Flea prevention
Fleas and ticks
Dogs do not pick up fleas from other dogs, but from the environment. If your puppy has fleas, this will need to be managed with a flea treatment and environmental clean.
Paralysis ticks are most prevalent along the east coast of Australia in bush land. Female paralysis ticks release toxins from their saliva into the bloodstream of the dog, causing paralysis. Symptoms include vomiting, regurgitation, incoordination, an altered bark and excessive drooling. If left untreated, respiratory paralysis will occur, which is life threatening.
Treatment involves removing the identified tick and providing tick antiserum. Treatment cannot reverse the paralysis, so intensive care is needed to support your dog through their long recovery. Imagine searching for a paralysis tick on a large, long haired dog – prevention is best especially when travelling to high risk areas!
There are many options to prevent fleas and ticks, from topical applicators to oral chews. For flea and tick prevention, we recommend Nexgard Spectra (given monthly from 8-weeks old) or Bravecto (given every 3-Months from 6-months old).
Use our calendar as a reference to devise a comprehensive protection plan.
Pro tips
There are many products out there to protect your dog against parasites. Some are multi-coverage (meaning they protect against both internal and external parasites), while others may be focused on one or the other. To make your decision, consider what you want to protect against, how often you want to treat your dog, how you want to treat your dog (e.g. topical vs. oral chew) and the cost of the available products.
