Ticks and fleas aren’t just simple bloodsucking parasites.
They may create significant health problems too – as if the fact that they will throw your dog into a frightening scratch-craze wasn’t scary enough to make you dread them.
Tapeworms can infest your pooch if it ingests a flea while attempting to lick the itch off.
For flea-infested doggos, anaemia, hot patches, and Bartonella infection are all possible.
So what can you do?
To top it all, ticks are much worse — from immobility to Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and a slew of other life-threatening diseases, these little bloodsuckers may bring a slew of problems for both you and your four-legged best friend.
So, to stop all of this worry and anxiety, you might want to buy some preventative treatments.
And today, I want to look at one medication in particular- SimpleGuard.
Could this treatment be your knight in shining armour? Let’s find out…
What is SimpleGuard?
SimpleGuard is an anti-parasitic medication used to protect dogs from fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, lice, sand flies, and mites.
It is a topical solution for tick or flea-infested dogs, recommended by a lot of veterinarians.
Fleas, ticks, and lice that may infect your dog are all killed by this product.
It’s a fast-acting parasiticide that destroys and resists parasites when they come in contact with it.
As a result, parasites infecting your dog would not have to bite again in order for SimpleGuard to start working properly.
SimpleGuard not only kills living parasites, but it also stops larvae, pupae, and other fresh-born fleas from growing more.
It starts eliminating adult fleas within six hours of treatment and can safeguard your pets for as long as a month.
It’s also safe to use on pups that are at least 8 weeks old.
What side effects might it have for dogs?
SimpleGuard is generally considered by dog-owners and veterinarians to be very safe.
The majority of the dogs won’t feel any side effects from it at all.
There are some short term side effects that your dog might experience.
This is partly because you are squeezing a liquid onto your dog’s skin and some dogs are very sensitive to things like this.
One of my dogs, Sylvie, hates any liquids put on her back and she will immediately run off and roll around on her bed.
Some dogs won’t like the sensation of this liquid on their skin and it may irritate the skin for a few minutes.
Whilst for other dogs it will be the smell of the liquid which gets to them more.
It immediately distributes throughout the dog’s skin to shield it from parasite infestation in every nook and corner.
So don’t worry, it’s normal. It usually happens because the medication is quite strong and designed to protect your dog against parasitic infections for around 30 days. That’s some serious stuff.
On top of that, if the solution is fresh and wet, it will sting the poor thing a bit. And more so if he’s a first-timer. However, if it stings, it’s a sign that it’s actually working, to think about it another way!
If your dog is acting like a maniac in response to SimpleGuard,try not to panic.
These simple side-effects could last for a couple of hours or more at most.
After that the itch goes away completely.
In the meanwhile, you should be able to keep your dog a little busy with something, best if you play with it or feed it so that it can get distracted.
If you think that the itching is becoming a little too much for your friend there, contact the vet right away.
How long does it take SimpleGuard to work?
Within 5 minutes of treatment, SimpleGuard starts to reduce flea attacks and begins to destroy them within around 6 hours.
Its active ingredients are extremely strong and highly repellent towards dog skin infestations.
The major reason why SimpleGuard acts so quickly is that it kills parasites on contact.
Fleas and ticks don’t need to bite your dog in order to die- as long as they come into contact with the treatment, they will be “goners.”
How long does SimpleGuard stay effective for?
SimpleGuard is a very potent medicine.
As mentioned earlier, its strength can even cause the dog’s itching to intensify for a little while when it’s applied.
This happens because SimpleGuard is designed in such a way to be long lasting.
It stays effective for a period of one month or roughly 30 days.
During this time, it prevents your dog from getting any sort of infection again.
Even when you go out for a little swim session with your pupper! It can come out of a shower or a bath and SimpleGuard would still be very effective.
Can SimpleGuard only be bought with a vet prescription?
Yes, it is only available via a pet prescription.
After all, it is a very powerful medication and it will be sensible to check with your vet to make sure that it is the right choice for your dog.
Other, over the counter flea and tick treatments, are available.
Some highly rated products that you might want to look at, include K9 Advantix II and PetArmor Plus.
And, of course, there is Frontline, which I will look at in my next section.
SimpleGuard vs Frontline
Apart from the fact that Frontline is available over the counter and SimpleGuard can only be used with a prescription, how else are they different?
When you look at some of the information online it gets a little confusing because the descriptions of each product are very similar.
They both kill fleas and ticks and they both provide protection for about thirty days.
They are both liquids, come in tiny vials (toothpaste tubes) and need to be placed directly on the skin.
Both products claim to be water resistant.
So, is there really any difference?
In this discussion, on this forum, the debate becomes quite heated.
Most of the participants prefer Frontline.
The real difference between these products is that their active ingredients are different.
They use different chemicals to achieve the same goal.
Front line has fipronil and s methoprene as the active ingredients and SimpleGuard uses permethrin, dinotefuran and pyriproxyfen.
Can I give my dog a bath after applying SimpleGuard?
Yes, you can give your dog a bath after applying SimpleGuard.
Just wait 24 hours Just make sure that the solution has completely dried up on your dog’s skin.
Simple Guard is a waterproof solution, however, it needs to be absorbed into the skin’s layers before it can be able to go immune from water and not get washed away by it.
Your good boy will surely find it to be a relief after an intense bout with both the fleas and the medicine meant to kill them!
Can I apply SimpleGuard on a puppy?
Yes, SimpleGuard is good for puppies just as well as it is with grown up dogs.
However, you must realize that not every puppy’s skin is the same during the early days.
Therefore, most flea and tick medicines or products are not good for applying on puppies until they’ve become at least seven or eight weeks of age.
It’s best if your vet is able to recommend a tick or flea preventative for use and tell you on when it’s good to start medicating your puppy.
SimpleGuard’s own recommendation is also for use on puppies over 8 weeks of age.
What are the best natural alternatives for treating fleas and ticks?
There are tens if not hundreds of home remedies for preventing and treating fleas or ticks on dogs. Here are a few great ones that you should try too:
Essential Oils spray
Peppermint, tea tree, eucalyptus and other similar essential oils are great for repelling fleas off dogs.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Salt spray
This solution can optimize the skin pH of your dog in a way that makes it unsuitable for ticks or fleas to survive.
Rosemary dip
Soak the needles in boiling water until they are softened, then drain and dilute. Pour the rosemary water on your dog and massage it into his coat after it has reached a suitable temperature.
Lemon bath
Citrus sprays and liquids are a natural guard against ticks and fleas.
Natural Predators (Nematodes)
Nematodes are little insects that consume insect larvae and dwell in the soil. Certain varieties can be quite beneficial in the struggle against fleas.
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is a granular, white silica-based material made from the fossilised remnants of tiny diatoms. It dissolves the exoskeletons of fleas and ticks upon contact causing them to dry up and vanish.
Closing Thoughts
You’re already among the luckiest folks on the planet if you own a dog.
Dogs not only add pleasure and happiness into your house, but they also provide you with a reason to cheer up each day as you return home and get embraced by your loyal companion.
However, they, like humans, can become unwell and contract various illnesses.
Fleas and other parasites are one of the most common causes of illness in dogs.
You are not alone if you believe your dog has it or is exposed to ticks or fleas.
There are a lot of dog owners that believe the same thing and are worried.
These lovable fellows are completely reliant on us for their survival, thus it is our job to look after them.
If we have chosen to embrace them as members of our family, then their well-being is also our responsibility.
