Fleas and ticks are external parasites that most pet owners will have encountered at least once in their pets’ lives.
Itching is the most common problem that is noted with these parasites but they can cause hair loss, skin infections, reduce your pet’s activity level and even transmit diseases.
Knowledge of these common parasites and proper prevention techniques can ensure that your pet is healthy and happy. This blog covers some best practices for flea and tick prevention for dogs and cats.
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Flea and Tick Prevention is a Year-Round Battle
Fleas and ticks are everywhere from the lake to parks and even your own home.
As a pet owner, you have to constantly be on guard when it comes to protecting your furry friend.
There are many ways to prevent flea and tick infestations. The most important step is keeping your pet on monthly preventative.
Year-round prevention is imperative to reduce the risk of infestation of both fleas and ticks. It is a common misconception that fleas and ticks are dormant in the winter months.
The southern region of the US has a warm climate that is hospitable for these pests throughout the year. There are a lot of preventatives on the market today.
It is important to discuss with your veterinarian what medication is the best for your pet. Nexgard and Revolution are offered at all Pet Vet clinics.
These are both great options for flea and tick prevention. It is important to note that flea and tick preventatives are specific to dogs or cats.
Make sure to read the label carefully before applying any preventative to your pet.
There are also some ways that you can try to control these pests in your yard. Fleas and ticks prefer to live in areas with lots of vegetation.
Mowing the lawn regularly and removing any brush, weeds or leaf litter are great ways to keep external parasites from your lawn.
Fencing your lawn to keep wildlife, such as deer and rodents, out can also be helpful as they are common carriers of external parasites.
There are sprays available to treat outside areas.
If you live near wooded areas or large pastures, this might be necessary to keep your parasite population under control. Make sure that all products used are safe for animals.
What to Do If Your Pet Already Has Fleas
If your pet becomes infested with fleas, it is important to bath them and apply flea prevention when dry. Cleaning all areas that your infested pet has inhabited is also important.
Fleas actually jump off your pet to lay eggs in the surrounding environment, such as bedding, carpets and even the spaces between wood flooring. This means that all bedding must be washed. Carpets need to be shampooed. Any
surfaces or furniture that cannot be washed should be steam cleaned. There are also room sprays that can help kill fleas.
If you elect to use these sprays, make sure the room is well ventilated and that humans or animals do not inhabit the room until the fumes of the spray have dissipated.
The flea life cycle is 21 days so these areas may need to be cleaned again in a month to ensure that your pet is safe from re-infestation.
This long lifecycle is another important reason to continue monthly preventatives if your pet has recently been diagnosed with fleas as re-infestation is very common if this medication is not given when due.
What to Do If Your Pet Already Has Ticks
Ticks are concerning not only because they bother your pet and consume their blood.
They also can transmit diseases that can be life-threatening to your pet. If you find a tick, it is important to remove it as soon as possible.
This can be done by grabbing the tick as close to your pet’s skin as possible with tweezers and pulling straight out quickly. If you have any hesitation or concern about removing a tick, bring your dog or cat to The Pet Vet and we can remove it safely.
After the tick is removed, keep the tick in a securely closed container and bring it to a veterinarian for identification.
This can be helpful if your pet happens to get ill after a tick bite as specific ticks carry specific diseases. Knowing the tick means that we know the diseases that could potentially be causing your pet’s illness.
A month after any tick exposure, a simple blood test should be performed to ensure your pet has not become positive for some of the most common tick-borne diseases.
It is important to wait a full month as doing it any earlier can result in a false negative. This test can be performed at any Pet Vet Clinic and results are completed in 10 minutes.
Just a few simple steps of maintaining your yard and giving monthly preventative can greatly reduce your pet’s chance of becoming infested with uncomfortable and potentially deadly parasites.
Fleas and ticks are everywhere but they should never be on your pets. The Pet Vet can help ensure that your furry friend is healthy and free of any these uncomfortable pests.
