Keeping our furry friends free from fleas and ticks

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - With all the rain we’ve been seeing lately, comes tall grass, and with tall grass comes fleas and ticks.

If your dog or cat likes spending any time running through fields and trails, flea and tick prevention is a necessity to keep them safe.

Ticks can carry an assortment of diseases, including Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The two most popular prevention methods are topical and oral treatments.

“There’s some things that need to be taken into account with each of them,” said Tami Bremer, manager and technician at Mountain View Animal Hospital. “The topicals will a lot of times work a little bit quicker and they don’t need to be digested or filtered through the body. Chewables do need (to be) ingested and go through the system. With the topicals you do need to have a dry dog and then no bath for 24 hours after.”

The most common places to find ticks are in and around the ears, under the collar, under the legs, and between the toes.

Bremer added that if your dog or cat has been bitten by a tick and is showing signs of being lethargic, has sore joints, an unwillingness to eat, or anything that seems like your furry friend is not feeling well, contact your vet.

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