Keeping Critters Away!

Let's talk; Flea and Tick prevention

What are fleas and ticks?

Most pet owners have heard fleas and ticks mentioned especially coming into the warmer seasons. But do we all actually know what they are?

Fleas

• Fleas are small parasitic insects, there are around 250 different species found around the world and almost all of them live off of mammals as their host. The flea life cycle is simple - egg, larvae, pupa, adult. Adult fleas feed off of the blood of the host but larvae rely on things such as dead skin flakes.

• Fleas have long back legs to enable them to jump (this is how they spread!) some are actually capable of jumping up to 50x their body length!! To put that into perspective - the average man is 172cm meaning he would be able to jump 86 metres!

• Fleas can carry a variety of diseases, for not just animals but also humans. The most well known case of this would be the bubonic plague when fleas were transmitted from rodents to humans.

• Fleas are perfectly adapted to do their "job"

  • Head - small, with short antennae, most have no eyes, needle like structures that puncture the hosts skin during meal time.

  • Body - short front and middle legs but long back legs, claw like feet to help them grab onto their host, highly elasticated to allow them to expand after meal times

• Typically fleas live for 2-3 months which doesn't sound long, however in this time they can lay 5000+ eggs, some of which will fall off the host and then pass onto others but some of these will hatch and the cycle will continue! Eggs hatch within 2-14 days and then begin their cycle.

Ticks

• Small invertebrates, blood-feeding parasites. Ticks are technically arachnids as they have 8 legs as adults.

• There are 2 main categories of ticks:

  • Hard ticks -

    • Upwards of 770 species

    • they attach to a host and continually feed for days during each life stage, once the female has eaten she will mate (on or off of host) and then lay her eggs (on the same or a new host) and she will then die.

    • Larvae will then find a host to feed off of until they are full, they will drop off and moult to become adults, repeating the cycle again. Adults can wait up to 3 years for a host.

    • Most hard ticks live in fields and woodlands however there are a few which are household pests.

  • Soft ticks -

    • Around 200 species

    • Feed intermittently and lay several batches of eggs rather than all at once like hard ticks.

    • They will complete their entire life cycle on the host.

• Ticks are harmful not only due to their blood drawing, they can also carry a multitude of diseases some of which can cause paralysis or even death.

How are they picked up?

Where are they most common?

Fleas are most commonly found on other hosts (other pets or wildlife) and are easily passed on through close contact. We as humans may carry fleas and pass them onto our pets however fleas do not live on us as they do animals. Believe it or not fleas are also commonly found in our homes, when the weather starts to get warmer places such as carpets, blankets or indoor plants can be a perfect warm environment for fleas to begin their life cycle. Obviously fleas can also be found outside, in tall grass, leaf litter, or garden sheds which may be a bit messy.

Ticks on the other hand are most common in any damp, shady place, think forests/woodlands, overgrown fields, near bodies of water. Anywhere humid/damp and overgrown is a perfect place for a tick.

What makes them pick your pet?

Fleas like warm areas where they can feed on blood and breed, this is the simple answer as to why they pick your pet. We will look in more detail in the next section at how to make your pet less appealing to fleas!

Ticks again, like warm areas to feed, they also pick up on the CO2 emission from your pet breathing to alert them that a good host is near by! Ticks enjoy certain oils on animals skin, which help provide them with nutrients to breed. We will again look in more detail at how to make your pet less appealing to ticks in the next section!

When are you most at risk?

Fleas are most prevalent in summer time as the warmth is ideal for them to reproduce, with the warmer weather starting earlier now in the UK, we can say any time from the end of April they could begin to show their annoying heads! Until around September time.

Ticks begin to appear a little earlier, we can expect to start hearing or seeing about them beginning in late March, all the way until early October!

How can we prevent them?

There is no real correct answer to this one, you can go down the prescription route or you can go down the natural route. Both carry their own sets of risks and rewards.

Prescription/OTC options -

• Spot-on treatments, these are applied directly to the skin, usually monthly. Lets look at pros and cons.

  • Pros - most claim to begin killing any nasties within 12-48 hours, some have extra things added to help with skin or coat, it can be an easy one to use if your pet wont eat tablets.

  • Cons - most are not waterproof and even if they say they are there's a high chance the chemicals will leak into our lakes/rivers harming wildlife, they must be applied consistently or they will not work, they are made up of chemicals which are soaking into your pets skin.

• Oral treatments, given as a tablet or chewable "treat". Lets look at pros and cons.

  • Pros - often these will also double as worm treatments as well as flea and tick, attack the nervous system of the flea or tick so as soon as they bite they are killed,

  • Cons - require the parasite to bite before they work, there are a lot of recent studies showing correlation between these and neurological conditions

• Flea and tick collars, these often last for a few months at a time, releasing their ingredients slowly over time to kill or repel the parasites. Lets look at pros and cons.

  • Pros - you don't have to remember as much as the other options, just put it on and leave it, they can last longer than the other options

  • Cons - allergic reactions are common due to them being in contact with the skin for so long, if the pet swims in nature then again the chemicals are in the water and harming wildlife, they may not work if there is an existing flea problem on the pet

• Injection (dogs only currently), there is a relatively new flea and tick injection which is said to last for 12 months, working in a similar way to the oral treatments. Lets look at pros and cons.

  • Pros - it lasts 12 months so you do not have to remember to treat your dog, it kills the fleas and ticks by poisoning them when they bite.

  • Cons - it is a very new product still, there are a lot of reports of negative side effects, it is worrying that the poison will be pumped around the dogs body for a whole year.

To conclude, there are pros and cons to using prescription/OTC methods, a lot of them tend to have higher guarantees of prevention, however they are chemically made so it is whether this bothers you. I do not believe there is a right or wrong way to prevent nasties, it is all individual and personal preference.

Natural options -

• Healthy gut microbiome and strong immune system, if your pet has a healthy gut then they have a strong immune system, this means the body is more equipped to deal with any bites from bugs, less inflammation means that there is less chance of any inflammatory conditions which can attract fleas and ticks. Lets look at the pros and cons.

  • Pros - super easy to achieve with no veterinary help, fresh, balanced diets, a healthy gut has a host of other benefits alongside this.

  • Cons - it won't kill or stop the fleas and ticks entirely, it must be used alongside a broader prevention programme.

• Apple cider vinegar, often used as a repellent (often found in the sprays you can purchase to deter the nasties), DO NOT use pure ACV on your pet, it must be diluted or purchased in a ready prepared spray. Lets look at the pros and cons.

  • Pros - easy to get hold of, lots of brands sell a 100% natural flea and tick prevention spray and often it contains ACV

  • Cons - again, not to be used on its own, it is best used in conjunction with other methods in a broader prevention plan.

• Citrus, similar to ACV the smell of citrus is repellent for fleas and ticks, also found in lots of the natural sprays on the market, DO NOT put citrus directly on your pet. Lets look at the pros and cons.

  • Pros - again it is super easy to get hold of and is often found in the natural flea and tick sprays on the market.

  • Cons - again it should mot be relied on to work on its own, you are going to have to have a full plan if you do go down the natural route for repelling.

• Natural sprays/shampoos, as mentioned above the aim of the flea and tick prevention sprays/shampoos you can get is to repel the bugs from wanting to land on your pet, often containing things such as neem oil, ACV, cedarwood, aloe vera. These work to repel the nasties and also soothe the skin. Lets look at the pros and cons.

  • Pros - there are lots of readily available and reputable brands who offer these sprays and shampoos, they can help with prevention as well as removal (the shampoos can aid in removing any nasties), and then also to soothe the skin in case of any irritation.

  • Cons - again, cannot be used entirely on its own, must be used in part of a broader prevention plan.

• Natural preventative supplements, there are a variety of supplements which are designed to work from the inside out to help naturally prevent fleas and ticks, they generally work by working on the health of the gut therefore improving the immune system, as well as improving the skin and coat to make that less appealing. They often contain things such as garlic, brewers yeast, peppermint, fenugreek, lemon balm and more. Lets look at the pros and cons.

  • Pros - they are usually quite easy to get into your dog either through treats or adding powders/oils to their food, as they are all natural the chances of any nasty side effects are lowered (side effects from anything can never be ruled out entirely just as with humans), they are benefiting the pet too they aren't only being used to prevent nasties.

  • Cons - there are lots of options on the market so it can be hard to pick one (advised to choose one as ingredients can overlap and cause issues), again they cannot be used entirely on their own, they need to be a part of a larger plan.

To conclude, there are pros and cons to using natural prevention methods, you cannot really choose only one which might not work for some people, however you do know exactly what you are putting into/onto your pet which some may prefer. Again, I do not believe there is a right or wrong way to prevent nasties, it is all individual and personal preference.

My own method -

I have only recently changed my own boy over to natural flea and tick prevention as it always scared me where he is SO fluffy, it is really hard to spot fleas or ticks on him. However we now have our protection plan put together and whilst it may still change, it is working for now!

We use 3 methods.

1. We use some drops which go in his food, these work from the inside out to repel the fleas and ticks. He has 12 drops a day (as recommended by the guide for his weight), every day except when he is receiving his worming drops which is 3 days a month (some of the ingredients overlap).

2. We use a flea and tick shampoo, we don't shower him often, if he gets muddy we tend to just wash his legs/feet off as they get the worst of it, however once April hits, when he is bathed it is with his flea and tick shampoo. The shampoo we use is designed to wash fleas and ticks off if they are there, as well as nourish the coat and leave the scent of neem oil on it to help deter the nasties.

3. We use a flea and tick spray, whenever we are going on a grassy walk or a woodland walk I will spray him focussing mainly on his legs as these are the area most in contact with the grass due to his size. I rub the spray in a bit and then we set off. The aim of the spray is to cover the coat in essential oils which the nasties find unappealing whilst not causing any harm to him. Personally I don't hate the smell although I know that can be a controversial opinion!

How I can help!

For this blog I will not be adding any recommendations at the end, this is because it will not be a one size fits all situation. However, if you would like to come up with a plan together then please get in touch with the reference NONASTIES and I will be happy to work up a prevention plan with you, for a reduced price (only valid until SEPTEMBER 2026).

Whether you are currently using veterinary products and want to take a natural approach, or you're getting a new pet and want to have an in depth discussion of the options available.

Get in touch now via my website, or email me on - amber-nutritionist@gattsusgrub.co.uk

References

Fleas - Types, Size, Habitat, Diet, Life Cycle, Lifespan, & Images (Fleas Siphonaptera)- Anushka Chatterje [April 25th 2026]

Tick | Description, Bite, Diseases, Life Cycle, Prevention, & Facts | Britannica (Britannica - tick, arachnid order) - Melissa Petruzzello [April 9th 2026]