Q: Can you tell us a little bit about how to prevent fleas and ticks?

Dr. Haskin: Fleas and ticks is a problem faced for every dog and every cat. It's probably the biggest allergy dogs can have. Everywhere in Florida, year-round, unlike up North. It is the biggest allergy so we see things like hair loss, sores, lesions, usually focal on the tail and butt area. Some of the products that we recommed are Frontline or Frontline Plus, Advantage--alternative product. There's another product called Revolution. These are monthly products, and they go deep in the neck. They're supposed to kill fleas within a few hours and they last until 30 days.
Sometimes the study suggests they don't really last for more than three weeks. As a general rule, if you're not having a problem, it's a monthly application.