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+91-7945023371As a responsible pet parent, you know protecting your puppy against parasites like fleas and ticks is important. But when should you start your puppy on a flea and tick treatment?
The timing for when to start flea and tick treatment for puppies varies, depending on the specific product selected. That’s because most flea and tick treatments have age and weight restrictions.
Understanding product requirements, as well as your puppy’s specific needs, can help you provide safe, effective protection from fleas and ticks.
You don’t want to wait until your puppy has an infestation to start them on a flea and tick control regimen. Prevention is key to keeping them flea- and tick-free.
Typically, many flea and tick treatments for puppies can be started when dogs are 8–12 weeks old. However, some can’t be started until 6 months of age. Always read the label of the specific product you are using for the appropriate age.
In addition to age requirements, flea and tick treatments for puppies typically come with weight requirements. Usually, puppies need to be around 2 to 4 pounds before starting most prescription flea and tick treatments.
It’s important to follow the instructions on how to use tick and flea control for puppies. They can typically be found on the product box.
Work with your vet to find the right flea and tick product for your puppy’s weight, age, and individual needs.
For puppies who are too young to start a flea and tick treatment, you’ll want to limit their exposure to these parasites. Dogs can get fleas and ticks in a variety of ways, including grassy areas, from other pets, and even human visitors who unknowingly carry these pests into your home.
Maintain a clean environment (wash their bedding and vacuum floors regularly), avoid outdoor areas that can harbor fleas and ticks, and limit contact with other animals that may carry fleas and ticks.
If, despite your best efforts, they become infested with fleas, you can bathe your puppy with a gentle dish soap and use a flea comb to remove the adult fleas. You can use tweezers or a tick removal tool to remove ticks.
Found throughout the U.S., fleas and ticks can cause multiple problems and diseases in both pets and people.
Fleas can spread tapeworms to pets and humans. They also can transmit plague, murine typhus, and cat scratch fever.
Fleas feed on blood, and just one flea on a pet can cause pain and itching, intense hypersensitivity, allergic reactions, anemia, and dermatitis or sores from scratching.
Ticks can transmit several serious diseases, including:
Starting your puppy on flea and tick treatment early is essential for their health and comfort. Follow these tips to help keep your puppy free from fleas and ticks.
It’s important to start your puppy on an age- and weight-appropriate flea and tick preventive as soon as safely possible to protect them against these pesky parasites.
Remember, fleas and ticks are not only uncomfortable for your pet, causing itching, skin irritation and infections, but also can carry diseases.
There are many safe and effective products that can prevent and/or treat flea and tick infestations.
Common types of flea and tick control products for puppies include:
Not all products protect against the same parasites, or even the same life stage of the parasite.
Different medications target different points in the flea life cycle. In addition to killing adult fleas, they may also kill flea eggs and larvae.
Because tick species vary by region of the country, the types of ticks a medication protects against may factor into your choice as well.
In addition to fleas and ticks, some treatments protect against other external parasites, like lice and mites, and internal parasites, like roundworms and hookworms.
Set a reminder for monthly or scheduled doses. Skipping doses can break the protection cycle and leave your puppy vulnerable to parasites.
Since fleas and ticks live in the environment all around us and can be continuously carried by wildlife, it is important to treat all pets in your household (both dogs and cats).
Do not use cat flea and tick products on dogs.
Dogs and cats have different metabolisms and process medication differently. Weight range and dosing vary depending on the medication strength required between species.
Always use a medication that is specifically labeled for dogs and that is the correct weight range for your puppy to avoid toxicity.
Prevention works best when the environment is also managed.
Vacuum regularly, wash pet bedding in hot water, and keep outdoor areas maintained.
Content Credits: Amanda Simonson, DVM Veterinarian
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