Last year saw a rise in Lyme disease cases in the UK caused by an increase in tick population. Lyme disease in dogs is very serious and can even be fatal, so it’s important to keep your dog protected with the parasite repellents.
There are three main types of parasite repellents available to pet owners which are designed to keep dog’s safe from ticks and fleas:
- Repellent collars
- Spot-on treatments
- Ultrasonic collar attachments
But what are the differences between these pest repellents? And which one is best? Below we highlight how each works so you can decide which one is right for your dog.
Pest Repellent Collars
Repellent collars work by releasing chemicals that repeal fleas and ticks. These chemicals are designed to slowly but continuously release toxins that spread over the body via natural oils found in a dog’s fur and skin. The chemicals then bond with the fur and skin to provide on-going protection from pests.
Newly developed collars, like the official JULIUS-K9® Tick & Flea Repellent Collar, are more environmentally friendly than older style collars. By using natural ingredients like geranium oil makes these collars safer and more pleasant for dogs to wear, and does not cause harm to soil.
Spot On Treatments
While tick and flea collars are designed to slowly release pest repellent chemicals onto the dog’s fur, Spot On treatments allow you to directly apply these chemicals. These treatments are packaged with individual pipettes of the correct dose which are then applied between the dog’s shoulder blades.
The treatment is directly absorbed into the dog’s skin and begins to work instantly. Any tick, flea or other pest that bites the dog then dies.
Newer spot-on treatments, like the official JULIUS-K9® Spot On Repellent Treatment, use natural ingredients that have a pleasant, non-chemical smell, and are safe for your dog and the environment.
Ultrasonic Pest Repellents
Although newer spot on and repellent collars use natural and environmentally friendly ingredients, many pet owners prefer using chemical-free pest repellents.
Ultrasonic repellents help keep ticks, fleas, and other pests and bugs away by using high frequency electronic waves. These high-pitch waves are inaudible to humans, but repeal parasites which can hear these waves.
People often use ultrasonic repellents in their home, but many of these are set to frequencies which dogs and cats can hear which can cause them discomfort.
However JULIUS-K9® has developed an Ultrasonic Tick & Flea Repellent Collar Attachment especially for dogs. This attachment can be clipped onto any dog collar and operates at a frequency that both dogs and humans can’t hear, but emits ultrasonic waves that repeal pests.
When Is Tick Season?
- Between March and June
- And then again between August and November
Your dog (and yourself) can pick up ticks all year round in the UK, but dogs are most are risk during two peak seasons from early spring to early summer, and then again in late summer to late autumn.
When Is Flea Season?
- All year round
As the climate increases, fleas and other parasites breed more than usual. This means your dog is at risk of catching fleas all year round, so it’s important to keep dog’s flea prevention treatments up to date.
