This summer, don’t let your guard down when it comes to fleas and ticks. The threat doesn’t end when spring does. You might not be going outdoors as often because of the heat, but your fur baby could still be at risk for fleas and ticks during walks, socializing at the local dog park, and on weekend hikes.
These wingless external parasites survive by feeding on blood. Fleas can live for several months and females can lay up to 50 eggs per day! Dogs often get fleas through contact with other animals, including their pals at the dog park or a squirrel they encountered during a hike. Since fleas can jump up to 2 feet, your dog doesn’t even have to have direct contact with the animal to get them.
Signs that your dog or cat may have fleas include excessive scratching, licking or biting at the skin, hair loss, or scabs. If you look closely at your pet’s back near the base of their tail and see black specks, wet a white paper towel and dab them. Put a few more drops of water on the black dots on the towel. If the towel turns red around them, it means those black dots are flea feces since they are made up of blood. If not, it’s likely just dirt.
Fleas can cause a variety of health problems. For pets, the most common is flea allergy dermatitis, an allergic reaction to flea saliva, which leads to severe itching, hair loss, and skin infections. The most obvious area of hair loss is usually on the pet’s back near their tail. Fleas can cause anemia in puppies and kittens due to their penchant for blood sucking. Additionally, fleas can be carriers of the tapeworm parasite, which can infect both pets and humans. Fleas can also carry diseases that affect humans, such as typhus and cat scratch fever, conditions that present with varying symptoms including fever and fatigue. Understanding the complexity of the flea life cycle is crucial for developing strategies to combat infestations, ensuring the health and comfort of pets and their human companions.
If you suspect that your pet has fleas, you can contact Airvet to discuss them. Unfortunately, fleas lay eggs in carpet and bedding, so frequent house cleaning is an important part of solving the problem. There are newer prescription topical and oral treatments available from your in-person veterinarian, and some over-the-counter products are better than others.
Ticks are also external parasites that feed on blood, and they can transmit many diseases through their bite. Ticks’ activity levels vary by species and where you live, but it’s safe to assume that they could be active whenever temperatures are above freezing.
Ticks tend to live in brush and grass and attach themselves to dogs, outdoor cats, and even people as they pass by. Deer ticks are about the size of a pinhead, so they are easy to miss during bathing and grooming at home. Other ticks are about the size of a pencil eraser until they swell with blood. Ticks usually attach themselves close to your pet’s head, neck, ears, and feet but can be found anywhere on their body.
Checking your pet for ticks whenever they come in from outdoors is recommended. If you find a tick on your pet, it is possible to remove it yourself using gloves and tweezers. Remember not to crush a tick with your fingers since they can contain diseases that affect people too. Contact Airvet today to get the best tips on how to remove ticks and dispose of them.
As mentioned previously, ticks are notorious vectors of diseases. In dogs, ticks can transmit Lyme disease, which can cause fever, joint pain, lethargy, and sometimes kidney damage. Another serious illness is Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which can lead to severe symptoms including blood vessel damage and potentially fatal outcomes if not treated early. Anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis and babesiosis are similar tick-transmitted illnesses that we’re seeing in increasing numbers in dogs.
For cats, ticks can transmit hemobartonella, a parasite that destroys their red blood cells. Tularemia and cytauxzoonosis are less common tick-borne feline diseases, but both have a poor prognosis.
Thankfully, many of the same products used to prevent fleas will also kill ticks and protect against future infestations. Make sure any product you use is correct for your pet’s species and size. Don’t let fear of these critters keep you from enjoying your summer!
To prevent flea and tick problems, you should:
