All About Parasites

The "Big Three" – Fleas, Ticks, and Mosquitoes

Fleas, ticks and mosquitoes are disgusting, disease carrying parasites. Not only are they a nuisance to your pets, but they also come after a larger target - you. Dog owners are itching to know how to protect against parasites that may negatively impact a pet's health. Read on to learn more about fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes, and the effect of K9 Advantix^® on these pests.

Pesky Parasites 101

Fleas – Besides being an annoyance to your pets, fleas also can lead to tapeworms, bacterial disease, and flea allergy dermatitis. Imidacloprid, one of the active ingredients in K9 Advantix, stops biting fleas within three to five minutes ¹ and also kills 98 -100 percent of existing fleas within 12 hours. Reinfesting fleas are killed within two hours. K9 Advantix also kills flea larvae in the dog's surroundings.
Ticks – In dogs, ticks are known to transmit the organisms that can cause Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, babesiosis, tularemia, anaplasma, and tick paralysis. K9 Advantix repels and kills four species of ticks: Deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis), American dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis), Lone Star ticks (Amblyomma americanum), and Brown dog ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) before they can bite your pet and spread harmful bacteria.
Mosquitoes – K9 Advantix repels and kills mosquitoes before they bite. And because mosquitoes are one of the most common carriers of disease, like West Nile virus, keeping them a safe distance from your pooch is paramount.

¹ Mehlhorn, H., Mencke, N., Hansen, O., Effects of Imidacloprid on Adult and Larval Stages of the Flea Ctenocephalides felis after In vivo and In vitro Application, a Light- and Electron-microscopy Study, Parasitology Research, 85:625-637, 1999.