Fleas, Ticks & Parasites: What You Need to Know in Alberta

Featuring: Dr. Beth Barrett, DVM — Barrett Veterinary Practice Host: Michael Dargie Runtime: ~40 minutes Spring has arrived in Alberta — and so has tick season. In this episode, host Michael Dargie gets the full picture from Dr. Beth Barrett, DVM, on the creepy crawly world of fleas, ticks, and parasites that every Alberta pet owner needs to understand. Triggered by a listener letter from a panicked dog owner who found a tick after the season's first warm walk, Michael and Dr. Beth break down exactly what these parasites are, how they find your pets, what diseases they carry, and — most importantly — how to stop them. Dr. Beth brings her signature warmth and candour to a topic she openly admits she "hated in vet school" but takes very seriously. From the surprising fact that ticks are already active above +4°C in Alberta, to the 95/5 rule for flea infestations, to why you should never use a lighter on an attached tick — this episode is packed with practical, science-based guidance you won't want to miss as the weather warms up. Timestamps TimeSegment 0:00 Intro & disclaimer 0:34 Michael welcomes listeners & introduces Dr. Beth Barrett 1:20 The listener letter — a tick on the back of the neck after the first warm walk of spring 2:13 SECTION 1: Ticks — The Basics 2:13 Why ticks are no longer just a summer problem in Alberta 2:53 Tick territory is expanding northward at 35–55 km per year 4:08 How ticks find your pets: the behaviour called "questing" 5:39 Where to check your dog (behind the ears, groin, eyebrows on Goldens) 7:32 SECTION 2: What Ticks Actually Do — Diseases & Dangers 7:32 Why blood loss usually isn't the biggest concern — it's the saliva 8:35 Tick-borne diseases transmitted through anticoagulant saliva 9:59 Horses and moose getting hundreds of ticks — how it causes anemia 13:22 How to properly remove a tick (and what NOT to do — no Vaseline, no lighters!) 15:29 Why ripping a tick off can make disease transmission worse 16:35 Tick paralysis from the Rocky Mountain wood tick — an Alberta-specific danger 17:43 SECTION 3: Fleas in Alberta 17:43 Is Alberta too cold for fleas? Mostly… but not entirely 19:29 Alberta's most common flea species — it's a wildlife flea, not the cat flea 21:47 The 95/5 rule — the flea you see is only 5% of the problem 23:18 Spotting fleas on cats: flea dirt and the wet paper test 24:05 Fleas on horses and goats 26:13 SECTION 4: Prevention & Treatment 26:13 Treating fleas requires a minimum of four months of medication 28:15 Why over-the-counter flea collars and topicals are less effective 29:50 Dr. Beth recommends prescription-only products — safer and more effective 30:04A new injectable tick prevention that provides 12 months of protection 31:13 Do natural remedies work? Essential oils, diatomaceous earth, garlic 32:24 MYTH OR MUZZLE: "If my pet isn't scratching, they don't have fleas" 33:53 ASK DR. BETH: "I found a tick on my dog. Do I need to go to the vet?" 34:45 The eTick.ca program — free tick species identification 36:46 Tick paralysis in more detail — the Rocky Mountain wood tick's neurotoxin 38:38 Outro & Dr. Beth's new injectable recommendation Key Takeaways Ticks Ticks become active at temperatures as low as +4°C — tick season in Alberta now starts in early spring, not just summer.Tick populations in North America are moving northward at approximately 35–55 km per year. Areas in Alberta that never had ticks now do.Ticks don't jump — they "quest": clinging to grass or leaves with their back legs, arms outstretched, waiting for a warm body to brush past.Check your dog behind the ears, around the groin, under the armpits, and on the eyebrows (a surprisingly popular spot on Golden Retrievers).A tick grows up to 100 times its original size as it feeds — from a few millimetres to the size of a grape.The real danger is in the tick's saliva, which can transmit tick-borne diseases including Lyme disease.The Rocky Mountain wood tick, found in Alberta, carries a neurotoxin in its saliva that can cause tick paralysis — starting at the dog's back end and moving forward. Removing the tick within 24–48 hours typically leads to a full recovery. How to Remove a Tick Safely Use a proper tick removal tool — a small fork-like device that slides under the tick and gently encourages it to back out.Do NOT use Vaseline, a lighter, heat, or twist the tick. These methods can cause the tick to regurgitate its stomach contents into your pet, increasing disease transmission risk.Do NOT pop the body off — if the head remains embedded, it can cause infection and inflammation.Once removed, save the tick in a zip-lock bag and photograph it. Upload the photo to eTick.ca for free species identification. Fleas Alberta is too cold for the common cat flea. The most common fleas here are wildlife fleas — primarily from coyotes, foxes, and skunks.The 95/5 rule: 95% of a flea's life cycle is spent off the host — in your carpets...