Parasite Control Service: Why Your Dog Still Needs Flea and Tick Protection During the Winter

 As winter approaches and temperatures fall, you may think that you can give your pet a break from their flea and tick medication. But not so fast many dogs are at risk for fleas and ticks year-round.

At Grah Kingston, we are providing quality Parasite Control Service in Kingston. We are known as one of the Best Flea and Tick Medication vet clinics in Kingston open 7 days a week.

Not only can fleas find their way into your home during the cooler and colder months but many tick species can survive and even be active and thrive throughout the winter, too. Of course, some of this depends on where you live and travel to with your dog, but most regions of the country are affected. And with increasingly warmer winters, this is truly no time to let your guard down.

Is flea and tick medication necessary in the winter?

Yes. Though many species of fleas and ticks are slowed down or dormant during the winter, certain areas of Canada are not cold enough to truly kill these parasites and stop their activity. Because fleas and ticks can carry diseases that could harm your dog, it’s best to keep them protected all year long.

Risks of ticks in the winter

Specific ticks, like the black-legged ticks in the south, western black-legged ticks along the west coast, and brown dog ticks in the southern half of Canada, can live and even remain active all winter.

Gulf Coast Ticks, which can transmit tick paralysis, can be active in temperatures as low as 39.2 degrees Fahrenheit. That means that in some parts of Canada, it’s not cold enough to stop tick activity. This tick’s range is expanding beyond the Gulf Coast. It’s best to keep your dog on flea and tick preventive medication year-round since you never know when a thaw will be warm enough to allow ticks to be active again.

Risks of fleas in the winter

In mild climates, fleas can be a year-round nuisance for your dog, since it never gets cold enough for them to go dormant. In colder climates, fleas can survive in warmer areas like barns, animal dens, or in and under homes. Everything necessary is one mellow day for bugs to become dynamic once more.

After significant wet climate occasions, for example, typhoons, insects are normal. Additionally, if you plan on traveling during the winter with your dog, you may be traveling to a region where ticks and fleas remain active year-round. If you live in an area that can be affected by these weather patterns (or are traveling to one), it’s important to keep your pet on a flea and tick medication to keep them protected from the diseases that fleas carry.

The veterinarians at Animal Hospital in Kingston encourage pet parents to talk to our team about flea and tick medication for their dog. We have Flea and tick medication vets with years of experience who have done their jobs in the Parasite Control Service in Kingston incredibly.