Best Practices for Applying Tick & Flea Sprays on Pets

Tick and fleas attack can be more than just an itchy annoyance for pets. Anemia, irritation and dermatitis are notorious problems due to these parasites. In addition to this, continuous scratching due to itching most of the pets, both cats & dogs, worsens the condition and the end result comes out as infection and permanent baldness.

Let’s see how we can use sprays effectively to kill ticks & fleas.

What are ticks and fleas?

Ticks and fleas are ectoparasites, that means that they live on outer side of body of an animal. They are responsible for causing a number of diseases in pets. Ticks spread some diseases in pet animals when they suck blood, and fleas are responsible for causing flea allergy dermatitis, a condition in which animals become allergic to a flea bites. In short, tick and flea sucks blood and affect your pet’s health. If left untreated, surely they cause anemia, which may cause death sometimes if not treated properly.

Sprays, successful solution of parasites!

Different chemicals are proven as successful for killing parasites and can be applied by topical preparations just like sprays. Or some preparations are also available in the form of eatable tablets and injections.

Spraying methods are convenient, cheap and easy. These tick and flea sprays are most widely used to kill and control parasites. Sprays contain chemical i.e Fipronil and Pyrethrin that either kill the parasites or stop their growth. Fipronil is the safest chemical from above all, as it has no age limitation and can be used in pups and kittens without any toxicity.

Due to this reason, it is advised you to use sprays having fipronil.

How to use tick and flea spray:

• The very first step is that you read all the instructions written on the product usage section.
• If instructions say to use it twice a month, don’t use it weekly or bi-weekly, this is very important.
• For the application of spray, first of all hold the animal tightly but comfortably, then spray on both front legs first, then on chest and abdomen, then the back and up to the tail and then spray both back legs. Don’t forget to spray in the groin area and between the legs, these are the best hiding place of ticks and fleas.
• Don’t spray on head directly, instead, spray on a cloth, or on your hand and then rub it on the head, back of the ears and under the jaw.
• Ensure that hair coat under the collar is not missed.
• Ruffle the hair coat gently while applying spray so that it can reach up to the skin and make sure whole body coat is thoroughly wet/moisten with the spray.
• Don’t allow your pet to lick its body just after the spray for few minutes. You can use an elizabethan collar to stop him licking.
• Always apply in an open place, application in a closed pet basket/container may cause toxicity.
• Spray should be held at least 15-30 cm away from the pet and should be sprayed up to 5 seconds in cats and little longer in dogs.
• Always spray in one direction with uniform mists.
• Usually, sprays need to be repeated after 15 days, but only one application of fipronil can give up-to 1-month protection.
• Spray also into the kennel and cat house to make the rest places of pets safe for them. Also try to wash these places with good antiseptic agent.
• Never use a spray near the food or drinking water of animal.
• Sprays can have age limitations and can not be used in young pups and kittens, consult a veterinarian at PetsOne.pk before using a spray on pups and kittens.
• Sprays should never be used on wounded skin or if skin has any cut, abrasions or burns.
• It is advised you to treat these parasites by using chemicals only, never pull out these by tweezer.

Best Tick & Flea Sprays Available in Pakistan:

1- Frontline:

Frontline is a worldwide selling product which is produced and packaged by Merial. Its active ingredient is fipronil, an excellent solution to control ticks and fleas. And the best thing is that it can be used in kittens of 2 days old safely and then it needs to be applied again after an interval of a month. It is a Potentially flea and tick killing spray, with least toxicity when licked accidently.

In a recent study, it was shown that the powerful ingredients of FRONTLINE Plus work to kill adult fleas within 12 hours of application. They then go on to break the flea life cycle by destroying the next generation of fleas. Its long-lasting formula is stored in the oil glands of the pet’s skin to give non-stop flea and tick protection for a full 30 days.

2- Frontliner:

Frontliner is locally produced in Pakistan and its active ingredient is also fipronil. It has fast and long-lasting action to control ticks, flea and lice. It is safe for cats and dogs and can be used in kitten and pups as well. It comes with a not-very-good quality spray bottle with easy to use spray pump. You can consider it an economical and cheap alternate of Frontline.