It is better to regularly treat pets with appropriate parasiticides to prevent an infection, than to wait for an infestation. Such products can be purchased from pharmacies.

Flea control

There are many formulations of flea treatment available, from collars that are left on for several months to oral preparations that can be mixed with food. Spot-on treatments are among the most popular as they are easy to administer and are effective enough that they only need to be applied once a month.

A spot-on treatment is applied directly to the animal’s skin and from the application site spreads over the pet’s body. The active ingredients fipronil and imidacloprid work by disrupting the flea’s nervous system. Examples include Frontline (fipronil) and Advantage (imidacloprid).

If there has been a flea infestation it is important to treat both the animal and the home, as well as any other pets. The carpets and all pet bedding should be vacuumed and there are sprays available that can kill the flea larvae and eggs.

Ticks

The only way to deal with a tick is to remove it. Ticks on a pet can be removed using tweezers or a special tick-removal tool. Care should be taken to ensure the mouthparts do not remain in the skin and that the body of the tick is not squeezed during removal as this may cause infection.

Using preventative products every four weeks can help to protect pets from ticks. These are often combination products that will protect the pet from other parasites too. Examples include Frontline.

Worms

Worming should be done regularly to prevent diseases and reduce environmental contamination. The active ingredient praziquantel paralyses worms by acting on their central nervous systems, while febantel exerts its action by exhausting the parasites’ energy reserves. Examples include Drontal.

Good hygiene is also important to minimise the risk of spread to both animals and humans. This includes keeping surfaces clean, picking up animal faeces straight away and washing hands immediately.