Ticks are very dangerous for humans and animals, as they are carriers of diseases. Dogs need to be carefully examined after each walk in a warm period, but it is still better to take care of protecting the pet from tick attack in advance.
Why ticks are dangerous
The hunting season for warm-blooded ticks begins with the melting of snow and the appearance of the first spring greenery. These insects are dangerous because they are carriers of diseases that are extremely dangerous to health and life. A number of these diseases are small, but they are all very insidious: viral encephalitis, borreliosis, piroplasmosis (it is this disease that is most often transmitted to dogs from ticks).
The peak of the special activity of ticks falls on the warm periods of spring and autumn. But it is necessary to treat pets with anti-ticks in March and continue to do this regularly, according to the instructions for the drug. A single treatment is clearly not enough to reliably protect a dog from an attack by a bloodsucker.
The most common and reliable tick medications for dogs
Spot-on, or drops on the withers. The choice of this type of funds is now very rich, these preparations may contain different active substances and the duration of protection against parasites. Do not forget to mark the date of the treatment somewhere in a conspicuous place in order to carry out the next one in time.
Choose the remedy according to the size of the dog, as pipettes for a puppy or small breed will not be enough for a large dog. Do not wash your pet before and after processing for 3-4 days. Here are some of the products on the market:
1. Front Line (France) does not have a deterrent effect, it protects against infection with piroplasmosis. The drug contains the active ingredient fipronil, which kills a tick when it drinks the blood of an animal. Fipronil is non-toxic to dogs and does not cause allergies. Front Line is allowed to be used to protect pregnant and lactating bitches, puppies (from two months old) and representatives of small breeds.
2. On the basis of fipronil, other drugs were created: "Praktik", "Rolf-Club", "Mister Bruno", "Phiprex".
3. Preparations "Advantiks", "Hartz", "Dana", "Celandine", "Bars" are produced on the basis of organophosphorus compounds and permethrins. They have a contact effect on the parasite - the tick dies when it comes into contact with the dog's hair. Such drugs have one, but very fatty minus - they are easily washed off with water. That is, getting caught in the rain or running through a puddle, the pet will lose its protection. Also, these products are not suitable for pregnant females, or puppies, or sick or old dogs.
Another type of anti-tick medications are sprays. Here is the same set of active ingredients - fipronil and pyrethroids.
1. Sprays based on fipronil (Frontline and others) can be applied as additional protection to drops. Usually, the spray is applied to those places that are prone to frequent bathing - legs, ears, flews. Sprays with fipronil are not recommended for dogs that are too shaggy, as the active ingredient may never reach the skin, remaining on the animal's fur.
2. Spray on the basis of pyrethroids should be sprayed against the growth of the coat. This should be done on the street, after closing the nose, eyes and ears of the pet. The indications and contraindications for these drugs are the same as for similar drops.
