The warmer months are here, and the sunny weather means we can finally get outside with our dogs to enjoy BBQs, beach parties and oh yeah, fleas and ticks. These resilient vermin work their way into our lives every year and can spoil a vacation with a single bite. Luckily, you don’t have to move house or change your holiday plans to escape these pests. Before setting out on hikes, trips and outdoor adventures with your dog, spray up and follow our guide to surviving flea and tick season.

First things first: What are ticks and fleas? The short answer is they’re parasites who survive on other living things, stealing all the hard-earned nutrients for themselves. That alone is annoying, but when you add in the fact that they carry dangerous infections and diseases, they’re really going to be off Fido’s Christmas card list. Ticks, which are actually not insects but arachnids like spiders, carry Lyme disease (among other diseases) in their stomachs. This nasty infection can give both humans and dogs flu-like symptoms, joint pain and arthritis, and can even prove fatal. The areas where Lyme disease is most prevalent in the U.S. are the Northeast, Upper Midwest and Pacific coast, but it’s not unheard of in every state. Unfortunately, ticks can also give two- and four-legged victims other diseases like tick paralysis.

The negative effects of fleas can range from mild skin irritation to the plague (that escalated quickly). According to the American Kennel Club, there are 200 species of fleas that affect dogs, with the most common being the cat flea. Fleas thrive in certain areas during different times of the year, as shown in this map.

Although infections are a worst-case scenario, it’s better to be safe than sorry during flea and tick season by following a few simple guidelines.

Preventative Care

Pet parents should regularly apply a flea and tick preventative product to their dog. The different application methods include drops, chewable pills, collars, sprays and shampoos. Some contain strong chemicals while others use natural ingredients. With all the choices available, how do you know which one will best suit your dog’s needs? Here’s a rundown of the options:

Droplets

Droplets are one of the best ways to prevent fleas and ticks. Once applied to an area, usually the base of the neck, the active ingredient spreads across the body, killing harmful pests on contact. Other methods require your pet to be bitten first for the poison to be administered to the invading species. Frontline Plus is one of Amazon’s best-selling products and rates highly among customers for reliability. Packages can be purchased with three or six doses, and can be applied in easy-to-use droplets directly on your dog’s skin each month. Bayer’s K9 Advantix is another popular droplet that is similarly priced and applied in the same way. Both are waterproof and regularly recommended by veterinarians across the country. The bigger the dog, the higher the dose, so make sure you hit the weighing scales with Fido before purchasing.

Chewables

Droplets aren’t for everybody, and many companies also offer a chewable pill that can be disguised in food. Unlike drops, the pills circulate the active ingredient around a dog’s bloodstream (a bite is the only way a flea or tick can be affected). As with most oral options, Novartis Capstar Flea Tablets for dogs and cats and Advantus Soft Chews are not preventative medications. Instead, they kill existing fleas that are living on your pet. Once those pests are gone, try feeding your dog EcoFlea by ColoradoDog Treats. This all-natural treat is a great alternative if you don’t want to put chemicals on your dog’s skin or in her body. Depending on her size, your pup will need to eat three to six chews daily to stave off ticks and fleas. She’ll build up a protective barrier over time (often between seven to 10 days).

Collars

Fido may already own a stylish collar, but other than looking fabulous, it doesn’t offer much in the way of protection. How about a collar that can help keep fleas and ticks at bay? This is one of the most popular products for fussy dogs who won’t stay still long enough for the drops and are suspicious of any chew that isn’t on the regular menu. The collars actually carry the active ingredient inside, radiating it over the dog’s body. Bayer’s Seresto Flea and Tick Collar is recommended by veterinarians, lasts up to a whopping eight months, and kills fleas and ticks through contact (no bites necessary). Despite containing active chemicals, new formulas mean the collars aren’t greasy and are comfortable for dogs to wear. For a natural alternative, check out the funky green Arava Flea & Tick Prevention Collar. It promises to keep your dog safe for six months without the use of chemicals or hazardous ingredients.

Sprays and Shampoos

Most flea and tick shampoos and sprays must be used along with another preventative product. Vet’s Best Flea and Tick Advanced Strength Dog Shampoo not only kills fleas, flea larvae, flea eggs, and ticks on contact, but also leaves your pooch smelling delightful from all the natural ingredients and essential oils. On the other hand, Bio Spot Active Care Flea and Tick Dog Shampoo will kill flea eggs for 28 days after application. Sprays work in a similar fashion, and many of them can be applied to your home as well as your pet. Wondercide Flea and Tick and Mosquito Control Spray can be sprayed anywhere, smells good and is designed to give your pet’s coat a nice shine, too.

Sometimes, we realize our dogs are covered in fleas a little too late to save our beloved rugs, carpet and couch. Vet's Best Flea and Tick Home Spray can be used around your house regularly or just as a one-off after an infestation to kill fleas, flea larvae, flea eggs, ticks and mosquitoes without any hazardous or harmful chemicals all over your household items.

Outdoors folk who are heading to a high-risk area should also apply bug spray. Repel Safe is an all-natural option that can be used on both humans and dogs. It’ll even kill ticks on contact and help keep mosquitoes away.

How Flea and Tick Season Affects You

By now, Fido should be equipped and ready for outdoor survival during flea and tick season, but what about the person on the other end of the leash? There are a few rules you can follow to limit your exposure to the harmful little critters. Hikers are advised to wear lightly colored clothing, which should easily show the darker colored ticks coming along for the ride. You should also cover any bare skin (a magnet for ticks), and that means tucking socks into trousers and shirts into pants. Nobody said staying safe was going to look good! Try and stick to the main sections of trails. Stray into long grass and overgrown areas, and you’re basically asking to go on a flea and tick Tinder date. Finally, make sure you inspect yourself and your dog post-hike. Ticks will burrow into any crevice they can find, so make sure you are thorough. Another pro tip is to try to limit your dog’s interaction with other furry flea and tick magnets. Deer, raccoons, opossums and feral cats are all known to carry an abundance of ticks and fleas on their coats. If you know they’re likely to be in the area, it’s probably best to leash up your dog.

Flea and Tick Removal

As weird as this might sound, you don’t want to remove the head of a tick to get rid of it. Their heads can detach from their bodies, remain on the skin and keep infecting the person or dog (creepy, right?). Instead, grab a pair of blunt-end tweezers or better yet, a tick removal tool (like a tick key); make a part in your dog’s fur to get a good view of the pest; then pull it out by the body to leave the whole thing intact. Once removed, rub your hands and the area where the tick was attached with rubbing alcohol to kill harmful bacteria. Don’t use your hands to attempt to squish the tick to exact Fido’s revenge, as they will just wriggle out of it and may embed themselves in your skin. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) suggests putting the removed tick in alcohol, a sealed container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet to be sure it can do no more harm to you or your dog ever again. Regularly checking your furry friend for fleas and ticks is an important best practice. Every time your dog goes outside, inspect them thoroughly on return (especially in areas with less hair, like the ears and under the legs). During peak season, it’s recommended that you inspect your pooch every day.

Also keep an eye on the places where a tick has been embedded on you or your dog. One of the first signs of lyme disease is a spiral-shaped bruise that appears around the area. Take your dog to your vet if you are at all concerned that she may have contracted an infection (or get yourself to the hospital). A series of tests will determine if you are sick and what steps can be taken next. In most cases, when infections are caught early, they are treatable with antibiotics.

Removing fleas is a totally different process. Dogs who run and hide when they hear their owners utter the dreaded words “bath time” will thank them afterwards for taking care of the itchy parasites that have been living rent-free on their fur. Any kind of lather kills fleas, so most dog shampoos will get rid of them in the bath. As we mentioned before, there are a number of flea and tick shampoos that are specifically designed to target fleas, including TropiClean Natural Shampoo, which is made using essential oils. Apple cider vinegar helps to balance your dog’s PH after a wash. Fleas hate a dog with a balanced PH, so it’s an ideal deterrent. The final step is to use a flea comb, like this one from Safari. Go over your dog’s fur after her bath to catch any clingers and to remove dead fleas. The comb should be used once a week during peak flea season.

Follow these helpful guidelines to avoid most of the annoying critters, and make the most of Fido’s warm days and open spaces!

Source: Kendall Media, Inc.