 T icks
and fleas
Ticks are small spider-like
acarids and fleas are insects, but these two tiny creatures have
at least one thing in common—they are both parasites that feed on
your dog’s blood and can cause a lot of discomfort and more serious
health problems.
Flea bites may go unnoticed
on some pets, cause slight irritation in others and produce extensive
itching, red lesions, hair loss and even ulcers in those animals
with flea allergy dermatitis, which is the result of extreme sensitivity
to flea saliva. Severe flea infestations can cause anemia, especially
in puppies. Fleas can also transmit several diseases, as well as
tapeworm. Ticks are “vectors” or carriers of a number of diseases,
including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever which can
sometimes be transmitted to humans.
Adult fleas are wingless
insects, generally smaller than a sesame seed, who feed on the blood
of animals. Their proportionately enlarged back pair of legs gives
them an extraordinary jumping ability. Hanging on to your pet’s
fur with their claws, their needle-like mouth parts bite through
the skin to suck up blood.
If one flea finds your dog
an attractive food source, you can be sure that other fleas will,
too! They mate, with females laying 30–50 eggs per day. These eggs
will drop to the ground within 8 hours and, as soon as 2 days later
flea larvae will hatch and hide in dark places on the ground, on
carpets or in upholstery. After about a week of feeding on adult
flea droppings, crumbs, flakes of skin, etc., the larvae spin cocoons
to become pupae. The pupae can remain in this stage for very long
periods of time. As early as a week later, the pupae develop into
adult fleas and emerge from their cocoons when they sense that a
dog or other animal host, is near. The cycle—which can take as little
as 12 days or as long as 180 days—can then begin again.
And ticks...
Ticks are wingless creatures
that live exclusively on the blood of animals for three of the
four stages of their life cycle. They are equipped with an apparatus
called Haller’s organ which senses heat, carbon dioxide and other
stimuli to allow the ticks to locate the presence of an animal
food source. Once found, they crawl on and embed their mouth parts
into the animal’s skin and proceed to suck up its blood.
 You
should inspect your pet regularly for ticks, especially if they
have been outside in areas where there are woods or tall grasses.
A thorough combing within 4 to 6 hours of exposure to such environments
can help prevent ticks from attaching themselves to feast on your
pet. Should you find a tick, it should be removed immediately,
as the longer it is attached to its host, the greater the chance
for disease. Do not touch the tick. Wear gloves and use tweezers
to carefully grasp the exposed section of the tick’s body near
your pet’s skin. Gently pull until the tick lets go. To dispose
of the tick, wrap it in several tissues and flush it down the toilet.
Do not crush, burn or suffocate it, as any one of those actions
may spread infectious bacteria.
Controlling fleas and ticks
The best way to control flea
problems is to prevent them from happening in the first place. Fortunately,
developments in veterinary parasite control in recent years have
made the twofold goal of eliminating fleas on pets and preventing
further infestations much easier to achieve. Available for both
dogs and cats, new insecticides and insect growth regulators in
easy-to-use topical or oral forms not only eliminate any existing
fleas, but also work long-term to prevent future infestations. This
is accomplished either by killing the parasites before they can
reproduce or by preventing their eggs from developing into normal
adult fleas. Consult your veterinarian for advice about the proper
product for your pet. Furthermore, thorough daily vacuuming of high-traffic
areas and frequent washing of your pet’s bedding will also go a
long way in reducing the flea population in your home.
Some of the same types of
topical or oral products used to control flea infestation are also
effective against ticks. Such treatments should be combined with
daily examinations and tick removal for those pets, especially dogs,
who are frequently outdoors in areas with high tick populations.
Ask your veterinarian for information about the situation in your
locality. Clearing brush and long grasses and removing leaves, grass
clippings and other organic debris will also help reduce the presence
of ticks by disturbing their natural outdoor habitats.
When a parasite picks your pet for a meal
If, despite your best efforts
at control, you find that fleas or ticks have crawled (or jumped)
on board your pet, you will have to use a product that will kill
and/or repel the parasites. These include once-a-month topical treatments,
or more regular use of sprays, powders, dips, shampoos, collars
and, to combat fleas, oral or injectable medication. Once again,
you should ask your veterinarian for advice about what the most
appropriate product is for your pet . And remember, it is perfectly
normal to see live fleas or ticks on a pet immediately after a topical
treatment, spray, shampoo, collar, etc. is applied. Many believe
that this means the product is not working, but the fleas or ticks
have to fully absorb the product before they will be affected, which
may take
from a few hours to a few
days.
Facts about fleas
Worldwide, there
are about 3,000 different types of fleas, but the cat flea (Ctenocephalides
felis) is the most common to be found on dogs and cats.
Adult fleas can
jump 600 times an hour. Each jump, in terms of the flea’s size,
is the equivalent of a person clearing a 50-story building.
The record jump
for a flea is 13 inches.
In just 30 days,
25 adult female fleas can multiply to 250,000 fleas.
Tips about ticks
A female tick
can lay up to 3,000 eggs.
Except for eggs,
ticks need a blood meal to progress to each stage of their life
cycle.
Some ticks can
live for more than a year without a meal.
In very rare
cases, toxins secreted by ticks can cause pet paralysis.
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For
your dog pets to enjoy time with you, they must always be in good health. Like
you, if the pets are feeling pain they are unable to feel the mood of having
fun!