Flea & Tick Prevention
Georgia's most common tick isn't the one most owners worry about. Petfolk Johns Creek, at Medley in Johns Creek Town Center, chooses flea and tick prevention around the parasites here: lone star ticks, American dog ticks, and fleas that keep breeding indoors all winter.
Most pets need a year-round plan, and many can get it at a regular wellness visit at our Johns Creek clinic.
Call (470) 964-6691 or book online. Open 8am–6pm, seven days a week.
When to go to a 24-hour emergency hospital
Go to a 24-hour emergency hospital if your pet has sudden weakness or wobbliness in the back legs, trouble breathing, or collapse after a tick bite, or if a puppy or kitten with fleas has pale gums and low energy. Call the clinic first if you're unsure.
Petfolk Johns Creek is open 8am to 6pm, seven days a week. We don't provide overnight care, so anything that can't wait until morning belongs at a 24-hour emergency hospital.
The Ticks That Matter Around Johns Creek
The Georgia Department of Public Health reports that the lone star tick is the state's most common tick, followed by the American dog tick. Spotted fever rickettsiosis, which includes Rocky Mountain spotted fever, is Georgia's most commonly reported tick-borne disease. Lyme disease is less of a concern here than in the Northeast.
Lone star ticks can carry ehrlichiosis to dogs, and the American Kennel Club notes that they also spread bobcat fever, a deadly disease in cats. That's one reason cats that go outside need tick protection too.
DPH says tick-borne diseases are reported in every month of the year in Georgia. A preventive that stops in November leaves a gap.
Trails, Leashes, and Tick Checks
The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, including the Medlock Bridge and Jones Bridge units, allows dogs on trails. The National Park Service requires a leash of 6 feet or shorter at all times, including in the water. A short leash keeps your dog on the path and out of the brush where ticks wait.
After a walk, check the ears, neck, armpits, between the toes, and under the tail. Timing matters: DPH says an American dog tick needs at least 4 hours attached to transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Finding a tick the same afternoon gives you a real advantage.
Remove ticks with fine-tipped tweezers, pulling straight up close to the skin.
Not sure what you found? Georgia DPH runs a free Tick ID Program. Submit a photo online.
Note the date. If your dog seems off in the following weeks, tell the vet about the bite.
When a Wellness Visit Is Enough
Most pets don't need a separate appointment for fleas and ticks. If your pet is on a year-round product, takes it on schedule, and has no scratching, scabs, or hair loss, the annual wellness exam covers it. The vet checks the coat, rechecks the weight, and confirms the product still fits.
One tick on a protected dog after a walk isn't an emergency. Remove it, watch the spot, and mention it at the next visit. Raw skin, a flea infestation in the house, or a pet who can't settle does need its own visit.
What Happens at a Prevention Visit
You talk through your pet's life: indoor, trails, daycare, boarding, or travel.
The vet checks the coat and skin. Our Gentle Handling team uses high-value treats instead of restraint while combing the spots pets hate having touched.
The vet weighs your pet and factors in age, health, other medications, and other pets at home.
You get a recommendation for an oral or topical product, plus instructions and reminders through the Petfolk app.
Products made for dogs can be toxic to cats, so every pet in the house gets a species-specific plan.
“Very thorough, professional and great with my very wiggly dog”
— Molly Ann S., Petfolk client
What Prevention Costs Depend On
Your pet's weight, which sets the dose band
Oral chew versus topical
How many months you buy at once
Whether the product also covers heartworm and intestinal worms
How many pets in the home need coverage
Prevention is often part of the wellness visit, and you'll get an estimate before anything is prescribed. PetfolkCare members get 10% off flea, tick, and heartworm preventives.
Protection That Fits Georgia's Tick Season
Book a wellness visit at Petfolk Johns Creek and leave with a plan matched to your pet's weight, habits, and the ticks they're likely to meet. Call (470) 964-6691 or book online.