Ick, Ticks!

The beautiful Palouse is home to many species of wildlife, including several species of ticks. Ticks are blood-sucking parasites that are in the arachnid family of insects. While they certainly are creepy-crawly, they can also transmit dangerous diseases to their hosts, including Lyme Disease, Ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. While the rate of transmission of these dangerous diseases to our canine friends is lower in the Pacific Northwest compared to elsewhere in the United States, rates are steadily increasing. In addition to spreading serious diseases, tick bites can result in paralysis in some cases.

Year-round tick prevention that also incorporates flea control is recommended for all dogs and cats. There are a wide variety of both over-the-counter and prescription strength flea & tick control solutions. 

Prescription strength flea & tick medications from the drug class Isoxazoline are our veterinarians' most recommended solutions for both dogs and cats. Of these, chewable or topical Bravecto is preferred due to the long 12 week duration of excellent parasite control. Known to have the fastest parasite kill available, this drug class prevents tick-borne disease transmission because ticks are killed before they can transmit disease including Lyme Disease. This is great news!

Frontline Plus or Frontline Gold are over-the-counter options with proven safety and effectiveness against both fleas & ticks in separate dog and cat formulas. This topical solution is easily applied to the skin on the back of the neck once monthly. Side effects are rare and generally mild, including skin irritation at the site of application. Frontline Gold for both dogs and cats is available over-the-counter at Alpine. 

Our doctors do not recommend most over-the-counter flea & tick treatments available at the grocery store or pet store, as they often contain harmful and dangerous chemicals and pesticides. Additionally, some contain ingredients that can cause fatal side effects in cats - they can be exposed when dog treatments are accidentally applied, or when cats are in a shared household with treated dogs. 

Talk with your pet's veterinarian about their individual parasite control needs. Advancements in pharmaceutical development allow for broad-spectrum medications that combine other parasite control & prevention with flea and tick control, depending upon your pet's need.

If you would like to read more about external parasites of dogs & cats, and the increasing prevalence of Lyme Disease and other tick-borne diseases in our geographical area, check out the Companion Animal Parasite Council's pet parent website.