Flea and tick prevention for dogs and cats

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.

“As it gets warmer, we tend to see an increase in fleas and ticks. They can impact your pet’s health, so it’s important to be on top of your pet's preventative treatment. Prevention is better than cure. Speak to your vet about the most appropriate products to keep your pet and house flea-free all year round.”

- Martin Stevens, Veterinarian

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

Fleas

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.

Ticks

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.

Vet tip

“Your vet will always be able to advise you and supply the best flea and tick products. The effectiveness of over-the-counter products can be variable, and the resistance of fleas to products can grow over time. Don’t forget about the house either, as fleas, eggs, larvae, and pupae can be present in the environment too.”

- Martin Stevens, Veterinarian

How to spot fleas and ticks

Fleas

• Grey, brown or black

• 2-3mm

• 6 legs

Ticks

• Brown, dark red or black

• Up to 1cm

• 8 legs

Where to check:

• Under floppy ears

• Between toes

• Behind collars and tags

• Around their eyes

• Behind their legs

Learning how to spot fleas and ticks can help you protect your pet and keep them healthy. To help you find unwanted visitors on your cat or dog it’s important to check your pet regularly. Pay extra attention after coming home from a walk in any grassy or wooded areas.

By regularly grooming their fur you can prevent matts from forming. Tangled fur can hide unwanted critters and regular grooming can give you a closer look at what’s going on. Gently running your hands over your pet's body is an easy way to feel for any bumps that may indicate a tick bite. This can also help you build a bond with your pet by giving them the extra attention they deserve.

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.

Fleas

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.

Ticks

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.

Where do fleas come from?

Fleas can be passed to your pet from another infested animal or picked up from the outside. They’re usually found in cool, shaded areas such as bushes or grass.

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.

Where do ticks come from?

Ticks live in wooded or grassy areas such as moors and heaths. They are more common in spring, summer and autumn months as they thrive in warm, damp weather.

Protect yourself and your home from fleas and ticks

When protecting your cats and dogs from fleas and ticks, it's important to think about yourself and your home too! While fleas don’t tend to live on humans, they do bite, and they can survive happily in your home. Ticks don’t survive well without a host, but if left undisturbed, they can live on humans for several days.

Protect yourself

There aren’t as many products available for humans as there are for pets. But you should never use a pet flea and tick prevention product on yourself as they are not all safe for humans. You can instead:

• Dress appropriately - choose the correct clothes when walking in areas that could hide ticks. You can wear long trousers and enclosed shoes to stop them from touching your skin. Dressing in lighter colours can also help you notice a tick on your clothing more easily.

• Don’t stray from the path - when possible, stick to clear trails. Avoid walking into long patches of grass or dense foliage where ticks may be lurking.

• Check yourself - if you have returned home from a walk, you should check your entire body for ticks. This can include your hair, behind your knees, elbows and neck.

Protect your home

Fleas that may have travelled home on your pets can survive happily on your carpet and rugs. It’s important to keep on top of flea maintenance for your home.

• Floor maintenance - regularly sweep or hoover your floors and skirting boards to remove fleas that come off your pet. You should also empty your hoover and change the bag to remove any flea eggs you may have picked up.

• Treat your environment - use a vet-approved treatment on your home to stop any fleas that fall off your pet from surviving.

• Wash bedding - wash your pet's bed frequently to remove fleas that may have settled into the fabric.If your pet spends time on your bed, it’s worth regularly washing your own bedding too.

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).

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.