Fleas & Ticks
The Vampiric Insects
Fleas and ticks are not just insects that take blood meals from our beloved Canine Best Friends. Their presence in ours and our dogs’ lives can have both short- and long-term effects on the quality of life.
Ever notice your dog scratching and chewing, sometimes to the point of obsession? It could be due to a skin issue (dry skin, allergies, dermatitis, yeast, etc.) or it could be due to fleas. Did you know that there are more than 2,500 species of fleas!? Personally, that number shocked me. A flea’s life cycle, on average, is 30 to 90 days. During that time, they feed on the blood of their host, breed, and lay a lot of eggs. Plus, “Flea dirt” is actually the flea’s excrement after they have had a blood meal on your Canine Best Friend.
Flea bites can cause a rash and an allergic reaction from your dog. Additionally, if your dog ingests a flea, it can then transmit larval tapeworms that will develop and grow in your dog’s digestive tract. Tapeworms do not usually cause severe problems for healthy adult dogs; however, they can be dangerous to puppies. Tapeworms attach themselves to the inner lining of your dog’s stomach to feed and can cause your dog or puppy to lose weight even though they are eating properly.
Allergic reaction to a flea bite.
Ticks are another insect that live by taking blood meals from their host. They are more commonly found on the feet, neck, head, and ears of your Canine Best Friend, but can be found anywhere on the body.
Just like in us, ticks can cause many diseases in our dogs. Lyme disease, canine bartonellosis, canine anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Canine Babesiosis are all tick-borne diseases that can have long term and detrimental effects on your dog’s health.
“An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure” is an appropriate approach to keeping Sweet Pumpkin Lily free of these tiny little blood suckers and the problems they bring with them. Let’s start with talking to your veterinarian about the best monthly Flea and Tick prevention suited for your dog. Keep in mind though, that those products still require the fleas and ticks to take a blood meal from Sweet Pumpkin Lily for them to ingest the insecticide and die. So, in addition to this, having a top-of-the-line flea and tick collar, such as that made by Seresto, is an added step in keeping these blood suckers off our dogs to begin with. When taking your dog out on a walk, whether it’s around the block, to the park, or a hike through the woods and fields, using an insect repellent spray designed specifically for dogs will also help deter fleas and ticks from choosing your dog as it’s host for dinner.
Should Sweet Pumpkin Lily become a host to fleas or ticks, immediate treatment and elimination is the next step. For fleas and ticks, a good bath with an appropriate flea and tick shampoo is step one. Here at Pooch Pawlor, we offer a Flea & Tick Specialty Light Spa that will not only rid your dog of these unwanted guests but will also help soothe their skin from the irritation caused by their bites. For fleas, there are more steps you will want to take at home while your Canine Best Friend is spending time with your groomer. Treating your home and yard to kill off any fleas that have taken up residence should be done while your dog is away from the home. This can be done by professionals; however, you will save some money if you buy quality products and do it yourself. In the home, this also includes washing all bedding (both the dog’s and human’s) and thoroughly vacuuming and steam cleaning all carpeting. Your goal is to not only kill and remove the fleas, but also any eggs they may have deposited. For suggestions on which products are best for home and yard, please talk to your veterinarian and your groomer.
