March 15, 2012
Posted in Flea & Tick Preventatives

Many pet owners understand the importance of keeping their dogs or cats on flea and tick preventative pet drugs, but some might be surprised to learn that the medication can protect pets from more than just what its name says. It's true that monthly preventatives like Frontline Plus or Comfortis work to ward off fleas and ticks, but the products also work to keep other health concerns at bay as well.

By preventing fleas from attacking your dog, the medicine is working to stop other painful conditions such as hot spots, skin infections or allergies. Hot spots are a skin disease caused by your pet's reaction to flea bites. The skin becomes very itchy and many times develops into red, open sores because the dog is constantly licking and biting at the site to try and stop the discomfort. Dogs with extremely sensitive skin can develop hot spots after being bitten by just one or two fleas. Making sure to stay on top of your dog's tick and flea preventive medication can work to ensure it doesn't develop these uncomfortable problems. If your pup does develop hot spots, the vet may recommend using a topical spray such as HomeoPet Skin & Itch to relieve the itching or prescribe an anti-inflammatory medication like Prednisone to reduce swelling caused by the allergic reaction.

Stopping ticks from getting onto your dog is another major reward as certain ticks, such as deer ticks, can carry serious diseases that can harm your dog. Deer ticks are the carriers of Lyme disease, which is an infection that causes arthritis and lameness when the problem is not caught early enough. The disease can affect all breeds and dogs of any age. You should always check your dog thoroughly for ticks after a romp in the woods even if it is on tick preventative medication, as sometimes the parasites can still make their way onto your pooch. If your pup develops Lyme disease, you may want to invest in joint enhancing supplements such as Dasuquin or purchase Dog Steps with 4 Steps to allow your pup to get on and off of its favorite chair with ease. 

Tick and flea preventative medication can also help ward off tapeworms, ehrlichia, Rocky Mountain spotted fever as well as work to keep the parasites out of your home. Preventing is also much easier than trying to control a situation once it becomes a full-blown problem.
 

Related posts:

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2. Why aren’t my dog’s flea pet drugs working?
3. Keep your puppy flea free
4. Non-Prescription Dog Flea Meds
5. Dog Flea Meds Not Working?