Brody's Guide to Staying Flea & Tick Free All Year Round

Today, I learned that there are tiny monsters called fleas and ticks that EAT DOGS. Terrifying, right? How have I never known about this horror?! I discovered them this morning when Mom and I went for a walk near the local dog park. There was a dog on a leash doing a very strange dance. I wanted to say hi, maybe see what the dance was about, but Alpha Female came out of Mom and called me Brody-No. I was confused! Why couldn’t I say hi? He seemed like a spunky pup, but it turns out he was being eaten...by contagious dog-eating creepies!

My whole life I thought I was the top of the food chain. Squirrels, rabbits, and birds cower before me, the mighty dog. But now I know that there are tons of scary creatures that feast on dogs (and cats!). 

So, you’re probably wondering, How do you, Good-Boy-Brody, keep from being eaten?

Well, I’ve done the research and am ready to get the word out. I must protect my fellow dogs (and cats) out there! So here goes, “Brody’s Guide to Staying Flea and Tick Free All Year Round,” certified by yours truly, Good-Boy-Brody T.D.S.D. (Therapy Dog Show Dog).

Fleas and ticks are a threat all year long.
What? All year? Yes, my friend. Only steady temperatures under 30 degrees are cold enough to kill adult fleas outdoors (unless they find a warm host to feed on) and the eggs, larva, and pupae are even tougher. For every live flea you see, there are about 2,000 others (in various stages of the life cycle) that you don’t. 

Fleas and ticks cause disease in pets and humans too!
Did you know that fleas carry tapeworm eggs? Swallow a flea, and it doesn’t matter if you’re a dog, a cat, or a human, you could get a tapeworm! The dog at the park was biting at his legs while he was dancing. What are the chances of swallowing a flea that way? Pretty high. Ugh!

In our area, a lot of ticks carry Lyme disease and other diseases that can spread to dogs and humans. Lyme disease can cause a rash, fever, swollen lymph nodes, joint pain, kidney failure, and much more severe symptoms if left untreated. I also recommend a Lyme vaccine for this reason!

There are lots of medications available to repel and even kill fleas and ticks.
There are tons of options for flea and tick prevention! The three types are oral medications, topical medications, and collars. Contact one of my Mom’s hospitals for their recommendation! 

Get your flea and tick preventative from a certified veterinarian.
Whichever flea and tick preventative you choose, make sure to get it from a veterinarian (like my Mom!). This is the only way to be sure that the product is guaranteed to work. There are also many counterfeit products on the market, sold online and in stores, that can make dogs and cats sick or not work at all!

Have you ever experienced fleas or ticks? How do you stay flea and tick free? Let me know in the comments!

​Check back on October 16th for the next blog post by Brody!
Featuring tips on how to keep your pets safe this Halloween!