Problems caused by fleas
Skin problems are the biggest problems caused by fleas. In general fleas cause severe itchiness and in really bad cases flea bites can lead to wounds due to scratching. Fleas are also responsible for transmitting a certain type of intestinal worm.

Flea prevention
Flea problems are quite common and hard to get rid of. To prevent fleas, it is important to use adequate prevention. We recommend using Frontline spot on (a couple of drips of anti-flea medicine in the neck) at least once a month. An animal with a flea problem will be very itchy. If there is a flea problem already it could be necessary to get rid of fleas in your animal’s surroundings too. Your vet will be able to advise you.

Problems caused by ticks
In some cases ticks can lead to irritation, which could lead to excessive scratching, causing an open wound. A more severe tick-related problem is that ticks can transmit certain parasites. These parasites affect blood cells and can lead to, for instance, clotting problems. Fortunately the paralysis tick hasn’t been seen in Darwin and its surroundings.

Tick prevention
Most tick infections can be prevented by using a spot on (e.g. Frontline, a couple of drips of fluid on the neck) at least once every month. In more severe infestations it might be necessary to spray your garden with an insecticide to reduce the infection load. If the spot on isn’t enough, you can consider increasing the frequency of use or using Frontline spray, which is generally even more effective. You can purchase all these products over-the-counter at the clinic.
If nothing seems to work we can try so called ‘tick injections’, the most effective way of combating ticks. Tick injections will require 4 weekly injections initially and then one injection each month. Because the medicine we use as tick injection isn’t registered for small animals and requires dogs to be heart-worm free, we’ll need to see your dog and discuss the medicine in a consultation before the first injection.