If you own, owned, or are planning on owning a dog, you should know that Flea and Tick prevention is vital. Selecting the correct treatment for your Dog can be confusing, so to help make the decision easier for you we have compiled the Best Flea and Tick Collar for Dogs and given a recommendation on our favorite.
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Our Choice for the Best Flea and Tick Collar for Dogs
If you don’t have time to read the full breakdown and just want to purchase a great Tick & Flea Collar, then try any one of these;
If you want to purchase our best rated Flea & Tick Collar then go for the Seresto Flea and Tick Collar. It’s a great affordable choice and comes sizes for both Small and Large Dogs.
Why buy a Tick and Flea Collar for your Dog?
When looking for a Flea and Tick treatment for your Dog you can quickly become confused by all the different options.
If you ask your Vet, you’ll most likely be directed towards Spot On treatments.
Spot on treatment is applied to your dog every 30 days. Because of this 30-day requirement spot on treatments quickly become expensive.
A much more cost effective solution is a Tick & Flea Collar.
While usually more expensive to purchase, a Tick & Flea collars on average lasts 6+ months. This means over the course of a year they work out much cheaper (than the lucrative) spot on Treatments.
They are also much less hassle to apply, simply place the collar on your Dog and forget about it!
There’s also no mess to deal with and your much less likely to come into contact with any harmful chemicals which you may do when applying a spot on treatment.
They are such a great way to protect your Dog, that you really shouldn’t neglect this important purchase.
The Difference between Ticks & Fleas
People often ask if there is any difference between a Tick and a Flea?
It’s not uncommon to assume they are both the same. While they are both Parasites, they are actually two completely different species.
What is a Tick?
Parasite type: Arachnid (Think Spider)
Hosts / Carriers: Birds/Animals, not fussy
Lifespan: 2 Weeks – 3 Years
Habitat: Most of life off host, waiting for prey
Number of eggs: Thousands! Then they die
What is a Flea?
Parasite type: Wingless Insect
Hosts / Carriers: Typically Cats & Dogs
Lifespan: ~100 days
Habitat: They live on their host until they die
Number of eggs: 20-40 eggs per week
How do Dogs get Ticks and Fleas?
Dogs pick up fleas and ticks by interacting with their environment.
Fleas can easily transfer from one animal to another, so any interaction your Dog has with other animals that have not been treated for Fleas could pose a risk.
Venturing outdoors, especially in woodland will likely expose your Dog to fleas.
Ticks are commonly picked up open or wooded areas, especially places with tall grass. Cold weather has little impact on Ticks, they are extremely hardy and can survive whatever the weather.
What Problems do Ticks and Fleas Cause?
It is important to know why flea and tick prevention is needed. Your dog’s life may be at stake if you do not act to prevent Ticks and Fleas.
Fleas and ticks are parasites. They will feed off of your Dogs blood. This is not only painful and uncomfortable for your Dog, it is also a great way for spreading other harmful diseases.
Lets take a look at some of the issue each can cause.
Problems caused by Fleas
Fleas are a huge problem for Dogs. Being so easy to catch, it’s highly probable that at some point in your Dogs life, he will have an issue with Fleas.
In puppies, Fleas can cause Dogs to become anemic due to the excessive sucking of blood.
The most common problem adult Dogs contract from fleas is flea allergy dermatitis.
When the flea is eating, it will inject your dog’s skin with its saliva. The salivary proteins are allergenic. The saliva will cause your dog to bite and scratch the area causing hair loss.
Fleas are also known to transmit tapeworms as well. Which bring a whole host of other issues.
Problems caused by Ticks
Unlike the flea, the health problems caused by ticks can and are often fatal.
Ticks can cause your Dog to contract many diseases, such as;
- Lyme Disease
- Rocky Mountain Fever
- Tularemia
- Ehrlichiosis
All these can kill your dog so it is imperative you get to a vet as soon as you see a tick.
How does a Flea Collar Work?
Flea and tick collars are a great defense to ward off ticks and fleas.
You may be wondering how do these things work? Well, there are two basic functions of a flea and tick collar;
The first function is repelling. The collar achieves this by emitting a gas to deter the pests from attacking your Dog.
The second function is the treating function. Medication mixes with the fat layer or the oils on your dog’s skin. The medication kills fleas and ticks but the parasite must first bite your dog in order to be killed.
The two functions combined make the collar great for getting rid of pests and protecting from future infestations.
Benefits of Tick & Flea Collars
Flea and tick collars may seem almost too good to be true.
This is not the case. Although spot on treatments have their benefits, flea and tick collars also have their own advantages.
Flea and tick collars normally last anywhere from six to eight months. Spot on treatments generally have to be applied every 30 days. Since you only need to change the collar every eight months, you end up saving.
Flea and tick collars are one of the best ways for repelling flea and ticks. There are a few downsides to choosing a flea and tick collar. One is that the collars tend to work better around the collar area than it does on the back side of the dog.
Since you only need to change the collar every eight months, you end up saving. Flea and tick collars are one of the best ways for repelling flea and ticks. There are a few downsides to choosing a flea and tick collar. One is that the collars tend to work better around the collar area than it does on the back side of the dog.
Can you make your own Tick and Flea Collar?
Not only are flea and tick collars less expensive than the spot on treatments, you can also make your own collar at home.
Flea and tick collars are actually very easy to make.
All you need is a bandanna or an extra collar and either cedar wood or lavender oil, witch hazel, tea tree oil, or thyme essential oils.
Now these homemade flea and tick collars will do great for repelling fleas and ticks. They will not, however, be enough to replace the treating function of a store bought flea and tick collar.
What to look for in a Tick and Flea Collar
You already know why it’s important to protect your Dog from these nasty parasites and while purchasing a Flea & Tick collar may be uncharted territory but with a little bit of prior knowledge you can make a well informed purchase decision.
When buying a collar there are 4 important things an owner needs to look for, these being;
- Minimum Pet Age
- ests it Eliminates (Some only work on Fleas )
- Stage of life it Eliminates Pests up to
- Collar Length (Size)
- Duration
Make sure you factor all these things in when buying a collar and you’ll be sure to make the right selection.
What Tick & Flea Collar do we Recommend?
We’ve already highlighted some great options. But we have two favorites that we’d like to cover in a little more detail;
- checkSeresto Flea and Tick Collar
- checkScalibor Protector Band for Dogs
Both these collars kill flea and ticks while also repelling them.
Let’s take a closer look at them both and hopefully you’ll be able to pick the best collar for your Dog.
The first collar is the Seresto Flea and Tick Collar. The Seresto collar is made by the Bayer company.
This collar comes in under $50 and is available in two sizes, Small & Large Dog.
It can be used on Dogs 7 weeks or older providing they weigh at least 18 pounds.
The Seresto is non-toxic and has an innovative sustained release delivery system.
It also comes recommended by vets, so you can rest assured that it’s good for your Dog.
It prevents ticks from attaching themselves to your Dog while remaining non-greasy and odorless.
It has an easy release mechanism that is simple for any owner to use, should your Dog get trapped.
Another great feature of this collar is that it is waterproof, meaning your Dog can freely roam in and out of the water whilst on an adventure.
Bayer’s Seresto Flea and Tick Collar for Dogs lasts for 8 months making it very economical and good value for money.
The second collar is the Scalibor Protector Band for Dogs.
The Scalibor is made by Intervet.
Unlike the Seresto, which last 8 months, the Scalibor only last 6 months which is it’s only real downside.
It’s one size fits all and for dogs 12 weeks or older.
The active ingredient, deltamethrin, spreads through oils in skin through friction.
The topical is long lasting. Within 24 hours, the Scalibor kills 98% of flea and ticks on your King Charles Cavalier Spaniel.
This collar kills American Dog Ticks, Brown Dog Ticks, and Deer Ticks at all stages of their lives.
The Scalibor collar by Intervet is another solid choice when picking a flea and tick collar.
Why buy a Tick and Flea Collar for your Dog?
The importance of protecting your Dog from flea and ticks can not be stressed enough.
Flea and tick collars are a great and cost efficient way to do this.
There are many benefits to this form of treatment.
Two great options are the and the .
Both of these flea collars will ensure that your Dog stays protected against fleas and ticks.
