How to Get Rid of Fleas and Ticks

By Becky Casale, creator of The Complete Guide to Shelties and Mindful Shelties Coloring Book. Sheltie Planet earns commissions from the sale of Amazon products at no extra cost to you.

Fleas and ticks are more than just minor irritations as they do pose real health risks to your Sheltie. A single flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day and infestations escalate rapidly. Fleas cause itching, allergic reactions, and can transmit tapeworms, while ticks are known vectors for Lyme disease and anaplasmosis. Here's how to prevent and kill fleas and ticks on your dog with the best topical treatments, tick removers, and flea sprays available today.

About Fleas

Fleas are high-jumping parasites that feed on the blood of their hosts. They're laterally flattened (squashed from the sides) which helps them navigate through fur, making the Sheltie's dense undercoat the ideal home. Once a flea infestation takes hold, it can cause excessive itching, allergic dermatitis, and secondary skin infections.

Signs of flea infestation include scratching and biting at the fur, as well as visible flea dirt (black specks) and flea eggs (white specks). The majority of fleas go on to jump off the host and lay eggs in the surrounding environment, so treating your home is just as important as treating your dog. If you're wily enough to catch a flea with your fingers, you can't simply squash it—you must decapitate it with your fingernails. However, catching fleas between your nails is difficult and you certainly can't eradicate their eggs this way. In a moment we'll look at the best way to kill fleas completely.

Black flea poop is a sure sign of a flea infestation.

About Ticks

Ticks are another blood-feeding parasitic insect to watch out for on your dog. Ticks are dorsally flattened (squashed from above) and swell considerably in size when feeding. Unlike fleas, they don't jump from host to host but hide in tall grass or shrubs to latch onto passing animals. Once embedded in the skin, ticks can remain attached for days. They're usually harmless but can cause allergic reactions and skin infections. The worst case is they transmit Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Ticks favor areas such as the ears, neck, and between the toes. They're easier to spot than fleas but harder to remove: pinching and pulling can leave the tick’s head embedded in the skin. Below we'll look at the best medications to prevent and kill ticks, as well as removal tools to manually pull them from the skin.

A bloated tick feeding on a dog's skin.

How to Kill Fleas and Ticks

Here are the five best ways to get rid of fleas and ticks. If you live in a high risk setting, are prone to fleas or ticks, or your dog has been around another dog with fleas, it's best to use a preventative. Otherwise, stay vigilant and take a treatment-only approach, as all medicines have side-effects and come with a price tag.

1. Oral Flea Medications

For immediate relief, Capstar Oral Flea Treatment enters the bloodstream and starts killing adult fleas within 30 minutes. It's safe for puppies from four weeks old and can be used daily if you're dealing with reinfestations. Capstar is not a preventative but a fast-acting treatment to stop your dog suffering asap. After dosing with Capstar, give your dog a preventative medication to break the flea lifecycle.

CAPSTAR Oral Flea Treatment for Small Dogs 2-25 lbs, 6 Doses, Kills Fleas Fast

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CAPSTAR Oral Flea Treatment for Medium Dogs 25+ lbs, 6 Doses, Kills Fleas Fast

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2. Topical Flea Medications

Topical treatments such as Frontline Plus are applied directly to the skin at the back of the neck to offer month-long protection against both ticks and fleas. The insect growth regulators are absorbed into the bloodstream and prevent flea eggs from hatching, thereby breaking the lifecycle. These treatments also kill all the adult fleas and ticks on your dog within 12 hours.

Frontline Plus Flea & Tick Treatment for Medium Dogs 23-44 lbs, 3 Treatments

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Amazon Basics Flea & Tick Treatment for Medium Dogs 23-44 lbs, 6 Treatments

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4. Tick Removal Tools

If your dog picks up ticks often, you'll want to buy a tick removal tool. Removing them with your fingers is risky because an imprecise grip can pull off the body while leaving the biting head attached to your dog's skin.

Tick removal tools come in various designs. The important thing is your technique so do follow the instructions on the packet. In general, tick removal tools require you to squeeze the fine-tipped tweezers right where the head joins the body to remove both segments. Some tools have an in-built v-shape to ensure you pull at the right spot.

Ticks are easier to spot that fleas because they become engorged after feeding and tend to favor certain parts of the body. However, repeat occurrences call for manual tick removal as well as a topical treatment like Frontline.

3. Aerosols and Flea Bombs

Once fleas are in your house, they may jump off your dog and lay eggs in the carpet. These eggs can lay dormant until conditions are ripe for another infestation. If your dog is suffering from repeat cases of fleas this is usually the explanation.

Vet's Best Flea and Tick Home Spray kills fleas, flea eggs and ticks without using harsh chemicals. Instead it uses certified natural essential oils and plant-based insecticides. Spray the solution around the home and directly onto your dog (from age 12 weeks and older). You can use this flea spray on furniture, carpets and dog bedding. What's more, it also repels mosquitoes.

5. Medicated Flea Shampoos

Flea shampoos are medicated shampoos that clean the coat and kill fleas at the same time. You have to ensure a lather over every inch of your dog's body so you don't leave any safe haven for fleas. Check out Veterinary Formula's Medicated Shampoo.

Take note that you need to do repeat shampoos all year round to kill any new fleas. If you're already a frequent and thorough dog washer this might suit you perfectly. However, if not, you might want prefer a topical medication like Frontline.

By Becky Casale, creator of The Complete Guide to Shelties and Mindful Shelties Coloring Book. Sheltie Planet earns commissions from the sale of Amazon products at no extra cost to you.