How do I prevent my dog from getting fleas?

17 Oct 2018

Fleas are very irritating and will make your dog feel uncomfortable and itchy.  Some dogs are highly sensitive and allergic to fleas and can develop a severe skin problem known as Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD).  As well as causing both you and your dog to scratch, swallowing fleas during grooming can lead to tapeworm infection.  It is better to prevent flea problems than take the 'wait and see approach'.  Each flea can lay up to two thousand eggs, so you can very quickly have a flea ridden dog and house.

You are best to avoid pet shop and supermarket variety flea treatments as most of these are notoriously ineffective and some are even dangerous.

At Vetcall we have various different products available to prevent and treat flea problems in dogs. All are very safe, highly effective and easy to use. 

Please have a chat with us about which one would suit your dog best.

• Activyl is a 'spot on' variety flea product which can be used on dogs from eight weeks of age and greater than 1.5kg bodyweight.  Activyl should be applied monthly year round. 

• Revolution is a 'spot on' variety combined flea and worming product.  As well as providing excellent flea control, Revolution also treats intestinal round worm, ear mites and aids in the treatment and prevention of sarcoptic mange.  Revolution can be used on dogs from six weeks of age and should be applied monthly year round.

• Bravecto Chewable is an oral treatment which is effective against fleas and ticks (ticks are generally not a problem in Christchurch) for three months which means the flea life is guaranteed to be broken (Activyl and Revolution will also break the flea life cycle if applied at the recommended interval but relies on you remembering to apply the treatment each month!). Three monthly application also ties in with the recommended worming interval for dogs older than six months.  Bravecto can be given to puppies from eight weeks of age and greater than 2kg bodyweight.

• Bravecto Spot-On contains the same active ingredient as Bravecto Chewable but is applied to the skin and works from the inside to the outside to protect against fleas for a full six months in one fuss free dose.  Bravecto Spot-On is safe for use on puppies from eight weeks of age and greater than 2kg bodyweight.  N.B, we recommend the use of the Bravecto Chew for rapidly growing, large breed puppies, due to the shorter treatment interval allowing more flexible and accurate dosing.

• Frontline spray can be used on puppies as young as two days of age.