Fleas and Ticks

If you notice your dog or cat passionately scratching himself from morning till night, you’d be correct in suspecting that he has ticks or fleas. These bothersome parasites sucking the nutrients from the blood, can transfer diseases, or weaken your pets’ immune system, making him vulnerable to diseases. One single flea or tick can your pet around 400 times in just a day; multiply that by the hundred or more that can infest his fur at any given moment, and you’ll know why your pet is so distressed.

The Dangers of Fleas and Ticks
The problem can start with just one flea or tick picked up during a walk in the park. A female flea can lay a hundred eggs at any given time. As their numbers increase, so does the risk they pose to your pet’s health. Pets can permanently lose their hair from their constant scratching, develop skin rashes and pick up other parasites like tape worm. Ticks also cause serious infections to pets such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and ehrlichiosis. These diseases can even be transmitted to humans!

How to get rid of them
The best course of action is to get rid of those pesky parasites immediately using flea and tick control products. There are a variety of these insect repellents and insecticides, which are available as oral medications, shampoos, soaps, after-bath washes, powders, or even medicated flea collars. Just make sure to use products intended for a specific pet: if it says on the label of the medicine that the medicine is for cats, then don’t use it on dogs (and vise versa).

Give your pet regular baths, especially if spends a lot of time outdoors. If you have several pets the risk of transmission is even higher. Check their coats regularly for any infestations whenever you groom them. Ticks and fleas may be harder to see if your pet’s fur has a dark color, so make a quick exam during bath time (when you’re scrubbing the skin and hair)

Don’t use flea and tick repellents on very young kitten and puppies. They are too small and frail for the powerful chemicals. The best way to prevent, and remove ticks and fleas is to give them a regular bath and passing a fine comb through their fur. Also, it is best not to let them out in the yard until they’re old enough to wear a flea collar or use an insect-repelling shampoo or powder.

You also need to clean and fumigate the areas where your pets frequent. Use an insect spray and cordon off the place until the scent wears off (note that some sprays are not safe to use around mammals). Don’t forget to check out the areas that you share with your pet—sofas, beds. Fleas and ticks can bite humans as well. If your pet plays with your child, you have to be doubly vigilant. Some children are very sensitive to flea and tick bites, and can develop allergic reactions.