Pet owners understand the importance of flea and tick prevention in the spring and summer—heck, we wish we could take it!—but they often are lax about parasite prevention for their pet in the winter. In an ideal world, pesky parasite populations would immediately keel over on the winter solstice and cease to annoy pets and people all winter long. Unfortunately, that is not the case, and fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and a multitude of other biting, stinging insects can irritate and infect your pet all year long.

Therefore, you must protect your four-legged friend from fleas and ticks each and every month, no matter how cold. Here are five reasons you shouldn’t skip your pet’s parasite prevention in the winter.

#1: Westerville’s winters don’t always kill parasites

Westerville certainly is chillier than Florida or Texas, but the winters are not that cold, and average winter temperatures are often above freezing. A few days here and there may dip into frigid temperatures, but fleas, ticks, and other parasites can overcome winter weather without long periods of below-freezing conditions and infect your pet.

Also, consider the conditions inside your home—you are hardly going to turn down the heat to freeze out fleas and ticks from your home! Instead, the parasites are going to trek indoors to stay warm or spend the winter in your garage, porch, or crawlspace, waiting for a warm body. Since you cannot fully parasite-proof your home, garage, and yard, your pet is always at risk for flea and tick infections.

#2: Fleas and ticks are exceptionally hardy

Fleas and ticks can survive tough conditions for long periods, waiting for the right environment and meal to emerge from hiding. Pupal stage fleas can hang out in protective cocoons for months or years until the ideal temperature, humidity, and nearby food sources make hatching worth their while. Adult fleas can lurk outside in temperatures as low as 33 degrees for up to five days, waiting for your hot-blooded pet—or you—to wander close enough to provide transport and a meal.

Ticks are considered most active in late summer and early fall, but they can easily survive the winter without a host. Contrary to popular belief, ticks don’t die off at the first frost, and instead go into hiding and wait for a warm host to venture too close. When the temperature is above freezing and you and your furry pal head outdoors to take advantage of the “warm” spell, ticks are also emerging to enjoy the warmer conditions and find a meal.

#3: Flea infestations are notoriously difficult to eradicate

While fleas can easily survive outdoor temperatures in the mid to upper 30s, they can more easily hide inside your home. So, those flea eggs that dropped off your pet last summer when you forgot to administer their parasite preventive will hatch, the flea will go through each life stage, and reach their adult form inside your warm home. Then, the adult fleas will go in hot pursuit of their next meal, which is likely your pet.

Since fleas can linger so long inside their protective cocoon, they are notoriously difficult to kill. Typically, the adults are most susceptible to parasiticides but, in ideal conditions, fleas can take months to complete their life cycle to adulthood. Long-lasting treatments that provide residual protection are essential for battling a flea infestation—better still, you can keep your pet on year-round flea and tick prevention and not have to deal with an overwhelming flea problem.

#4: Ticks can transmit diseases not only to pets, but also their owners

While a flea infestation can result in anemia, tapeworms, or allergies, tick bites can cause lifelong issues. Cases of tick-borne illnesses, such as Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, are growing each year and affecting more and more pets and people. Also, as more tick-carrying wildlife head into urban areas, pets and their owners can more easily become infected. Although pets cannot directly transmit tick-borne illnesses to their owners, they can transport ticks into their homes to infect other pets and people.

#5: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

If you’ve ever had a home flea infestation, or needed to treat your dog for recurring Lyme disease flare-ups, you know that inadequate flea and tick prevention can be costly. But, your investment in year-round parasite prevention can ward off expensive parasitic infections that can cost you and your pet in more ways than one.

Are you stuck trying to choose the best flea and tick prevention products for your pet? Give our Westerville Veterinary Clinic team a call to discuss the best options that will protect your furry pal.