Like any pet owner, you want to keep fleas and ticks from bothering your pet and moving in to your home.

Infestations can take weeks or months to control. But by taking some precautions, you can prevent them from starting in the first place.

These steps can help you make your home, less inviting to these little bloodsuckers. Some of them start even before you walk through the front door.

Spot-on Treatments

Using an over the counter spot-on medication that you purchase from your veterinarian, pet store, or online can be a very effective method for controlling both ticks and fleas.  

Oral Medications

Pills that are given once a month are readily available for dogs. These medications can work to kill both ticks and immature fleas and will disrupt the life cycle of fleas. They are easy to give and you won’t have to be concerned about small children and cats coming into contact with dogs immediately after application, as you might with spot-on treatments.

Shampoos

Bathing your dog with a shampoo that contains medicated ingredients will generally kill ticks on contact. This can be an inexpensive (though labor-intensive) method of protecting your dog during the peak tick season.  

Tick Dips

A dip is a concentrated chemical that needs to be diluted in water and applied to the animal’s fur with a sponge or poured over the back. This treatment is not meant to be rinsed off after application. The chemicals used in dips can be very strong, so be sure to read the labels carefully before use. 

Tick Collars

Collars that repel ticks are an additional preventive you can use, though they are mainly only useful for protecting the neck and head from ticks. The tick collar needs to make contact with your dog’s skin in order to transfer the chemicals onto the dog’s fur and skin. 

Take the expert’s help from BonBeno, visit www.bonbeno.com for the best products that will suit your dog just right.