Yes, dogs in New Zealand get both fleas and ticks. Fleas are around all year, while ticks mostly turn up in the warmer months and the warmer parts of the country. Check the base of your dog's tail for fleas, and their ears, collar line and toes for ticks. What keeps both away is regular treatment from your vet, given to every pet in the house.
How do I know if my dog has fleas?
Watch where your dog scratches. Scratching or biting at the back end, around the base of the tail and along the lower back, is the classic flea pattern. You'll often find small scabs there too, and the pattern shows up even when you can't spot a single flea.
One bite is enough to set off a reaction in a sensitive dog, so a clean-looking coat doesn't clear it. If your dog is going at their tail base, check properly.
The easiest check is the flea dirt test. Flea dirt looks like black specks in the coat, and a damp paper towel tells you whether that's what you've found.
- Dampen a white paper towel and lay it under your dog.
- Comb your dog over the paper towel.
- Look at any black specks that land on it.
- If the specks turn red on the damp paper, it's flea dirt. The red is digested blood.
How do I get rid of fleas for good?
Treat every cat and dog in the house with a flea treatment all year round, used exactly as directed. Then treat the house, by washing bedding hot and vacuuming. Ask your vet which treatment suits your dog.
The house matters because that's where most of the problem sits. According to vets, about 95% of a flea population isn't on the animal at all. It's in your home as eggs, larvae and pupae, tucked into bedding, carpet and the gaps in the floor.
That's also why the fleas seem to come back after you've treated. In warm weather, new fleas usually emerge in 3 to 4 week cycles. New fleas keep hatching from the house for weeks. Seeing fleas soon after treating doesn't always mean the treatment has failed. Be patient and keep going.
Cats and dogs share the same flea species. If you have a cat, it needs treating too, even if it's the dog doing all the scratching.
Winter doesn't give you a break either. Fleas stay active all year in New Zealand, because warm, heated homes let them keep breeding indoors through the colder months.
To get on top of fleas:
- Ask your vet which flea treatment suits your dog, and treat every cat and dog in the house, since they share the same flea species.
- Use it exactly as directed, and keep it going all year round, winter included.
- Wash your dog's bedding in hot water, because bedding is one of the places the eggs, larvae and pupae sit.
- Vacuum floors and furniture regularly, to get at the carpet and the gaps in the floor.
- Keep going if you see new fleas in the weeks after you start. They can be new ones hatching from the house.
Can dogs get ticks in New Zealand?
Yes, dogs in NZ get ticks. The main one is the New Zealand cattle tick. It's found through the North Island, in Marlborough and Tasman, and in parts of the West Coast.
Ticks are more seasonal and regional than fleas, so where you live and walk makes a difference. They're most active in the warmer months, from spring to autumn. In the warmer north they can be around for most of the year. Dogs pick them up in long grass, farmland and bush, so a walk through any of those is your cue to check.
Check your dog after every walk like that. Go over these spots with your fingers and eyes:
- around the ears
- around the eyes
- under the collar or harness
- in the armpits
- between the toes
- under the tail
A heavy load of ticks can cause anaemia in small animals, which means too few red blood cells. A dog carrying a lot of ticks needs to see a vet.
If you live or walk in tick country, ask your vet about a treatment that covers ticks as well as fleas.
How do I get a tick off my dog?
Use a tick removal tool. Slide it under the tick's body, then twist to lift the tick out whole. The aim is to get all of it out, mouthparts included.
Avoid tweezers. Squeezing with tweezers can crush the tick and leave the mouthparts in the skin. Don't use petroleum jelly, alcohol or heat on it either.
If a small part stays in the skin, it usually works its way out in a day or two. See your vet if the spot looks red, swollen or sore. Go in as well if you can't get the tick out, or if your dog seems unwell.
Still itchy with no fleas?
Fleas can set off itching even when you can't see one, so rule them out properly first. That means a clean flea dirt test and current treatment for every pet in the house. If fleas are ruled out and the itch carries on, food is one possibility, along with the other causes in dog skin allergies: food or something else. Take it to your vet. They can help you work out whether your dog is allergic to their food and what to do next.
Where Little Green Dog fits
If your vet has pointed toward food, our kibble is made for dogs with food sensitivities, allergies or sensitive stomachs. Its single hydrolysed chicken protein is broken into pieces too small for your dog's body to easily react to. Keep up the flea treatment either way. You can try a 2kg sample for $19.99 plus $5 shipping, no subscription needed, backed by our 30-day Sensitivity Promise.
FAQ
Can dogs get ticks in NZ?
Yes. The main one is the New Zealand cattle tick, found through the North Island, in Marlborough and Tasman, and in parts of the West Coast. Ticks are most active from spring to autumn, and in warmer northern areas they can be around most of the year. Check your dog after walks in long grass, farmland or bush.
Do I need to treat for fleas in winter?
Yes. Fleas stay active all year in New Zealand, because warm, heated homes let them keep breeding indoors through winter. Use a flea treatment your vet recommends all year round, exactly as directed.
Can my dog give fleas to my cat?
Yes. Cats and dogs share the same flea species, so every cat and dog in the house needs treating. Ask your vet which flea treatment suits each of your pets.
Do home remedies work for fleas?
The reliable approach is a flea treatment your vet recommends, used all year round, plus cleaning the house. Most of a flea problem is in bedding, carpet and gaps in the floor as eggs, larvae and pupae. Wash your dog's bedding in hot water and vacuum floors and furniture regularly.
When should I take my dog to the vet about a tick?
See your vet if the spot looks red, swollen or sore, if you can't get the tick out, or if your dog seems unwell. A dog carrying a lot of ticks needs a vet too, because a heavy load of ticks can cause anaemia in small animals. If a small part of the tick stays in the skin, it usually works its way out in a day or two.