What Month Should I Start Flea And Tick Prevention?

Springtime always has pet parents thinking about flea and tick prevention. 

But by the time the weather warms up, fleas and ticks are already feasting on dogs and cats and spreading disease. Learn how year-round pest protection is the best way to get ahead of parasites that attack pets.
 

What Month Should I Start Flea and Tick Prevention?

If you live in a region with cold winters, start flea and tick prevention no later than March, though veterinarians recommend protecting your pet year-round.

While fleas and ticks peak in the spring and summer, these pests get a head start when pets go unprotected on mild winter days. As regions see milder winters and earlier spring arrivals, reports of tickborne diseases and flea infestations have been on the rise across the United States.
 

Why Use Flea and Tick Preventatives Year-Round?

Fleas and ticks become active when the temperatures rise above freezing, at around 45 degrees Fahrenheit. They can emerge after even just one day of mild temperatures, even on an unseasonably warm day.

What’s more, fleas can survive year-round in your home, lurking in carpets, bedding, and other soft surfaces. Fleas can live up to 100 days without a blood meal, and their pupae can remain dormant for up to nine months.

So, a mild winter day can result in one flea hitching a ride into your home. After a blood meal, a flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day, leading to an infestation any time of year.

Meanwhile, though they do not survive long indoors, ticks can emerge from dormancy on a mild winter day in search of a blood meal.
 

Does My Pet Need Flea and Tick Prevention If I Don’t See Pests?

By the time you notice a flea or tick on your pet or around your home, it’s too late to prevent an infestation. Over 90% of fleas are in the egg, pupae, or larvae stage. A single flea, by the time you notice it, may have laid hundreds of eggs.

Prevention is key to flea and tick control. Some preventatives work by repelling and killing pests, and others contain insect growth regulation hormones that prevent young insects from maturing and reproducing.
 

Starting Your Pet Flea and Tick Prevention

If your dog or cat is over eight weeks old, you can begin using a flea and tick preventative. Most flea and tick prevention is available over-the-counter. Choose a product that’s suitable for your pet’s species and size, and apply according to package directions.

Need help choosing the best flea and tick preventative for your dog or cat? Have questions about protecting your pet against parasites? Shop flea and tick prevention on PetMeds.com or make a same-day telehealth appointment with VetLive.