Pet Insurance guides

Flea and tick prevention for dogs and cats

Bethan Boyden
By Bethan Boyden
Finance Writer
Published 13 October 2023
|Read time: 8 mins

While we love our pets, we don’t always love everything they bring home - especially fleas and ticks. Keep your house free from unwanted invaders. Learn how to spot them, treat them, and prevent them from coming back.

What are fleas and ticks?

Fleas and ticks can cling to dogs and cats, but they don’t look or act the same (even if they’re both a nuisance). If you find either, you should treat them differently.

A flea is an insect rarely found alone, it’s tiny and flightless and jumps to get around. They can be tricky to spot as they’re usually between 2-3mm in size and can vary in colour from grey, brown or black. This means they can easily be mistaken for a speck of dirt.

Fleas multiply quickly, and in the right conditions, a single flea can lay between 30-50 eggs a day. These eggs can hatch in as little as seven days, so rapid treatment is essential.

Ticks are arachnids (like spiders) and can be easier to spot than fleas as they tend to be larger, growing up to 1cm in size. Unlike fleas, they don’t hang out in groups. Instead of leaping onto their host from a distance, they tend to latch on when a human or animal brushes past them.

Ticks can be brown, dark red or black in colour and have eight legs. After feeding, ticks can swell in size (starting at the size of a sesame seed and growing to the size of a coffee bean). So if you see something on your pet that looks like a tick but larger, it’s worth treating it like you would a tick, just in case.

How to remove fleas and ticks

 
Due to their size, it’s difficult to remove fleas individually by hand. If your cat or dog has fleas, you should contact your vet to find out which treatment they recommend.

There are a large variety of products available to buy over the counter, such as combs and shampoos. However, these are not always the most effective due to resistance in flea populations.
 

 
If you spot a tick on your pet, it’s important to remove it safely and as quickly as possible. You can do this using a tick removal tool. This will help you twist the tick out of your pet without leaving the head behind.

If you are unsure about how to use the tool effectively, you can consult your vet for advice or view the guides on Gov.uk. We don’t recommend pulling ticks out with your hands or trying to smother them with a lotion. This won’t protect your pet from any diseases the tick may carry.

 
Due to their size, it’s difficult to remove fleas individually by hand. If your cat or dog has fleas, you should contact your vet to find out which treatment they recommend.

There are a large variety of products available to buy over the counter, such as combs and shampoos. However, these are not always the most effective due to resistance in flea populations.
 

 
If you spot a tick on your pet, it’s important to remove it safely and as quickly as possible. You can do this using a tick removal tool. This will help you twist the tick out of your pet without leaving the head behind.

If you are unsure about how to use the tool effectively, you can consult your vet for advice or view the guides on Gov.uk. We don’t recommend pulling ticks out with your hands or trying to smother them with a lotion. This won’t protect your pet from any diseases the tick may carry.

Warning: Tick and flea treatments for dogs and cats are not always interchangeable. Some treatments for dogs include permethrin, an insecticide that is toxic to cats. If you want to protect multiple pets, you should buy separate tick and flea prevention for cats and dogs.

 

For detailed advice about treating fleas and ticks, refer to your vet for further information.

Signs of fleas and ticks in pets

Apart from grooming and physical checks, there are also symptoms of fleas and ticks on your pet to watch out for.

 

 
Some fleas carry diseases and even tapeworms that they can pass on to your pet. It’s important to watch out for signs that may indicate your pet has picked up fleas. These can include:

Excessive or repeated scratching 

Scabs

Patches of hair loss

Red or irritated-looking skin and a bumpy rash

Both cats and dogs can experience flea allergic dermatitis (FAD). This condition is caused by the saliva of fleas getting into the skin of your pet when they are bitten. If you suspect your pet is suffering from FAD, you should contact your vet for advice.

 
Not all ticks are infected, however, the ones that are can pass diseases (such as Lyme disease) onto your pet and also to you. That’s why it’s worth treating every tick bite with caution. Potential symptoms of tick-related disease can include:

A red rash that looks like a bullseye (circular rings)

A fever


If your pet experiences any symptoms of a tick-related disease, you should contact your vet as soon as possible.

 

 
Some fleas carry diseases and even tapeworms that they can pass on to your pet. It’s important to watch out for signs that may indicate your pet has picked up fleas. These can include:

Excessive or repeated scratching 

Scabs

Patches of hair loss

Red or irritated-looking skin and a bumpy rash

Both cats and dogs can experience flea allergic dermatitis (FAD). This condition is caused by the saliva of fleas getting into the skin of your pet when they are bitten. If you suspect your pet is suffering from FAD, you should contact your vet for advice.

 
Not all ticks are infected, however, the ones that are can pass diseases (such as Lyme disease) onto your pet and also to you. That’s why it’s worth treating every tick bite with caution. Potential symptoms of tick-related disease can include:

A red rash that looks like a bullseye (circular rings)

A fever


If your pet experiences any symptoms of a tick-related disease, you should contact your vet as soon as possible.

 

Flea prevention for dogs and cats

1. Prepare

You can take preventative measures to reduce the chances of your pet picking up fleas. These include:

Flea collars

Oral tablets

Sprays (it’s important to note that these will only be effective if your pet stays dry. Contact with water can remove the product.)

Spot-on treatments (you will need to reapply these every few months. Avoid bathing your pet for 48 hours after applying).

2. Remove

If your pet does manage to pick up fleas, it’s important to remove them quickly to stop them from multiplying.

Grooming and washing your pet with flea combs and shampoos should help kill and remove the fleas.

It’s worth checking with your vet to see what they recommend before buying specific products.

3. Prevent

If your pet has had fleas, they may have spread to your home, as 95% of fleas live on the ground.

To stop fleas in your home from returning to your pet by using a home treatment annually. Your vet can recommend a product that will be suitable for your home.

For more information on how to protect your home from pets, see below.

Tick prevention for dogs and cats

1. Prepare

To reduce the chances of your pet picking up a tick while they’re outside, consider these measures:
 

Oral tablets

Tick collars

Spot-on treatments. You will need to reapply these every few months. Avoid bathing your pet for 48 hours after applying.

2. Remove

If you find a tick on your pet it’s important to remove it quickly, but carefully. Ticks can carry diseases (such as Lyme disease) that can be very dangerous for your pet.

It is possible to remove a tick yourself with a tick removal tool. If you feel unsure, you should contact your vet for professional advice.

3. Prevent

Ticks are more common in warmer months, especially in grassy or wooded areas, so it can help to plan for them.

By avoiding densely wooded areas or long grass, you may reduce the likelihood of picking one up. If this is not possible due to the area that you live in, regularly check your pet every time you come home from a walk.

Pets should always have their time outside, no matter the area. Staying alert to ticks can help you keep them happy and healthy.

Check before you travel

If you’re taking your pet abroad, you might want to check the current flea and tick risk of the country you are visiting. Fleas and ticks in other countries can carry diseases that are less common or not yet present in the UK. This can make treating them more difficult.

You can protect your pet while you're away by keeping their flea and tick treatment is up to date before you leave. This can reduce the risk and your need to worry!

Learn more about flea and tick-related diseases that can be picked up abroad, with the Animal Welfare Foundation’s leaflet (PDF).

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This article is for promotional or information purposes only. You must not rely on it as advice. Please contact a financial adviser if you need advice before you buy a financial product or service.

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