As a pet owner, it can be easy to think that once you see a tick, your prevention plan has failed. But the truth is, parasite prevention is not like a magic force field—it’s more like a kill switch. The goal isn’t just to stop parasites from appearing; it’s to kill them quickly before they can spread harmful diseases.
Let’s dive into how different ectoparasite treatments work and why the speed of prevention is everything!
🐶 Chewable Tablets (e.g., NexGard, Simparica, Bravecto)
Chewable tablets work fast, but here’s the science behind it: the active ingredient in products like NexGard is designed to excite the parasites’ nerves. Think of it like a dance floor where the tick is the dancer. The moment the tick bites your pet, it’s like the active ingredient turns the music up to max volume—everything starts moving too fast for the tick to handle, causing overstimulation (like a girl in red shoes twirling uncontrollably on the dance floor). The result? The tick gets overwhelmed and dies before it can spread any dangerous diseases. It’s a fast and effective way to kill ticks and fleas quickly after they latch onto your pet.
🐱 Spot-On Treatments
Spot-on treatments don’t create a protective barrier, but they work quickly once a parasite lands on your pet. When applied, these treatments are absorbed into your pet’s skin and spread throughout the body. If a flea or tick lands on your pet, the active ingredients in the treatment quickly start to interfere with the parasites’ nervous system. It’s like flipping a switch in the parasite’s brain, causing it to lose control and die before it has a chance to latch on and start feeding. Fleas and ticks are no match for the power of these treatments, even if they try to settle in for a meal!
🏠 Environmental Control
Even if your pet is fully indoors and you’re using parasite preventative treatments, you might still notice new pests popping up. This happens because parasites like fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes can hitch a ride on you, your family, or visitors after being outdoors. Flea eggs, in particular, are incredibly small and can easily be brought into your home on clothing, shoes, or even in your pet’s fur.
Let Vet Nurse Zoe share a real-life experience from my time working with a client who had over 10 cats in her home. One day, the owner had to travel for a while and decided to send all her cats to boarding while she was away. When she returned from her trip, she was horrified to find fleas crawling all over the walls, even near her plants. Fleas were everywhere! What happened?
In this case, the flea eggs and larvae had been patiently waiting for the right moment. Without the cats, there was no immediate host for the adult fleas to feed on. In this situation, the adult fleas were forced to surface and search for a host when the cats were absent for an extended period.
This example highlights just how persistent parasites can be—they can lie dormant for a while, waiting for the perfect moment to latch onto a new host. That’s why environmental control is crucial, even for indoor pets. Fleas, ticks, and other pests can be lurking in the environment, hidden in places like carpets, cracks, and furniture. Regular vacuuming, washing bedding, and wiping down surfaces can help remove eggs and larvae, making it harder for them to hatch and cause an infestation.
By maintaining a clean home environment and continuing parasite treatments, you ensure that your pet stays as safe as possible from hidden invaders—even indoors!
Why Speed Matters – The Parasite’s Worst Nightmare
Let’s take a closer look at why speed is crucial in preventing parasite-borne diseases:
Vets Now. (n.d.). Tick-borne diseases in dogs. Vets Now. Retrieved March 11, 2025, from https://www.vets-now.com/pet-care-advice/tick-borne-diseases-in-dogs/
Tick Fever & Babesia Need Time to Spread
Ticks need to be attached to your pet for 12 to 48 hours before they can transmit diseases like tick fever or Babesia. The good news? Products like NexGard kill ticks in just 8 hours, preventing them from infecting your pet, even if they land on them.
PDSA. (n.d.). Fleas on cats. PDSA. Retrieved March 11, 2025, from https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub/conditions/fleas-on-cats
Fleas Are Baby-Making Machines
A single flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day, and in just two months, one flea can potentially lead to an infestation of over 3,000 fleas. By using preventatives that kill fleas before they can reproduce, you’re stopping an infestation before it even begins.
Buffalo Grove Animal Hospital. (n.d.). Heartworm disease in dogs. Buffalo Grove Animal Hospital. Retrieved March 11, 2025, from https://buffalogroveanimalhospital.com/blog/heartworm-disease-in-dogs/
Heartworms Take Time Too!
Heartworms don’t infect pets instantly—they need time to develop after being transmitted by a mosquito. Monthly heartworm prevention kills the larvae before they can grow into dangerous worms in your pet’s heart. If left unchecked, heartworms can lead to serious health complications.
About Vet Nurse Zoe
Zoe is a dedicated veterinary nurse who has been practicing in a veterinary clinic since 2022. She is committed to providing high-quality care for animals while continuously expanding her knowledge to better serve pets and their owners.
In collaboration with Petsmore, she aims to provide reliable and practical information to help pet owners make informed decisions about their pets’ well-being. Learn more about Zoe by checking her bio or following her on Instagram at @vetnursezoe!
