Beyond Summer: The Case for Year-Round Pet Parasite Protection

OMAHA, NE – September 15, 2026 – The arrival of autumn, with its crisp air and falling leaves, often brings a sense of relief to pet owners who have spent the summer battling fleas and ticks. It’s a common belief that the pest season ends with the heat, allowing for a reprieve in monthly preventative treatments. However, a growing chorus of veterinary experts and a new industry campaign are challenging this notion, arguing that this seasonal mindset creates a dangerous gap in pet safety.

Omaha-based Tevra Brands is amplifying this message with the fall extension of its “Protect Their Everywhere” campaign. The initiative serves as a public service announcement for pet parents: parasites don’t check the calendar. By highlighting the year-round threat, the company is not only promoting its products but tapping into a critical, and often overlooked, aspect of animal wellness that has significant implications for both pet health and household budgets.

The Myth of the Off-Season

While flea and tick populations peak in warmer, humid months, they don't vanish when temperatures cool. This misconception is a primary driver of fall and winter infestations that often catch families by surprise. Scientific evidence and veterinary experience confirm that the threat is persistent, merely changing its nature with the seasons.

Fleas, for instance, are remarkably resilient. An infested pet can introduce them into a home, where central heating creates a perfect, year-round breeding ground. “We see a surge in flea infestations in late fall and winter precisely because people stop preventative care,” one veterinarian with over 15 years of experience noted. “A single female flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day. Once they establish a foothold in carpets and bedding, a minor issue can become a major, expensive problem.” Experts stress that the visible adult fleas on a pet represent only about 5% of the total population in the home, with the other 95% existing as eggs, larvae, and pupae hidden in the environment.

Ticks present a different, but equally concerning, year-round risk. Many species, including the deer tick known for transmitting Lyme disease, remain active as long as temperatures are above freezing. Some are most active during cooler months. According to entomology research, deer ticks can actively seek a host on any day where the temperature rises to around 45°F (7°C), a common occurrence during fall and even on mild winter days. The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC), a leading independent source on parasite control, explicitly states there is “no off-season” for ticks, providing prevalence maps that show significant risk across the country throughout the year.

“Fall can create a false sense that flea and tick season is over,” said Tovey Call, Marketing Director at Tevra Brands. “Our pets don't stop exploring when summer ends. They are still walking through the neighborhood, running through leaves, visiting parks and curling up next to us at home.”

A Shifting Market: Balancing Protection and Price

The recommendation for year-round protection from organizations like the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and CAPC raises a practical question for many households: cost. Premium, veterinarian-prescribed parasite preventatives can represent a significant annual expense, leading some pet owners to stretch doses or stop treatment during perceived “low-risk” months to save money.

This is the market dynamic Tevra Brands is strategically addressing. The company’s innovation isn’t a novel chemical compound, but a business model focused on accessibility. By offering products with the same active ingredients as market-leading brands at a lower price point, it aims to lower the barrier to consistent, year-round care. For example, TevraPet® Activate® II for dogs uses imidacloprid, permethrin, and pyriproxyfen—the same combination found in K9 Advantix® II. Similarly, TevraPet® Actispot® 2 for cats contains imidacloprid and pyriproxyfen, the same actives in Advantage® II for Cats.

These ingredients work in concert to provide broad-spectrum protection. Imidacloprid and permethrin are contact-based insecticides that kill fleas and ticks without requiring the parasite to bite the pet, which is a key factor in preventing disease transmission. Pyriproxyfen acts as an insect growth regulator, breaking the flea life cycle by preventing eggs and larvae from maturing into biting adults. This dual approach—killing existing pests and preventing future generations—is crucial for managing infestations both on the pet and in the home environment.

By demystifying the active ingredients and offering a more affordable alternative, the company is empowering consumers to make informed choices that align with veterinary recommendations without straining their finances. “'Protect Their Everywhere' is about making protection part of the routine so pets can keep enjoying all of those moments with us,” Call explained.

A Veterinarian's Guide to Year-Round Vigilance

While accessible products play a key role, veterinary professionals emphasize that they are just one component of a comprehensive parasite control strategy. Consistent, year-round application is the cornerstone of effective prevention.

“The biggest mistake we see is inconsistency,” commented a veterinary dermatologist. “Owners will forget a dose or stop for the winter, and that’s the window of opportunity parasites need. Prevention is always safer, easier, and ultimately less expensive than treating a full-blown infestation or a tick-borne illness.”

Beyond monthly topicals or oral medications, experts advise a multi-pronged approach, particularly during the fall. This includes:

• Thorough Checks: After any outdoor activity, especially hikes in wooded areas or even romps in leaf piles, physically check dogs and cats for ticks. Pay close attention to areas around the ears, under the collar, between the toes, and near the tail.
• Environmental Management: Regularly wash pet bedding in hot water. Frequent vacuuming of carpets, rugs, and furniture can help remove flea eggs and larvae from the home environment.
• Protecting All Pets: Remember that even indoor-only pets are at risk. Fleas and ticks can be carried into the home on human clothing or by other pets. Therefore, all animals in the household should be on a preventative regimen.
• Correct Application: Always use products exactly as directed on the label. Never use a dog product on a cat, as some ingredients, like permethrin, are highly toxic to felines. Ensure the dosage is correct for your pet’s species, age, and weight range.

Ultimately, the push for year-round protection is about reframing parasite control from a seasonal chore to an integral part of a pet's overall health and wellness plan. It’s a shared responsibility between pet owners, veterinarians, and the industry providing the tools for that care.

As Tovey Call added, “Protection isn't about keeping pets from the places they love. It's about helping them enjoy those places with us. Whether their everywhere is a hiking trail, the backyard or the couch, we want pet parents to feel confident making parasite protection part of their year-round care routine.”