When flea and tick season rolls around, it's important to be prepared.

Even if you have an indoor cat who never goes outside or an older dog who doesn't spend much time in the great outdoors, you still need to think about taking care of flea and tick prevention for your pets.

In this article, you'll find out several useful tips that can help you get ready for flea and tick season or ensure you're doing the right thing already. Read through this information to figure out the best solution for your flea and tick prevention needs. If you have any questions, call the Animal Medical Center of Chandler at (480) 339-0406.

Follow the Instructions

Always make sure you read the label on any pet medication, including flea and tick preventative, before you buy it and again before you use it. Read any instructions that come with the medication so you can be sure you apply it properly.

Never give a flea medication to a cat that is meant for a dog, or vice-versa. The types of medication and the amounts present in these preventatives vary a lot between cats and dogs, and they can be dangerous if given to the wrong type of pet.

Choose the Best Preventative

There are a lot of different options out there for flea and tick prevention, and it's important that you choose the best one for your pet's needs. Most pet owners go with topical medications, but this isn't the only choice you have, either.

You might prefer instead to use a flea and tick prevention collar or give your pet regular baths with flea and tick prevention shampoos instead. There may also be some herbal options you can try, but you should speak to your veterinarian before attempting to use anything not marketed or intended for pets.

Mow Your Grass

When ticks are extremely prevalent, they are more likely to be present on long grass. For this reason, it's important to keep your grass cut as short as possible throughout the times of the year when ticks are common. This can also help reduce flea populations in your yard at the same time.

Additionally, you should remove overgrown brush and leaf litter from your yard as well. This can make it even less likely for ticks to be present in your yard, which means your pets will not be very likely to pick them up when spending time outdoors-and you won't track them inside, either.

Checks Dogs Often

If you've been outside with your dog, even just in the yard, you should do a quick check to see if you spot any ticks on your pet after coming back inside. If you and your dog have spent time in the woods, check your dog very carefully and remove any ticks you find right away.

You should also check your dogs frequently for signs of fleas. Part your dog's hair and look closely at their skin. If you notice any small, black spots, they could be fleas or flea poop.

Treat All Pets at Once

It won't do any good if you only treat one of your pets and neglect to treat the others. If you do this, any fleas or ticks on the treated pet will simply take up residence on the untreated pets instead. Therefore, you must treat all of your pets at once when you're trying to keep flea and tick problems under control.

The same is true whether your pets already have fleas or they are simply at risk due to where you live. Do yourself and your pets a favor by making sure they are all taken care of at the same time.

Wash Pet Bedding

While you're treating your pets for fleas and ticks, you should also wash all the pet bedding. Don't neglect pillows, blankets, or pet beds that your pet frequently lays on, and make sure to clean any cat towers or other perches that may be able to host flea eggs as well.

Ideally, you should handle this cleanup at the same time as well. This way, there will be very few remaining places for fleas and ticks to hide throughout the home and your pets will not be as prone to outbreaks of fleas or bites from ticks, either.

Now that you've had a chance to learn more about flea and tick prevention, it's time to figure out the best method of prevention for you and your pets. Take your time considering your options to be sure you choose the right method of protecting your pet against fleas and ticks.

As with any health and wellness concerns for your pet, make sure you reach out to your vet for more information. Your vet may be able to give you specific recommendations for your furry friend based on their individual needs and any underlying health concerns as well. Call us today at (480) 339-0406.