How to protect your puppy from fleas and ticks: 5 tips

Fleas and ticks are pawrents’ nightmares. These parasites carry pathogens, which can make your dog sick. The thought of your furry loved one falling ill is bad enough, but these insects can do more harm, so keep them at bay as much as possible.

What's the Difference Between Ticks and Fleas?

Ticks and fleas are more different than similar. Ticks are generally bigger and teardrop-shaped, like to hang outside and appear fat after feeding. Fleas are about one-eighth of an inch, infest indoors and look like specks of dust on clothing.

What Is Worse for Dogs: Ticks or Fleas?

Both parasitic insects can spread diseases, but ticks do more damage. Fleas can cause tapeworms, Yersiniosis and anemia. Tick bites, on the other hand, can result in Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis and Babesiosis — deadly conditions that can lead to severe, fatal health complications.

Fleas and Ticks on Humans

These parasites harm humans, too. Fleas prefer pets as hosts, but they’ll use their hind legs to jump on and feast on your blood for survival as a last resort. Meanwhile, ticks aren’t picky suckers and use you as a food source without skipping a beat. They can’t leap like fleas, though. Instead, they extend their front legs and attach themselves to an unlucky host upon contact.

5 Ways to Protect Your Dog From Fleas and Ticks

Protecting your canine and the rest of your family from ticks and fleas can be challenging because these tiny bloodsuckers can attack without getting noticed. These five tips can prevent them.

1. Be Wary of the Weather

Ticks and fleas can give you headaches all year round, but they usually come alive during the rainy season. Precipitation patterns vary by region, so showers are common in the late spring and early summer.

These pests love wet months because they have more hosts to choose from when wildlife is more active and vegetation is thriving. Fleas frequent moist plants, while ticks set up camp in tall grass and plants as they wait for a passing host to latch on to.

Most pet owners in the American South and the Northeast know this because they get more rain than the rest of the continental United States. Unsurprisingly, these regions’ states record the highest flea and tick prevention rates. Leading the pack is Massachusetts, where 93.6% of pawrents gave their dogs preventive medication in 2023.

These insects prefer humid conditions, but they’ve adapted to cold weather. Ticks are better than fleas in weathering frigid months, though. It would take an extended freezing season to make a dent in tick populations.

Regarding hot weather, the heat doesn’t bother ticks. Conversely, fleas can’t tolerate dry spells unless they can find shaded areas to take shelter in — the same spots heat-disliking Huskies, Labs, Pugs and French Bulldogs love to hang out in during summer months.

As you can see, fleas and ticks can be a problem no matter where you live in the U.S. Still, knowing when they’re at the height of their powers matters to neutralize them effectively.

2. Mind High-Risk Locations

These little vampires can hitch a ride on your pup when it goes outside. Both can hide in grassy areas to climb onto your furry friend, so even your yard can be dangerous. Ticks can also come from rat burrows, places near bird nests and wooded home surfaces.

Declare flea and tick hotspots off-limits to your dog. It would mean making your pet’s world smaller, which may be infeasible. Still, you can use a 6-foot leash or shorter to keep it from wandering too closely to wildlife habitats.

3. Make Checking Fido a Habit

Parasite screening should be second nature to you. Considering how hazardous a flea or tick bite can be to pets and humans, you don’t need to live in Maine — a state with an alarming 6.95% pet disease positivity rate — to be reasonably paranoid about it.

To protect your puppy from fleas and ticks, thoroughly check for parasites when it comes home from outside or while grooming. Veterinary geneticist Dr. Jenna Dockweiler — who specializes in small animals — recommends prioritizing the ears, armpits and groin because they’re popular flea hiding spots. She can also attest that patches of irritated skin indicate tick infestation.

Long hair makes catching these minute parasites in the act more tricky. Properly trimming your pawed companion can aid your search.

4. Clean Your Home Regularly

Your puppy’s parasites can end up on furnishings and go undetected long enough until they find their next target. These home essentials are too close for comfort, so change your pet’s bedding regularly. Washing your canine’s towels, bed and blankets as well as the rugs and carpets they rest on can help keep your home flea- and tick-free.

5. Explore Prevention Options

Aside from collars and other wearables, oral and topical treatments exist to deter flea and tick infestation. Some repel these parasites, keep them from latching onto your pet or kill the ones on your puppy’s skin.

Although such medications are over-the-counter, it would be wise to consult a vet first. You need expert medical advice to protect your dog from fleas and ticks without endangering your cats at home. Felines with a specific genetic mutation find the parasite medication ingredient eprinomectin toxic.

Take Flea and Tick Prevention Seriously

These pests can cause huge health problems when left unaddressed. They will always be in the wild, but these tips will help you neutralize them before they wreak havoc on your family.