Preventing and Treating Fleas and Ticks For Dogs: Important Tips to Pet Parents
DR. AMIT, PETS CONSULTANT, PUNE
Fleas and ticks are a source of annoyance and potential health threat in every part of the India. While the seasons will affect the activity of these insects, it is possible to pick up fleas or ticks during most of the year. This is especially true because these insects can thrive in our homes. Dogs and cats which spend time outdoors are at equal risk of picking up fleas. However, because dogs spend a larger amount of time outdoors, they are at a higher risk than cats for ticks. While not as common, fleas and ticks can also enter homes from visiting pets and on people’s clothes.
Fleas and ticks are more than just an itchy irritation to cats, dogs and other pets. These are blood-sucking parasites that can cause inflammations, irritations and even open sores on pets with skin sensitivities or flea and tick allergies. Severe infestations of these pests can even lead to fur loss and patchy coats as well as anemia. Fleas and ticks can also transmit diseases not only to the pets they bite, but also to humans, livestock and other animals. The exact diseases transmitted can vary depending on the species of flea or tick, the animal bitten, geography, climate and other factors, but commonly transmitted diseases include Lyme disease, sleeping sickness, myxomatosis, tungiasis, typhus, bovine anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountin spotted fever, tapeworms and even different varieties of plague. Because of these risks, it is best to take every possible step to get rid of fleas and ticks and prevent them from recurring as much as possible.
Your dog is both the home and food source for fleas and ticks. Once a flea gets on your dog, it will remain there until it is killed by a flea product or dies naturally. Just like the adult flea, the adult tick will remain on your dog and eventually produce eggs while feeding from your dog. Ticks however, go through various life stages. Ticks will leave the host and “moult” from one stage to the next. Ticks transmit the most disease to dogs and humans in the nymph and adult stages. If your dog is not on a preventative or adulticide (product to kill fleas and ticks), it is possible for dog and possibly your home to develop a serious infestation within just a few short weeks.
If not prevented or treated, fleas and ticks can cause a variety of potential health issues for dogs, including:
- Skin irritation and infection
- Rashes and red inflamed skin
- Scabs and scales
- Transmission of disease and illness to you and your dog
- Psychological issues from constant scratching
Fleas and ticks can also result in transmission of disease to humans through petting and sharing a living space with a host dog. This is why it is critical that you are aware of the health dangers that fleas and ticks can pose. It is important that you take measures to reduce the risk of an infestation. WIth the right plan and products, flea and tick infestation is easily preventable.
How To Identify Ticks On Dogs
Because dogs spend so much time outdoors, ticks are a common problem and a big concern for owners. If left untreated, fleas and ticks can become a serious nuisance and potential health problem for your dog. Ticks feed on the blood of the host, and use tiny but sharp teeth to embed themselves firmly into a dog’s skin and tissue. Because they penetrate into the bloodstream, ticks can also spread blood-borne illnesses. The larvae and nymph stage of the tick are very small and can easily be missed. The adult tick is about 3mm and is visible to most. The larvae and nymph are about half that size and difficult to identify.
Ticks cause welts and bruises on dogs around the bite location. It is also common to find the tick still attached. There are various methods for treating ticks on dogs, including:
- Topical Applications
- Oral Medications
- Tick Collars
How To Identify Fleas On Dogs
Fleas are very itchy and annoying and will primarily cause your dog to scratch. If your dog is allergic to flea saliva, the itch can be insatiable. Too much scratching can lead to skin infections, and fleas on dogs can possibly lead to the spread of various diseases. Fleas can be difficult to detect, because they are only about 1-2 millimeters in length, but there are several ways to check for fleas on your dog, including:
- Looking for red, irritated skin on your dog’s neck, belly or hindquarters
- Comb your dog’s hair from back to front for a good look at his or her skin. Flea combs are available at pet stores, but really any fine-toothed comb will do
- The fleas may appear red or brown in color
- If you see a speck that is moving, it’s probably a flea
Flea and tick prevention consists of a variety of products used to control flea and/or tick infestations on your pet and to prevent infestations inside your home. Fleas are small insects that are parasitic; they feed on blood from animals and/or people. Ticks are a type of arachnid (like spiders, scorpions, and mites) that are also parasitic.
Preventing flea and tick infestation
While flea and tick populations may change with the seasons, to fully prevent an infestation, you need to take precautions year-round. This includes treating your pets as well as your home and yard.
- Keep your pet flea and tick-free:It’s essential to keep your pet properly protected from fleas and ticks. This includes selecting an ongoing preventive treatment plan with your veterinarian—there are plenty of options to pick from including collars, sprays, spot-on treatments, oral treatments and shampoos—and performing regular checks for any fleas or ticks that may have made their way onto your pet. During peak pest season, use a flea comb to carefully check your pet’s coat for fleas, and use your fingers to feel all over their body for ticks. Be aware of any signs that your pet has been infested, as well, like extra scratching, hair loss or tiny specks on their coat. Ongoing treatments also help to keep your pet safe from many life threatening diseases that can be transmitted by fleas and ticks such as Lyme Disease and Ehrlichiosis.
- Protect your home:Fleas that have found their way onto your pet or your clothes—or on the clothes or other items of visitors—may take up residence inside your home. In fact, if you only treat your pet for fleas and ticks but don’t do anything to your home, you could miss more than 90 percent of the developing flea population. Regularly wash all pet bedding, vacuum carpets and treat your home with an indoor specific spray, powder or fogger (never use a product that’s recommended for outdoor use inside). Pay special attention to your pet’s favorite spots, where flea eggs and larvae could be concentrated. If you’re worried about full coverage, consider working with a professional cleaner who specializes in flea and tick infestations.
- Canvas your outdoor area:Since fleas and ticks naturally live outdoors, you’ll need to take preventive measures there, too. Keep your yard free of leaves and overgrowth as much as possible, since both your pet, and the pests that want a ride, love these areas. When treating the outside, also focus on using an outdoor yard spray in areas where your pet hangs out—spray according to package directions—and try to always keep your pet in a controlled environment when outside, to the extent that that is possible. The more you can have your pet avoid wandering and exploring in unknown brushy areas, the better.
Harm fleas and ticks can cause
Itching, hair loss and irritation are all common for pets that have a flea or tick bite. However, there are much more serious concerns that can arise, including:
- Fleas can trigger allergies.Some pets react more strongly to fleas because they are allergic to the fleas’ saliva. This allergy—known as Flea Allergy Dermatitis—causes additional irritation and itching and results in small scabs and redness. While your veterinarian can prescribe options for treating the symptoms of Flea Allergy Dermatitis, it’s even better to take a proactive role in controlling fleas before they wreak havoc on your pet’s sensitive skin.
- Fleas can cause anemia.While the average pet with fleas is not likely to develop flea bite anemia, this complication is a definite cause for concern in pets with large flea infestations. The severe loss of blood that accompanies such an extensive infestation results in anemia, especially in puppies and kittens.
- Fleas can carry tapeworms.As unpleasant as it is to consider, it’s possible for your pet to contract tapeworms via ingested fleas that carry tapeworm larva.
- Ticks can infect your pet and you with different diseases.Ticks can spread a variety of diseases that can infect both pets and humans. Different kinds of ticks that live in different regions spread different diseases. In the United States, common tick-borne diseases that can be contracted include Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Protecting both the humans and pets in your family from serious issues is just another reason to proactively protect your pet before fleas and ticks become a difficult problem to handle.
Getting Rid of Fleas and Ticks and Keeping Them Away
Fleas and ticks are a very common problem for pet owners, but fortunately there are many steps that can be taken to minimize this problem. The best ways to get rid of fleas and ticks are methods that disrupt the life cycle of these pests, kill mature parasites and their larvae and make the area less hospitable for fleas and ticks to stay nearby. To end a flea or tick infestation, try…
- Medications
There are several types of pet medications that can subtly alter the pet’s body chemistry to make it less attractive to or even harmful for blood-sucking parasites like fleas and ticks. These medications may be pills or could be mixed into the pet’s food. - Shampoos
Special shampoos and conditioners with flea and tick medications incorporated into their formulas can be effective at removing and preventing these pests. The strength of the products can vary, however, and their effectiveness will also depend on the pet’s coat type and density. - Dips
A flea or tick dip is a concentrated treatment that may be sprayed or rubbed onto a pet’s fur, or the pet may be dipped into the chemical. These are no-rinse products that can be immediately effective, but they should be used cautiously because of their strength. - Topical Treatments
Many different topical treatments are applied directly to a pet’s skin or fur to discourage fleas and ticks. These may be drops, sprays or powders that are meant to be left on the animal. Medicated collars are a topical treatment effective in the neck and head region. - Healthy Diet
Fleas and ticks are attracted to unhealthy coats and skin that may be thin, dry, flaking or have cuts or sores where the pests can easily suck the animal’s blood. A healthy, nutritious diet can give your pet good skin and a lush coat that will naturally resist these annoying pests. - House Cleaning
Fleas and ticks can live in carpeting, upholstery, bedding and even pet toys while they wait for an opportunity to return to an animal. Thoroughly and frequently cleaning a pet’s blankets, bed and toys as well as carpeting, rugs, drapes and upholstered furniture will minimize fleas and ticks. - Home Pest Treatments
In the case of severe infestations, it may be necessary to use strong pest treatments around your home to eliminate fleas and ticks. Sprays, foggers and granules are available to kill these pests and keep them away, but be sure to follow all instructions for the safe use of these chemicals. - Lawn Care
Fleas and ticks thrive in landscaping that has plenty of moist crevices for them to hide. Pruning trees and shrubs, trimming grass shorter, removing excess brush and fallen leaves and avoiding overwatering will help make your yard less friendly for these pests. - Discourage Wildlife
Fleas and ticks can come into contact with your pet from many other animals, including squirrels, mice, raccoons, rabbits and deer. Take steps to keep these animals out of your yard and you won’t be inviting new flea and tick hosts to visit. - Inside Time
When fleas and ticks are at their height (typically from late spring to early fall), it may be best to limit a pet’s time outdoors as much as possible so they are not exposed to more of these parasites. Avoid putting your pet outdoors for hours at a time in mid-summer and they’ll be at less risk from fleas and ticks.
Most important of all, it is critical to keep up with different tactics to get rid of fleas and ticks or these persistent pests will move back in on your pets at the first opportunity. With an ongoing regimen and good care to keep these parasites away, your pets can remain free of bothersome fleas and ticks.
Topical Drops:
Liquid medications, sometimes called spot-on treatments, are applied directly to a cat or dog’s skin, usually between the shoulders, at the base of neck (for cats), or along the entire back from the base of neck to tail (for dogs). These products come in the form of vials that contains agents which protect your pet for 30 continuous days.
Fleas and ticks have the potential to transmit numerous types of diseases to both animals and people.
They work by killing fleas and ticks (and sometimes mosquitos, depending on the product) by depositing chemicals into the sebaceous glands, where the active ingredient is released and translocates through the glands that lubricate a cat or dogs coat with oil. When applied, the compound quickly translocates across the skin. The pesticide will attack the flea and tick’s nervous system and cause the parasites to lose the ability to feed on your pet.
Some flea and tick drops also contain an insect growth regulator (IGR) to control eggs that may have survived during the initial dosing. IGRs prevent the development of the eggs from reaching adulthood, thus disrupting the natural lifecycle. IGRs also prevent new infestations.
Flea and tick drops are very convenient to use and continue to work even if your cat or dog is bathed or gets caught in the rain.
Tips:
- Always choose a flea and tick drop that is made for your species of pet
- Weigh your pet to ensure you purchase the correct dose suited for his or her size
- Do not combine doses, apply the product more frequently than instructed or mix with other flea and tick products, as it could lead to an overdose
- For best results, do not bathe your pet 24 hours prior to or after application
Collars:
Flea and tick collars are a convenient option for pet owners with cats or dogs that are not suffering from an existing infestation. Like topical formulas, they effectively prevent but will not necessarily cure an infestation.
Collars have a longer lasting efficacy, typically up to 7 or 8 months, and can be worn in addition to a pet’s normal collar. Flea and tick collars have two functions: repelling and treating. Some collars only repel and others both repel and treat.
Repellant collars emit a gas that deters fleas and ticks from biting. Treatment collars contain medication that is absorbed into the sebaceous glands and spread using the natural oils in a cat or dog’s skin. If only using a collar that repels, a parasite must bite for the pesticide to kill it. Treatment collars release ingredients that kill fleas and ticks on contact before they bite.
Tips:
- Always choose a flea and tick collar that is made for your species of pet
- Measure your pet’s neck to ensure the collar is suited for his or her size
- Do not combine doses, apply the product more frequently than instructed or mix with other flea and tick products, as it could lead to an overdose
Oral Pills:
Oral flea treatments are typically only available by prescription from a veterinarian, and come in both pill and chewable forms, which are ingested by your pet as opposed to being applied to the body.
Oral insecticides typically target either flea eggs or adult fleas, but not both, so you may have to choose which part of the lifecycle to target and eradicate. Flea pills work very quickly, beginning in as little as 30 minutes.
Currently, there are no oral medications that kill ticks.
Powders and Sprays:
Spray-on as well as powder form flea and tick treatments are applied directly to your pet and then massaged into the fur on the entire body. They can be used more freely than other types of protection, and also come in versions which are designed to be used in your home on upholstery, carpets and bedding to protect the entire environment of your pet and your family.
Powders and sprays work well for cats and dogs of all life stages, making them very versatile. Take care to protect the eyes and ears of your pet when applying.
Shampoo:
Flea and tick shampoos primarily kill fleas and ticks that are already on a pet, through contact. To properly use these products, wet your pet’s coat thoroughly with water and rub the shampoo into the coat, ensuring not to get suds into the eyes or ears. Massage from head to tail until the coat is completely covered with a foamy lather. Let stand or continue to massage for several more minutes. Rinse and towel dry.Most formulations can be repeated weekly.
https://www.pashudhanpraharee.com/prevention-and-control-of-dog-rabies-in-india/
