Do indoor pets need flea and tick prevention?

Yes. Mosquitoes carrying heartworm larvae get inside, and fleas hitch a ride on clothes and other animals, so even strictly indoor pets are at risk. Consistent, vet-recommended prevention is the simplest way to protect them.

Are paralysis ticks really that dangerous?

Yes. Their toxin causes a paralysis that can be fatal, and signs can get worse even after the tick is removed. If your dog shows any signs, see your vet straight away.

What are the signs my pet may have worms?

Diarrhoea, worms in their poo or around the bottom, weight loss, a pot belly, vomiting, weakness and anaemia. Scooting is more often an anal gland issue or skin allergy.

How often should I worm my dog or cat?

Most adult dogs need monthly heartworm and gut worm cover, plus a tapeworm tablet every 3 months. Puppies need worming more often.

Does my dog need hydatid tapeworm cover?

If your dog is in a rural area, eats raw meat or offal, or could get to carcasses, yes. Ask your vet what they recommend.

Is prevention really more cost-effective than treatment?

Yes. Treating heartworm or tick paralysis is difficult, risky for your pet and costly, while prevention is a simple monthly routine.

Do indoor cats need parasite cover?

Yes. All cats need cover for fleas, heartworm and intestinal worms. Mosquitoes get inside, fleas come in on dogs or wildlife, and worm eggs on your shoes.

Does my cat need tick prevention?

If you live on the east coast, especially NSW and QLD, yes. Paralysis ticks are found there and as far south as Tasmania. Risk can dip from April to August, but keep prevention up all year and tick search your cat daily.

How do cats get tapeworm?

Flea tapeworm comes from swallowing infected fleas while grooming, and its segments look like cucumber seeds. Spirometra comes from hunting geckos, frogs and fish, and its segments have a zip-like line down the middle.

How often should I worm my cat or kitten?

It depends on the product. NexGard Spectra for Cats is monthly and Bravecto Plus is every 2 months. Kittens need cover suited to their age and weight, so check the label or ask our vets.

Can I use my dog’s flea treatment on my cat?

No. Always use a product made for cats, at the right weight. Some dog products can be very harmful to cats, so check the label or ask our vets if you're unsure.

Can I treat my cat less often?

Yes. Bravecto Plus covers fleas, heartworm, paralysis ticks, intestinal worms, lungworm and ear mites when used every 2 months, cutting 12 doses a year to 6. It doesn't cover tapeworm.

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Flea, tick and worm guide. The nasties are real. Thankfully, so is prevention.

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Get to know the nasties

Three pests, one simple rule: prevention beats cure. Here's who you're up against.

Ticks: tiny hitchhikers with a nasty bite. Learn about ticks.

Worms: sneaky squatters working from the inside. Learn about worms.

Fleas and mites: fast breeders and expert hiders. Learn about fleas.

Year-round protection in two simple steps

Our vets’ plan for fleas, ticks and worms: a monthly chew, plus a tapeworm tablet every 3 months. Read our vets’ full dog guide

Step 1: one all-in-one chew, every month. Covers fleas, ticks, heartworm and gut worms.

NexGard Spectra: fleas, ticks, heartworm and gut worms

Simparica Trio: fleas, ticks, heartworm, round and hookworm

Bravecto Chews: fleas and ticks only, lasts 3 months

Step 2: plus a tapeworm tablet, every 3 months.

Drontal Allwormer: gut worms including tapeworm

Milbemax All Wormer: heartworm, gut worms and tapeworm

Vet tip: live in or travelling to the NT or WA? Add a Seresto collar to help protect against ehrlichiosis. Prefer an injection? Your vet can give a yearly ProHeart shot for heartworm.

Which product suits your dog?

Ask Vet Squad AI, any time.

What flea, tick and worm cover does my dog need?Ask Vet Squad AIAsk

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Tick collars

All-in-one

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Dog health

Tick, tick… nope. Paralysis ticks can be deadly. Keep them off all year. Shop tick protection.

Meet the ticks

Paralysis tick: the dangerous one. Its toxin causes paralysis and can be fatal.

Brown dog tick: can spread a serious disease called ehrlichiosis.

Bush tick: usually not life-threatening. Can irritate the skin.

Signs of tick paralysis. Spot any of these? See your vet straight away. Vet tip: do a daily tick search.

Tick paralysis signs on a dog: mouth and voice, chest, tummy, back legs.

Ticks near you, and the cover your dog needs

Enter your postcode to see which ticks are around and what our vets recommend.

Or pick your state:

Brown dog tick (mainland Australia)
Paralysis tick zone
Bush tick zone

Shop vet-recommended tick protection

Simparica Trio and NexGard Spectra also cover heartworm and gut worms. Bravecto and Seresto cover fleas and ticks only. History of seizures? Check with your vet before starting a tick chew.

Show worms the door. Heartworm and gut worms work quietly from the inside. Shop worming.

Two types of worms, caught in different ways

Heartworm: lives in the heart, spread by mosquitoes. Left untreated it can be fatal.

Gut worms: roundworm, hookworm, whipworm and tapeworm. Caught from other animals, water, soil or raw meat.

Signs your dog may have worms: pale gums, weakness, chronic cough, worms in poo, pot belly, vomiting, diarrhoea, weight loss.

Prefer separate wormers?

On a monthly all-in-one chew? Heartworm and gut worms are already covered, so you'll just need tapeworm cover every 3 months.

Make fleas flee. Small bugs, big itch, zero manners. Shop flea treatments.

Where they live, what to look for

Flea life cycle: eggs, larvae and pupae in your home, adults on your pet. Home tip: wash bedding on hot and vacuum often.

Signs your dog has fleas: live fleas on the rump and base of tail, flea dirt in the coat, scratching. Vet tip: look for flea dirt.

Found fleas? Here's what to do

1. Get fast relief: Capstar kills adult fleas in about 30 minutes. Shop Capstar.

2. Start a long-lasting treatment for every pet in your home. Shop flea treatments.

3. Clean up, then keep it up: wash bedding and vacuum often. Pupae can lie dormant for months, so stay on schedule all year.

Vet tip: red skin, hair loss or non-stop itching? See your vet, as your dog may have flea allergy dermatitis.

Mites: rare, but itchy. Mostly in puppies and dogs with weak immune systems. Good news: most monthly chews cover mites too.

Demodex skin mite: patchy hair loss, often around the eyes. Common in Staffies.

Ear mites: itchy ears with brown, crusty gunk. Common in puppies.

Scabies: rare, but found in parts of Australia.

Spot-on or chew-on? Both work. Here's how to pick your pet's favourite.

Comparison table of spot-on and chew or tablet treatments.

Spot-on tip: bathe before you apply it, not after. Chew tip: if your pet vomits soon after a chew, check the pack or ask our vets.

Vet Squad recommends. Dog parents' top pick: NexGard Spectra, 5 stars from 520 reviews. Shop now.

More vet advice on parasite protection

Which Flea and Worming Product Does Your Dog Need?

Protect your dog from fleas, ticks, and worms with our comprehensive guide. Our vets compare the best monthly and long-lasting treatments available in Australia.

How Often Should I Worm My Dog?

Find when to worm and which treatment to use according to our vets.

Tick Paralysis in Dogs & Cats: Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention

Interested in knowing more about tick paralysis in dogs and cats? Read more about preventatives and what to do if you find a tick on your pet.

Why year-round parasite protection is essential for cats

Discover why year-round parasite protection is important for your cat’s health and how it helps prevent serious diseases caused by fleas, ticks, and worms.

Heartworm in dogs: facts, symptoms and prevention

Learn how dogs get heartworm, the symptoms to watch for, and the safest ways to prevent it , vet-reviewed facts every dog owner should know.

Isoxazolines and Seizures: Are Flea and Tick Products Safe?

Are isoxazoline flea and tick products safe? Our vet guide explores the link between products like Bravecto, Nexgard, and Simparica and neurological issues, helping you weigh the risks and benefits for your pet's protection.

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information only. Always follow the product label and talk to your vet about the right protection for your pet.

Get to know the nasties

Three pests, one simple rule: prevention beats cure. Here's who's after your cat.

Fleas: fast breeders and expert hiders. Learn about fleas.

Worms: heartworm and intestinal worms, including tapeworm. Learn about worms.

Indoor-only cat? It still needs cover. Indoor cats are unlikely to meet ticks or some intestinal worms, but fleas can come in on your dog or neighbourhood wildlife, worm eggs on your shoes, and mosquitoes carrying heartworm get inside easily.

Year-round protection, sorted

All cats, even indoor-only, need cover for fleas, heartworm and intestinal worms, plus ticks on the east coast. Our vets’ two easy options:

The all-in-one spot-ons. One spot-on for the lot: fleas, ticks, heartworm, gut worms and ear mites. The best pick if your cat heads outdoors or you live where paralysis ticks are found.

NexGard Spectra for Cats: monthly, plus flea tapeworm

Looking for flea and worming only? Ideal for indoor cats away from tick areas. A monthly spot-on for fleas, heartworm, gut worms and ear mites.

Vet tip: prefer tablets? Milbemax and Milpro cover heartworm and intestinal worms, but need to be combined with another treatment for flea and tick control.

Which product suits your cat?

Ask Vet Squad AI, any time.

What flea, tick and worm cover does my cat need?Ask Vet Squad AIAsk

Buh-bye panic buys. Auto Delivery: up to 20% off your first 3 orders. T&Cs apply.

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Cat health

Make fleas flee. Small bugs, big itch, zero respect for nap time. Shop flea treatments.

Where they live, what to look for

Flea life cycle: eggs, larvae and pupae in your home, adults on your cat. Even indoor cats can catch fleas from your dog or neighbourhood wildlife. Home tip: wash bedding on hot and vacuum often.

Signs your cat has fleas: live fleas at the base of the tail and neck, flea dirt in the coat, over-grooming or bald patches. Vet tip: look for flea dirt.

Found fleas? Here's what to do

2. Start a long-lasting treatment: a spot-on for every pet, made for their species. Shop flea treatments.

Vet tip: over-grooming, bald patches or scabby bumps? See your vet, as your cat may have flea allergy dermatitis.

Our vets’ flea picks

Even indoor cats can catch fleas from your dog or neighbourhood wildlife, and fleas spread tapeworm. All of these cover fleas.

Tick, tick… nope. Paralysis ticks can be deadly for cats too. Keep them off all year. Shop tick protection.

Meet the tick

Paralysis tick: the one to watch. Found along the east coast, mainly NSW and QLD, and as far south as Tasmania.

Signs of tick paralysis. Spot any of these? See your vet straight away. Vet tip: tick search your cat daily.

Tick paralysis signs on a cat: mouth and voice, chest, tummy, back legs.

Paralysis ticks near you

Enter your postcode, or pick your state, to check your cat’s risk.

Paralysis tick zone

For cats at risk of paralysis ticks

Our vets recommend these for cats on the east coast and in Tasmania. Keep prevention up all year, and tick search your cat daily, especially in warmer months.

Show worms the door. Heartworm, intestinal worms and lungworm work quietly from the inside. Shop worming.

The worms cats catch, and how

Heartworm: spread by mosquitoes, which easily get into your home, so every cat is at risk, even indoor-only. Every cat needs heartworm cover.

Intestinal worms and tapeworm: flea tapeworm comes from swallowing fleas while grooming, Spirometra from hunting geckos, frogs and fish, lungworm from snails, slugs, birds and cockroaches, and worm eggs can come in on your shoes. Read more about tapeworms in cats.

Signs your cat may have worms: coughing or breathing trouble (lungworm), tummy upset, tapeworm segments in poo like cucumber seeds.

Need extra worm cover?

Hunters, and homes with young kids, elderly or immunocompromised people, need extra care. Milbemax covers worms, tapeworm and heartworm monthly. NexGard Spectra for Cats, Bravecto Plus, Felpreva, Profender and Advocate also cover lungworm.