Flea & Tick Prevention
Ticks in central Virginia don't take the winter off, so your pet's prevention shouldn't either. The team at our Midlothian clinic, on Steam Avenue in Midlothian Depot, matches the product to where your pet actually goes, from the backyard to the trails at Pocahontas State Park.
Call (804) 603-9509 or book a wellness exam online.
When it's an emergency: Go to a 24-hour emergency hospital if your pet suddenly can't use its back legs, has trouble breathing, or has pale gums, or if a cat starts trembling or seizing after a flea product is applied. Some dog flea products are toxic to cats. Our Midlothian clinic is open 8 AM to 6 PM, seven days a week, and we don't provide overnight care.
Why Year-Round Makes Sense Here
Fleas complete their life cycle indoors, so a warm house keeps them going all winter. Ticks are hardier than most people think: Cornell notes that ticks can be active year-round whenever temperatures climb above 40°F, and Chesterfield County has plenty of those winter days.
Most products stop protecting when you skip months, and a flea population takes weeks to clear once it's in the carpet. Year-round dosing is simpler and leaves fewer gaps.
Signs Your Pet Already Has Fleas or Ticks
Scratching or chewing at the lower back and base of the tail.
Black specks (flea dirt) that turn red on a damp paper towel.
Small bumps that turn out to be attached ticks, often on the head, ears, armpits, or between toes.
Tapeworm segments near the tail, since fleas carry tapeworms.
Pale gums in a small puppy or kitten with heavy fleas, which is an emergency.
How the Plan Gets Chosen
At the visit, we ask where your pet spends time: indoors only, the yard, daycare, the water, trails, or travel. The doctor weighs your pet, checks the skin and coat, and recommends an oral or topical product that fits age, weight, health, and household.
Chewables: no residue, and baths or swims don't wash them off.
Topicals: depending on the product, one dose lasts one, two, or three months.
Cats: species-specific products only.
Multi-pet homes: treat every pet, or fleas move to the untreated one.
"Great follow up and outlined all the options carefully with us."
— Charlotte S., Petfolk client.
When You Don't Need a New Visit
If your pet had a wellness exam this year, the current product is working, and nothing has changed, a refill is usually all you need. Book a visit if you're switching products, your pet's weight has changed a lot, a new pet joined the house, or you're seeing fleas despite treatment.
Where Ticks Wait on Midlothian Trails
Ticks wait in tall grass, leaf litter, and brushy edges where woods meet open ground, then climb onto whatever brushes past. The most popular dog-walking spots near the clinic have plenty of that edge:
Pocahontas State Park, Virginia's largest state park, with miles of wooded trails where leashed dogs are welcome.
Mid-Lothian Mines Park, with wooded paths close to Midlothian Turnpike.
Robious Landing Park, with trails along the James River.
Two tick species matter most here. The blacklegged tick carries Lyme disease, and Virginia Tech Extension notes its adults are active in winter. The lone star tick, the most common cause of tick bites in Virginia, is widespread in the Richmond area. After a trail walk, run your hands over your dog's ears, armpits, groin, and between the toes. Prompt removal matters, because Lyme transmission takes at least a day after a tick attaches.
What Flea and Tick Prevention Costs
Prevention is prescribed at a wellness exam: $99, or included with PetfolkCare ($199 a year). The product's cost depends on your pet's weight, the product type, and how many months you buy at once. PetfolkCare members get 10% off flea, tick, and heartworm preventives. You get an estimate first.
Match the Product to Your Pet's Weekend
Book a wellness exam at our clinic on Steam Avenue and tell us where your pet goes. We'll recommend protection that fits and send reminders through the Petfolk app. Call (804) 603-9509 or book online.