Spring has sprung, and so have the fleas and ticks in your neighbourhood! These hitchhiking troublemakers can cause a lot of harm to your pet. Prevention is key, so here’s what you need to know to keep your pet safe.
What Exactly Are Fleas and Ticks?
Fleas and ticks are both ectoparasites, which means they are parasites that live on the outside of their host. These pests survive by biting their host and feeding on the blood. Fleas and ticks thrive in Canada from spring through fall and live in tall grass or wooded areas, even in urban parks. If your pet goes outside, it can get fleas or ticks. Fleas and ticks can cause serious diseases and infections, so watch out!
Prevention Is Key
Why is it so important to avoid these nasty disease-spreading pests? A tick bite can make your pet sick with Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Ehrlichiosis, and more. What’s worse, some of these diseases can spread to people! These small arachnids hide in tall grass until they can grab and latch onto animals or people who walk by. Ticks are known for hiding in hard-to-spot areas of the body where they feed on the blood of their host.
Fleas are just as insidious as ticks; saliva from flea bites can cause an allergic reaction, infection, and even paralysis. Not only that, fleas carry Tapeworms! Small and fast-moving, these jumping insects spread easily and can live in fur, carpet, bedding, and more. Yikes!
The good news is that there are many things you can do to prevent infestations. During tick season, regularly check your pet for ticks and fleas. You can use a flea comb to carefully comb through your pet’s fur to check for pests and skin lesions from bites. Look for live pests as well as flea dirt, which are small black specks.
When you return from walks or outdoor adventures with your pet, administer a quick pest check, concentrating on the more hidden areas. Look behind the ears, under the collar, under the armpits, along the back, between toes, near the groin area, along the tail, in the ears, and between skin folds. Fleas and ticks are very sneaky, so do a thorough investigation! It may also be worth bathing your pet with insecticidal shampoo as an extra precaution if your pet is outside frequently.
Other effective things you can do to help prevent tick and flea infestations include:
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Keeping your pet away from wildlife
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Spraying your yard for pests
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Bathing your pet regularly
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Avoiding long grass and bushes
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Vacuuming and cleaning your home regularly
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Using flea and tick repellent sprays
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Using flea and tick over-the-counter preventative medications
Talk to Your Vet
Your veterinarian is a great resource for flea and tick prevention because they know what to prescribe based on your pet and specific set of circumstances. Your vet will likely prescribe your pet a broad-spectrum preventative medication, which is generally far more effective than over-the-counter medicine. Your vet knows best and is worth a visit!
Got any questions or concerns about fleas and ticks? Visit your local Petland; our knowledgeable counsellors are here to help.
