Types of Tick and Flea Medication for Dogs

There are many types of flea and tick preventive medicines for dogs in the market. Knowing the right medication for your pet can be quite a challenge given the many brands available in the market. The tick medicines are applied in different ways and have their pros and cons. Continue reading for an overview of the major types of flea and tick medications you can buy for your dog.

Consider Your Dog’s Lifestyle
Before you choose a tick preventive medicine, you should consider your dog’s lifestyle. You should consider various factors before buying tick medication. Some of these include the breed, species, age, health status and any medications your dog may be taking. Before you start applying any tick presentation medication on your dog, consult your veterinarian.

Among the common forms of tick preventatives is a topical medication. Some people refer to topical medications as “spot on” medicines. The recommended way of applying topical medications is by rubbing them in between the dog’s should blades or at the base of the neck. The ingredients used to make the medications are not poisonous to the dog but kill pests. You may also find some products that have a repellent property. With such medications, ticks and fleas will be repelled from housing on the pet.
Finding Ways To Keep Up With Products

The active ingredients in topical medications get all over the dog’s body through the sweat glands. Topical applications take a few minutes to dry and are easy to apply. Your dog will be free to bath or go for a swim when the medication has dried. Make sure the medication has dried on the dog’s body before you give it a bath. Moreover, kids and other pets should stay away from the dog you are treating until the medication has dried. Finally, it is important to use a gentle shampoo that does not strip off the skin when bathing the dog. If you use a shampoo that strips off the skin, the medication can also come off.
Getting Creative With Products Advice

Apart from topical medications, you can also use oral medications. With oral medications, you simply need to give the dog the medication through the mouth. Unlike topical medications, oral do not have tick or flea repellent properties. Ticks and fleas will only be killed when they bite or attach themselves to the dog.

One of the downsides of oral medications is that they may lead to your pet having an upset stomach. Sometimes, your dog may not want to take the medication. When you give your dog oral medications, he may suffer from various side effects, for example skin reactions like redness, itching and hives.

The above is an overview of the main types of tick preventatives in the market.