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With the arrival of spring, ticks and fleas start to appear and latch on to dogs and other pets to feed on their blood. To avoid this unpleasant parasite attacking your dog the best thing you can do is prevent infestation. It’s important to avoid ticks and fleas as apart from transmitting diseases to humans, they can seriously harm the animals, even causing death in very extreme cases. The prevention of ticks and fleas involves checking your pet’s fur more regularly in Spring and Summer as this is when ticks and fleas are most active. You also need to maintain good hygiene, with regular baths and brushing. You can use anti-parasite products in the form of collars, sprays, spot-ons, etc. These products use various types of insecticide. There are also collars and other products made from essential plant oils, known for their insect-repellent effects: Neem oil, tea tree, citronella, geranium, rosemary, etc. These substances are less toxic than the above and are a fantastic alternative for people who don’t want to use chemical insecticides on their pets. Your pets are not only in danger of getting infected outside the home; you should also regularly wash your dog or cat’s bed and regularly hoover all carpets and underneath armchairs, beds and other furniture in your home. If these methods have failed and you find your companion has a tick you can carefully remove it using tweezers to make sure you remove the whole tick and no part of it stays in the skin. Once you have removed it you have to dispose of it correctly by burning it inside a piece of paper or flushing it down the toilet. In any case, regular trips to the vet are always recommendable to detect any problems in good time and make sure your pets are in the best of health.