Pet Care: Fleas and Ticks- Living and Learning

 

Pet Care: Fleas and Ticks

Image by Helena Sushitskaya from Pixabay 

In America, fleas and ticks are two of the most common pet care issues. The best fight against these parasites is prevention, but it's crucial to know the telltale indications of fleas and ticks so you can intervene on your dogs' behalf if necessary. 

Fleas

The most frequent external parasite that afflicts companion animals is fleas. They are wingless blood-feeding insects that can jump up to two feet in the air and are tenacious in their surroundings.

Fleas have a lifespan of between 13 and 12 days, during which they can breed countless numbers of young. The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, is one of several flea species, but it is the one that bothers dogs and cats equally frequently in North America.

Pet Dog Flea Symptoms

The abdomen, base of the tail, and head of a dog are the three areas where fleas are most frequently seen. Common signs of canine flea infestations include:

• "Flea dirt" or droppings in a dog's coat (small dark "grains of sand")
  Insect eggs (tiny, white grains)
• Atopic dermatitis
• excessive licking, biting, or clawing of the skin
• hair fall
• Hot places and bug bites
• White gums
• Tapeworms

Flea Symptoms in Cats

Invest in a fine tooth comb and go over your cat's fur, paying specific attention to the neck and the base of the tail, if you notice her scratching frequently and persistently. Your cat has fleas if you notice tiny, moving brown spots in her fur that are the size of a pinhead. Additional signs:

• "Flea dirt" specks on a cat's fur (small dark "grains of sand")
• Insect eggs (tiny, white grains)
• inflamed and itchy skin
• continual scratching
• Licking and chewing
• hair fall
• Tapeworms
• Luminous gums and lips
  
  

Reasons for fleas

Fleas are simple to bring inside from the outside.

Fleas prefer warm, humid environments with temperatures between 65 and 80 degrees.

Flea adults stay on the animal for the majority of their lives and lay their eggs in the fur.

These eggs fall out onto carpets, furniture, bedding, and upholstery, where the newly hatched adult fleas will later locate a living host (either human or animal).

Flea-Related Issues

Fleas can ingest 15 times their own weight in blood, which over time can result in anaemia or a large loss of blood.

This can be particularly dangerous for puppies and kittens who are still developing because of how dangerously few red blood cells can be.

Some animals have heightened sensitivity to flea saliva, which might result in an allergic reaction.

Flea Control

If you think your pet may have fleas, talk to your veterinarian. All of your animals, including indoor and outdoor cats, need to be treated for fleas, and the surroundings must be treated as well. Following diagnosis confirmation by your veterinarian, the following could be on the treatment list:

• Shampoos, sprays, and powders, as well as oral or topical treatments, can be used on pets.
  
  
• thorough cleaning of your home, including the carpets, furniture, and bedding. In severe circumstances, utilising a spray or a fogger may be necessary, necessitating a brief home evacuation.
  
  
• It's crucial to avoid giving your cat any products meant for dogs.
  
  
• If your pet keeps becoming re-infected every time it goes outside, lawn treatments can also be required.
  
  

Prevention of Fleas

On your pet, use a flea comb, and wash his bedding once a week.

Fleas like to hide in dark, moist, shaded places, so keep the exterior of your home clear of organic debris like rake trimmings and leaves.

There are numerous preventative flea control options available, including both prescription and nonprescription formulations.

Ticks

Ticks are blood-feeding parasites that prey on hapless hosts like cats and dogs. Ticks are arachnids, just as mites and spiders. Ticks can spread a variety of diseases by their bite, even though the host may not even be aware of their existence.

Ask your vet about the typical tick species and disease transmission in your area since these things tend to vary depending on where you reside.

Transmission Tick

The majority of tick species need blood meals from their hosts to thrive.

When a host is bitten, a tick buries its head into the skin before gorging itself on blood.

Ticks can attach to dogs and outdoor cats because they are most active in tall grass or bush in the late spring and early summer.

Pets brought inside from the outside can bring ticks with them.

Ticks can be found anywhere on the body of your pet, but they prefer to attach close to the head, neck, ears, and paws.

Warm weather and specific regions are more likely to have ticks than others.

How can I tell if my dog or cat has ticks?

Ticks may typically be seen with the unaided eye. Before biting, ticks can be as little as a pinhead and are sometimes not seen until they swell with blood.

Although these parasites rarely cause noticeable discomfort, it is still a good idea to frequently inspect your pet if you live in a region where ticks are common, especially if he spends a lot of time outside.

Every time your pet enters the house, give him a thorough once-over with your hands, paying specific attention to the ears, head, and feet.

complications brought on by ticks

• Blood Loss
• Anemia
• Paralysis on tick
• Skin infection or irritability
  
  

Lyme illness

A bacterial infection known as Lyme disease can harm mammals such as dogs, cats, and people.

The deer tick, which can attach to both humans and dogs and spread the disease-causing germs, is its main carrier.

Depression, swollen lymph nodes, appetite loss, fever, swollen, aching joints, and kidney failure are some of the clinical indications of Lyme disease.

Antibiotics are the most effective way to treat Lyme disease.

Your pet's condition should start to improve with timely, appropriate therapy within 48 hours.

Cytauxzoonosis

A deadly infection brought on by tick bites is called cytauxzoonosis.

Bobcats are known for carrying this blood parasite, which is widespread in the South.

Domestic cats may catch the lethal infection via ticks that prey on bobcats, which can then spread it to them.

High temperature, respiratory problems, appetite loss, jaundice, coma, and death are some of the clinical indications of infection.

Though multiple studies have shown specific strains of the disease can be successfully treated, there is still no known treatment for the virus, which spreads quickly and takes weeks to manifest.

Treatment and Removal of Ticks

If you do discover a tick on your pet, it's crucial to remove it carefully. Any contact with the blood of the tick carries the risk of infecting your pet or perhaps yourself.

Step 1: Get ready

Wear rubber or latex gloves to prevent coming into contact with the tick or your pet's bite site.

Because a tick won't be killed by flushing it down the toilet or tossing it in the garbage, you should have a screw-top jar with rubbing alcohol ready to put a tick in after removal. You can even keep it for veterinary tests thanks to this.

If at all possible, ask a friend or family member to distract and calm your pet while you remove her.

Step 2: Take away

Grab the tick with tweezers as closely as you can to the animal's skin.

Place the tick in the jar by pulling straight up with consistent, steady pressure.

Never jerk or twist the tick. This could result in the tick regurgitating infectious secretions or leaving the mouthparts stuck in your pet.

Avoid crushing or squeezing the tick's body because the fluids inside could be contaminated.

Step 3: Cleanup and Inspection

Despite using gloves, wash your hands with soap and water and disinfect the bite area.

Use alcohol to sterilise your tweezers or carefully run them over a flame.

Over the next weeks, keep an eye out for any redness or inflammation that could indicate a localised infection.

Please take your pet and the jarred tick to your veterinarian for analysis if infection develops.

Tick Avoidance

Many of the same medications that are available on the market to treat fleas also eliminate ticks and deter further infestations. Ask your veterinarian which product would be best for your pet.

Mow your lawn frequently, get rid of any tall weeds, and make it uninhabitable for rats by keeping waste covered and out of the way.