One of the most feared and hated parasites to prey on our pets is the tick. This blood-sucking creature can carry disease and transmit dangerous infections to both pets and humans so it is in every pet owners interest to know and understand how to reduce the risk of bites.

Ticks What Are They, Anyway?

A common belief is that ticks are a member of the insect family. In fact this is incorrect. In scientific classification, insects are defined as creatures which have three pairs of legs and a pair of antennae on the head at the adult life stage. A fully grown tick has four pairs of legs and no antennae. This means that ticks cannot be insects. Actually ticks are classified as members of the arachnid family. This is the same family that includes spiders, scorpions and mites.

More About Ticks & Tick Dangers

Within the tick grouping, there are several different species of tick. In the United States, the most common are the American Dog Tick, Brown Dog Tick and Deer Tick. Several other tick species live within more localized regions of the nation. Ticks are parasites which live on the blood of other creatures. Usually hiding in long grasses, shrubbery and woodland areas, ticks lie in wait for a suitable host, which may be a wild animal, a pet or even a human. The tick will then attach to the host's skin and feed on its blood. This is a concern because ticks can transmit tick-borne diseases and these can have seriously health consequences. Lyme Disease, Babesiosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever are extremely dangerous and can cause fatalities if the correct treatment is not given to the sufferer in time.

How Can Frontline Plus Defend Your Pet

The good news is that preventing tick borne disease is far easier and less distressing that treating it. One of the leading options for tick control is Frontline Plus. Designed to provide a powerful defense against ticks, Frontline Plus contains the ingredient fipronil and is applied directly to the pet's skin every 30 days. Fipronil kills ticks and as an added bonus, also kills adult fleas. Frontline Plus contains a second ingredient, S-methoprene, which prevents flea eggs and larvae from developing into adult fleas. This makes Frontline Plus an excellent choice for anyone looking for a good all round flea and tick control treatment for your pet.