Flea & Tick Advice

Flea & Tick Advice

Fleas

Fleas are fast moving, flightless insects which jump from host to host consuming its blood as it goes. Being only a few millimetres long they can be hard to spot and sometimes the first sign can be that your pet is itching, scratching or grooming excessively. This is due to irritation caused by flea bites. Other signs include hair loss or black grit in the coat – this grit could actually be flea dirt and is often easier to spot than the flea itself.

Lifecycle

  1. Flea Eggs – A female flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day which drop off your pet into the environment.
  2. Flea Larvae – They move away from light deep into cracks and carpets where they feed.
  3. Flea Pupae (cocoons) – Flea larvae spin themselves into cocoons where they start to fully develop.
  4. Adult Fleas – Lie in wait in their protective pupae (cocoons) for a suitable host before hatching and jumping on to take their first meal.

Prevention

Regularly treating your pet for fleas with a licensed flea treatment is the best way to help prevent any infestation. These parasites are very hard to get rid of once they have moved in so come in and talk to one of our trained advisors on how to take precautions. Much like vets, they can recommend and dispense products, which come in easy “spot-on” applications. They are able to weigh your pet in-store to ensure the correct treatment is prescribed. These treatments will vary in lengths of time between each application, depending on the product supplied. As well as topical treatments there are many other ways to help reduce fleas affecting your home such as;

  • Vacuum regularly
  • Wash your pets bedding at 60oC
  • Check your pets fur for fleas and signs of irritation
  • Use household insecticide sprays
  • Regularly comb your pets fur
  • Mild flea shampoos are a good start to rid your pet of fleas

Ticks

Ticks belong to the spider family, are 3-5mm in length and are another blood-sucking parasite that happily attach themselves to your pet’s body for a good meal. They are most active from March to October and are most commonly found in woodland, grassland and heath areas. Ticks don’t fly or jump, but climb or drop on to your dog’s coat when you brush past the area they are sitting in. Ticks can be very dangerous as they often carry diseases like Lyme disease which can be fatal to both you and your pet. Unlike fleas, ticks latch onto a single place on your pet’s skin and begin to suck their blood, so it’s not a nice thing for your pet to experience.

Types of Treatment

There are lots of different treatment options for you to consider, and while certain ones will work for some pets, you need to find something that’s right for you and your own pet. These treatments include:

Topical treatments

These topical treatments are popular because they’re usually easy to apply and affordable, and they come in many varieties. The most popular being spot on treatments however shampoos and powders are also available. These treatments are great as they are usually long lasting and will kill the parasite at any stage in its life.

Collars

Collars can last up to eight months but are not as effective as topical treatments. However, if your pet finds taking tablets difficult or really doesn’t like bath time they can be less stressful.

 
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