near other pets?
Unfortunately, fleas are always lurking. Even if your dog is indoors all of the time, there are a number of ways that fleas can still invade your home.
If your dog goes outside to go to the toilet, or even pottering around, there may have been infected wildlife in the garden – such as hedgehogs – that have unfortunately dropped fleas or flea eggs, who will then eagerly await their next host to come past.
In addition, and something that often surprises pet owners, we humans can carry fleas or flea eggs on our clothes or on the bottom of our shoes, after we have walked in an affected area or visited another home/pet. It is highly recommended that you wash all bedding at 60°C regularly as well as provide flea treatment, for maximum results.
Can a dog that is being treated monthly still get fleas and ticks?
This can happen and, in some instances, it is from sharing a home with an untreated pet or from poking their nose around infected wildlife, such as hedgehogs, in the garden for example.
However, if they do get fleas, and you are actively treating your pet continuously, the fleas will die pretty soon after contact on a treated pet, so it is even more important to keep those treatments up.
Always check the ingredients on your flea and tick treatment, normally found on the back or in the pack, to ensure that you are fighting both ticks and fleas as some are flea-only treatments.
Flea medication Q&A
What’s the best way to protect my dog from fleas?
While you can’t stop fleas from jumping onto your pet, the best way to keep them protected is to routinely treat them with a suitable flea control product, such as Beaphar FIPROtec® COMBO.
Its dual-action formula is tough on fleas, both on your dog and in the home. It kills adult fleas on your dog and protects your home against developing flea eggs and flea larvae.
As fleas can also carry tapeworm eggs, it’s important to incorporate a regular worming regime, such as Beaphar WORMclear®, into your dog’s care.
My vet says shop-bought flea products don't work - is this true?
No, by law, all veterinary medicines have to pass stringent testing to prove effectiveness, quality and safety before they make it to market.
To be allowed to be sold over the counter, products have to have a long and robust safety record.
What’s the best way to efficiently flea my dog? She hates the ointment I put on her skin!
Not all dogs like spot-ons. Thankfully, Beaphar has a wide variety of flea treatments to suit your dog’s needs.
We also provide sprays, soft flea collars, as well as Beaphar Canishield® collar, which kills fleas, ticks and sandflies for up to 6 months. You can read more about the best options for your dog here. We hope you find something for her!
Are your flea and tick treatments suitable and safe for herding breeds that carry the MDR1 gene?
Yes! We have plenty of flea and tick treatments available which are suitable and safe for those breeds of dogs.
If my dog goes swimming or gets wet, will the flea spot-on still work?
Once applied, it’s important to make sure your dog doesn’t get wet until the application site has dried. Fipronil, the active ingredient in Beaphar FIPROtec®, concentrates in the dog’s sebaceous glands acting as a store, allowing the treatment to stay active for longer, even after swimming.
However, bathing your dog within two days of application or more than once a week may reduce how well the product works.
Other flea treatments Q&A
How do I get rid of fleas in my home?
Although treating your dog is important, a staggering 95% of a flea infestation is in the environment, consisting of flea eggs, flea larvae and flea pupae. This means, when tackling an active infestation, you must also treat your home with a suitable household flea product, such as Beaphar FLEAtec Household Flea Spray.
Read our post on how to protect your home from fleas.
Are household flea sprays suitable for carpets?
All our sprays are designed to be used on floors, carpets, soft furnishings and pet beds, though we recommended that fabrics are tested for colour fastness by testing on a small, inconspicuous area first.
Ticks Q&A
I live in an area where there are a lot of ticks. Which product should I use to keep my dog safe?
Regular use of Beaphar FIPROtec® Spot On or Beaphar FIPROtec® COMBO will give protection against free-loading ticks.
Alternatively, a Beaphar Canishield® Collar will protect your dog from ticks, plus it also fights fleas. Simply fit the collar to your dog and have long-lasting protection for up to six months.
Can Lyme disease affect dogs, as it can humans, or are they unaffected?
Yes, pets can get Lyme disease too and, in some instances, it can be a pretty nasty disease.
Disease transmission occurs during the feeding process. As a tick feeds on a host, it releases saliva into the host via the bite. In ticks with Lyme disease, the saliva contains harmful micro-organisms. When the saliva mixes with the host’s blood, any diseases the tick is carrying may transfer to the host.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that can affect both animals and people. It can be treated with few to no lasting effects, providing we catch it early.
However, if left untreated it can cause serious health problems, including joint and muscle problems, and even kidney damage.
What does a tick actually do to our doggies? Once removed, can there be further problems?
Ticks lurk in high grasses and heathlands, and can be found in high-risk areas such as Norfolk, Suffolk, the South West of England (including the Isle of Wight), and the North of Scotland.
A tick will 'quest' by reaching out and latching onto a dog if it brushes past the grass. Once a tick has attached itself to a dog, it will find a warm place, such as the armpits, neck and ears, pierce the skin with its mouth and start feeding.
A tick will feed up to seven days, growing from the side of a pinhead to about 10mm, when it will be fully engorged with the dog's blood. If a tick is removed improperly, its mouth can remain attached, further risking the transmission of Lyme disease.
Ticks can be prevented by applying a flea and tick spot-on, such as Beaphar FIPROtec® Spot-on, or Beaphar Canishield® collar, which kills fleas, ticks and sandflies for up to six months.
My dog has a really fluffy coat. What is the best way to prevent ticks getting into his fur? Also, what is the best way to check for them as it’s so much harder with his thick fur?
We would recommend you try a Beaphar Canishield® collar, which kills fleas, ticks and sandflies for up to six months.
Though ticks tend to prefer dogs with less fur, they will still try and use your dog to feed. Use a comb to brush through your dog’s hair, and check their undersides, as well as armpits, neck and ears.
Treat your furry friend to a holiday
Once your dog is protected against fleas and ticks, they’re safe to enjoy the big wide world, so why not take them on an adventure?
We have holiday cottages in every corner of the country that welcome dogs, so you can enjoy an unforgettable break together. Click the button below to browse our full collection.
Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of writing,
please ensure you check carefully before making any decisions based on the contents within this article.