Fleas and Ticks: A Summer Guide to Protecting Your Dog and Cat

Summer means longer walks, backyard play, and more time in the grass — and for fleas and ticks, it means peak season. These tiny parasites do more than make your pet itchy. They can spread disease, trigger allergic reactions, and quietly set up an infestation in your home before you ever spot a single bug. The good news: a little awareness and a steady routine go a long way toward keeping your dog or cat protected all summer long.

Why Fleas and Ticks Thrive in Warm Weather

Fleas love warmth and humidity, and summer gives them exactly that. A single female flea can lay dozens of eggs a day, and those eggs fall off your pet into carpets, bedding, and grass, where they wait for the next warm body to come along. Ticks, meanwhile, climb to the tips of tall grass and shrubs and latch on as your pet brushes past on a walk or romp through the yard. Both parasites are most active from late spring through early fall, which is why summer is the season to stay especially vigilant.

It is not just an outdoor problem, either. Fleas hitch rides indoors on clothing and other pets, so even mostly-indoor cats can end up scratching. Treating the season as a shared risk for every animal in your home is the safest approach.

How to Check Your Dog or Cat for Fleas and Ticks

A regular grooming session is one of the simplest ways to catch parasites early. Running our Luxury Dog and Cat Brush through your pet's coat after walks does double duty: it removes loose fur and debris while giving you a close look at the skin underneath. Part the fur and check the warm, hidden spots parasites prefer — the base of the tail, behind the ears, the belly, the armpits, and between the toes.

Fleas themselves are fast and hard to spot, but their droppings are not. Look for tiny black specks that look like ground pepper; if you wipe them onto a damp paper towel and they smear reddish-brown, that is digested blood and a sure sign of fleas. Ticks feel like a small bump on the skin and range from the size of a pinhead to a swollen pea once they have fed. Run your fingers slowly over your pet after every outing in wooded or grassy areas.

How to Safely Remove a Tick

If you find an embedded tick, stay calm and remove it promptly — the longer it stays attached, the higher the risk of disease transmission. Using fine-tipped tweezers, grasp the tick as close to your pet's skin as possible and pull straight up with steady, even pressure. Avoid twisting or jerking, which can leave the mouthparts behind. Do not use matches, petroleum jelly, or nail polish; these old remedies can make the tick release more saliva into the wound.

Afterward, clean the bite area and your hands with soap and water or an antiseptic. Watch the spot over the following days for redness or swelling.

Ticks can carry illnesses like Lyme disease and others that vary by region, and symptoms can take days or weeks to appear — if your pet becomes lethargic, feverish, or limps after a tick bite, have your vet take a look to rule out a tick-borne infection.

Building a Year-Round Flea and Tick Prevention Plan

Prevention is far easier than fighting an active infestation. Most veterinarians recommend a consistent preventative — topical drops, oral chews, or a quality collar — given on schedule so protection never lapses. Pair that with weekly grooming checks, frequent washing of pet bedding in hot water, and regular vacuuming of carpets and furniture to disrupt the flea life cycle indoors. Keeping your lawn trimmed and clearing leaf litter reduces the shady, humid spots ticks favor.

Staying organized is half the battle, and our My Pet Journal gives you a dedicated place to log preventative dates, note where you found a tick, and track any reactions — so you and your vet always have an accurate history at your fingertips.

Flea and tick preventatives are medications, and the right product and dose depend on your pet's species, weight, age, and health — a cat-safe product is essential since some dog formulas are toxic to cats. Check with your vet before starting or switching any preventative.

When to Call Your Veterinarian

Reach out to your vet if your pet is scratching constantly, losing hair, or developing red, irritated skin, as some animals are highly allergic to flea bites and need treatment beyond parasite control. Heavy flea infestations can cause anemia, especially in kittens, puppies, and senior pets, so pale gums or unusual tiredness deserve prompt attention. And any tick bite followed by fever, joint stiffness, or loss of appetite is worth a professional look.

Fleas and ticks are a predictable part of summer, but they do not have to take the fun out of the season. With routine checks, a steady prevention plan, and a quick response when something seems off, you can keep your dog or cat comfortable, healthy, and free to enjoy every sunny day.

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Paris Deesing holds a degree in Biological Anthropology from UCLA. Her articles draw on careful research and a long-held curiosity about the animals who share our lives.