Veterinarians Urged to Emphasize Year-Round Flea and Tick Prevention as Fall Approaches

As temperatures drop, veterinary teams have an important opportunity to discuss the need for year-round flea and tick prevention. While many pet owners may consider the arrival of cooler weather as the end of flea and tick season, experts highlight that tick activity remains high during the fall and winter months.

Recent data from the CDC indicates that there was a significant increase in human emergency department visits due to tick bites in the spring of 2026, marking the highest rate since 2017. Specifically, 114 out of every 100,000 ED visits during the last week of April were related to tick bites, with the Northeast and Midwest regions experiencing the greatest spikes.

The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) notes that adult blacklegged ticks, which can transmit diseases such as Lyme disease, are most active during the cooler months. Additionally, CAPC projects areas including Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, and parts of Tennessee and North Carolina will see an increased risk of Lyme disease. This highlights the continued risk of tick-borne illnesses even as temperatures decline.

Fleas also remain a concern during the winter. CAPC reports that cat fleas can survive cold conditions by staying on pets or in protected indoor environments, such as carpets. Christopher Lee, DVM, emphasized that adult fleas can endure low temperatures, underlining the importance of continuous flea prevention.

A survey conducted in 2025 revealed that only 10% of pet owners identified flea and tick season as year-round. Many veterinarians expressed concern that pet owners do not consistently adhere to prevention measures. To bridge this gap in understanding, it is essential for veterinary teams to communicate the necessity of ongoing prevention effectively.

Kate Boatright, VMD, recommends that veterinary clinics introduce preventive care discussions early in the client interaction process, ensuring that recommendations are consistently communicated by multiple staff members. Additionally, monitoring prescription refill cycles and providing reminders can help clients stay up-to-date with preventative measures.

Using local surveillance data, veterinarians can inform clients about local tick and flea risks, encouraging questions about their pets’ preventative care. CAPC's Parasite Prevalence Maps can assist in guiding these discussions, allowing veterinarians to show clients where tick-borne diseases are prevalent.

Veterinarians are encouraged to emphasize the importance of annual health tests and routine preventative treatments in conjunction with season changes. Recommendations to continue heartworm and tick testing yearly can reinforce the necessity of year-round preventive care.

Experts conclude that a proactive approach to flea and tick prevention, combined with local risk assessments and regular communication, will result in better protection for pets as the seasons change.