How to Apply Flea and Tick Prevention

You bought the flea and tick prevention. You applied it. Weeks later you are still pulling ticks off your dog.

The product is usually not the problem. It never reached the skin. Topical prevention absorbs through skin, not fur, so applying it to a thick coat leaves most of the dose sitting on hair where it does nothing. This two minute how-to comes from Gavyn Broce, a licensed veterinary technician at Town and Country Animal Hospital, one of our two sister practices, and it applies to any dog.

Schedule an Appointment Call or text (703) 256-8414

Why do gloves go on first?

Because your skin absorbs it too.

The property that carries the product through your dog’s skin works the same way through yours. Gloves take five seconds and keep the full dose where you intended it.

Where does the product actually go?

Between the shoulder blades, and the spot is deliberate.

It is the one place a dog cannot reach with their own tongue. Applied lower on the back or along the ribs, a flexible dog will find it, which costs you the dose and gives them a mouthful of insecticide. Run your hands down from the base of the neck until you feel both shoulder blades, then aim for the midline between them.

Hands parting a dog’s fur between the shoulder blades to reach the skin

How do you get it onto skin instead of fur?

Part the coat first, then apply. This is the step almost everyone skips.

Push the fur apart with your fingers until you can see a clear line of bare skin. On a short coated dog that takes a second. On a double coated dog it takes real effort, and that is exactly the dog most likely to get a wasted dose. Touch the applicator to the skin you exposed and squeeze. One open spot of skin, not a stripe down the back.

What should your dog do while it dries?

Anything except sit still.

Play with them, take them for a walk, get them moving. The product needs time to absorb, and a dog who settles down to groom, or a cat who wanders over to groom their housemate, undoes the work. Keep small children off the treated spot until it is dry.

Why is the right product different for every pet?

Because what works for one may not work for another.

Age, weight, coat type, whether your dog swims, how much time they spend in tall grass, and whether there are cats in the house all change the answer. A product that suits a seventy pound Lab who hikes every weekend is not automatically right for a nine pound senior whose range ends at the back fence. Ask us and we will match it to your dog rather than leaving you to guess in a store aisle.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply it to wet fur?

Wait until your dog is completely dry. Water on the coat spreads product across hair instead of letting it reach skin, and a damp coat is harder to part. Most labels also ask you to hold off on baths and swimming for about 48 hours afterwards.

What if my dog licks the spot?

Between the shoulder blades is chosen because a dog cannot reach it. If your dog does manage to lick a topical product, or another pet grooms it off, call us at (703) 256-8414. We are open 24 hours, so there is always someone to ask.

Can I use a dog product on my cat?

No. Some dog products contain permethrin, which is toxic to cats, and a cat that grooms a treated dog can be affected too. Cats need a product labeled for cats.

Do indoor pets need prevention?

Yes. Fleas ride in on people and other pets, and ticks turn up in Annandale back yards, not only on trails. Year round prevention is far easier than clearing an infestation out of a house.

My dog already has ticks. What now?

Remove what you find with fine tipped tweezers, pulling straight out at the skin. Then call us. If your dog is lethargic, limping, off their food, or running a fever, that is worth seeing sooner rather than waiting.

Veterinary technician holding a small dog in an exam room

Ready to get your dog covered?

Schedule online, or call or text us at (703) 256-8414 if you would rather talk it through. Columbia Pike Animal Hospital & Emergency Center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with no additional emergency fee, so a tick bite that turns into something at two in the morning is still ours to handle.