Source: News 10 Now

Flea and tick season is right around the corner. Now is the time to start preventative measures.

“There certainly are many advantages to protecting your pet against fleas and ticks. The primary reason is your pet’s comfort, especially if your pet has an allergy toward fleas," veterinarian Dr. Andrea Lee said. "Also, you’d like to prevent an infestation of fleas within your home. If your pet becomes infested with fleas during the warms season, that infestation could exist throughout the winter.”

“Spot-ons" are effective, convenient treatment methods that involve only a few drops between the shoulder blades of your pet. On a larger dog you should go down the back and a few other places.

Two products your vet will have are Advantage and Frontline. They control adult fleas on pets for at least one month. On dogs, Frontline Top Spot lasts up to one month to prevent fleas & ticks.

For extra protection, there is also K9 Advantix, a flea, tick and mosquito treatment only for dogs.

“Topical treatments are an easy way to prevent infestation as well as the parasites and diseases that come with them,” Lee said.

If spot-ons are too costly for you, try the pill program.

When given orally once a month at mealtime, this product prevents flea eggs from hatching. There’s also a companion product called Sentinnel.

It contains both the flea control ingredient and heartworm medication.

The best way to use these products is to use them before flea season begins in the spring.

Taking care of it now will greatly reduce the chances of developing a serious flea problem in the summer.

Make sure you check with your vet before using any medications on your pet. When you're ready to administer a treatment, make sure you follow each product's directions. Also, have a treat ready to get your pet to hold still.