Fleas, ticks, worms and vaccines: how do I protect my dog all year?

Short answer: ask your vet to set up a prevention plan for fleas, ticks, worms and vaccines, then keep it going all year. Your vet knows what is common where you live, and will choose what suits your dog's age, size and lifestyle. If you are not sure what your dog has had, or it has been a while, it is not too late to start. A quick call to book a check-up is the next step.

Fleas

Dogs usually pick up fleas from other animals or from outdoor spots, then bring them home. The fleas on your dog are only part of it. Eggs and young fleas settle into carpets, bedding and sofas, so treating the dog alone gives only short relief. Fleas can be a problem all year, depending on where you live.

Look for scratching, black specks in the coat (flea dirt), or bare patches from itching. Some dogs react strongly to even a few bites and get sore, red skin. Puppies and small dogs can lose enough blood to become weak if they have a lot of fleas. Fleas can also pass on tapeworm, so flea control helps with worms too.

Your vet can recommend a flea product that suits your dog, and tell you how to use it and how to treat the home. Washing your dog's bedding and vacuuming where they rest helps. If you spot black specks, or your dog is scratching a lot, book a vet visit.

Ticks

Ticks wait in long grass, bushes and woods. They climb onto a dog as it passes. They are more common from spring to autumn, but can be around at other times, depending on where you live. A tick feeds for a few days, and can pass on illness while it does, so it helps to find it early.

After a walk, run your hands over your dog, including the neck, ears, between the toes and in the folds where the legs meet the body. If you find a tick, take it off gently with a proper tick tool or fine tweezers, as close to the skin as you can. Do not squeeze, crush or burn it. If you are unsure, or part of it stays in the skin, your vet can do it for you. Afterwards, keep an eye on the spot. If it turns red or swollen, or your dog seems tired, off their food or stiff, please call your vet.

Your vet can tell you which tick illnesses are found near you and what prevention suits your dog. Check your dog after walks in rough ground, and ask about tick prevention at the next visit.

Worms

Dogs can pick up worms from soil or other animals' poo, from eating prey or raw meat, and from swallowing a flea. Puppies can get them from their mother. A healthy-looking dog can still have worms, and many dogs show few signs. When there are signs, they can include weight loss, a dull coat, diarrhoea, vomiting or a round, swollen belly.

Some worms can pass to people too, especially children, so picking up poo and washing hands afterwards matters. Your vet will tell you how often to worm your dog, which treatment is right, and may ask for a poo sample once a year to check. Ask your vet what worming schedule suits your dog, and pick up poo every time.

Heartworm

Heartworm is spread by mosquito bites and affects the heart and lungs. Where it is found, vets recommend a dog test once a year and a preventive medicine all year round. Many of these medicines also cover some other worms. Your vet will know whether heartworm is found where you live, and if it is, which prevention to use. Ask about it at your next check-up, especially before travel.

Vaccines

Vaccines protect your dog from serious infectious illnesses. Puppies usually start at around 6 to 8 weeks and have a short series of visits. Boosters follow, and some are needed every year while others every few years. Your vet will plan the dates and decide which extra vaccines suit your dog's lifestyle, travel and area. Kennels, daycare and groomers often ask to see up-to-date vaccines.

If your dog is an adult with no vaccine record, or is overdue, it is not too late. Your vet can plan from where things stand. Keep your dog's vaccine record somewhere easy to find, and book a check-up if you are not sure what they have had.

Keeping it simple

One yearly check-up is a good time to go over all four: vaccines, fleas, ticks and worms. Put the dates in your phone so nothing slips, and ask your vet to write the plan down. A new dog, or one with an unknown past, is a good reason to book a visit this week.

Sources: Dogs Trust: fleas, ticks, vaccinations. Blue Cross: fleas, intestinal worms, basic healthcare. RSPCA: worms, fleas, vaccinations. AVMA: external parasites, heartworm disease, vaccinations. Merck Veterinary Manual: routine health care, fleas, ticks. VCA Animal Hospitals: protecting your dog from parasites.

General education only, not veterinary advice or a plan for your individual dog. Prevention and vaccine plans depend on where you live and your dog's age and health, so please ask your vet. See our legal page.