Flea & Tick Prevention for Pharaoh Hounds in UK

Moving from a tick-free environment to rural UK countryside is a genuinely significant change for your dog — they'll have zero natural exposure history, and UK countryside, especially in woodland and long grass areas, carries real tick risk including Lyme disease. The most effective prevention depends on the dog's size and weight, the local tick risk, and whether you want a spot-on, collar, or oral treatment — and some widely sold products are significantly less effective than others. So: what's your Pharaoh Hound's weight, whereabouts in the UK countryside are you heading, and do you have a preference for how you apply the treatment?

The Cotswolds has a solid tick population, particularly in bracken and woodland edge areas, so you're right to take this seriously before you arrive rather than after. At 22kg and with your preference for less frequent dosing, a few options make sense. Can I ask — has she had any previous flea or tick treatments, or has she genuinely never needed them living on the island? And is she on any other medications currently?

That's actually straightforward — no interactions to worry about and a healthy dog, so you have the full range available. For your situation I'd go with Bravecto Spot-On for Dogs (large dog pack, 20–40kg). It's a single application that covers 12 weeks for both ticks and fleas, which matches exactly what you asked for. It's effective against the Ixodes ricinus tick that's the main Lyme disease vector in UK countryside, and the 12-week duration means you apply it four times a year rather than monthly. The spot-on format also means no issues if she swims or gets rained on after the first 48 hours. It's prescription-only in the UK, so you'll need a vet to prescribe it — register with a local Cotswolds vet as soon as you arrive, or use an online vet service like VetUK to get a prescription before you move. Once you have the prescription it's available on Amazon UK. I'd strongly recommend having the first dose applied before or immediately upon arrival, given she has no prior exposure.

Yes, absolutely check her after every woodland or long-grass walk, even with Bravecto. The treatment works by killing ticks after they attach, but checking means you're not leaving dead ticks on her skin unnecessarily and you'll also catch any early signs of skin irritation. Pharaoh Hounds have a short, fine coat which actually makes tick checks easier than most breeds — run your fingers over the head, neck, between the toes, around the ears, and in the groin and armpit areas. Those are the spots ticks favour. If you do find a live one before the treatment has taken effect, use a tick twisting tool — not tweezers — and keep it to show a vet if she develops any lethargy or joint stiffness in the weeks after. First summer in UK countryside is the main adjustment, and you're approaching it the right way by sorting prevention in advance.

That's exactly the right move. Register before you need it, ask specifically for Bravecto Spot-On for the 20–40kg weight band, and time the first application so it's active before her first countryside walk. She'll be fine — you're well prepared.