Here at www.OneClickPets.co.uk we can for your pets as much as you do, and, like with having a new baby to the family, sometimes as ‘parents’ we are unsure of exactly the right thing to do, so here is a blog all about Fleas and Ticks on your Puppy or Dog.
Fleas are very common parasites found in many places, including the home, the garden and the park. Adult fleas lay eggs which hatch in the environment and develop into larvae, then pupae. These develop into adult fleas which hop onto your dog (and sometimes people!) for a feed of blood. They cause itching and irritation but can also transmit tapeworm and other serious diseases to both pets and family members.
Ticks are another blood-sucking parasite which can also spread disease in both people and pets. Although more commonly found in areas with long grass, they can also be lurking in urban and country gardens. When they bite, they attach themselves firmly and can remain in place for days feeding, causing pain and irritation. Pets that have travelled abroad need to be treated for ticks before they return to the UK to prevent the introduction of European tick species and the spread of certain tick-borne diseases.
- How do I know if my dog has fleas or ticks?
Fleas will cause skin irritation as they move around and bite your dog, resulting in itchiness which causes excessive scratching, licking or nibbling. This scratching can result in reddened patches, scabs, flakiness, and sometimes hair loss and skin infections. These bald patches are often found on the pet’s back, towards the rump, but they can develop sores around their head, neck and belly too.
You can look for fleas by pushing or combing back the hair, particularly over the rump area, and you may see some running around. You can also look for flea droppings, which appear as tiny blackish specks in the coat. If these turn orangey-red when placed onto moistened tissue and squeezed, you’ll know they’re flea droppings rather than normal dirt.
Ticks are often found around a pet’s legs and head but they can attach themselves anywhere on the body. When they first attach they are only a few millimetres in size, but as they fill with blood they can reach nearly a centimetre. Ticks are sometimes mistaken for small growths or warts, but if you look closely, you will see their legs next to the dog’s skin.
- How do I stop my dog from getting fleas or ticks?
Prevention is the best tactic, as your pet can pick up fleas almost anywhere – in the house (they often lie deep in furniture, carpets, etc), in the garden or park. And now with central heating fleas can happily live in our homes throughout the winter so it’s best to treat your dog for fleas all year round.
Regular treatment of your pet with FRONTLINE Spot On will help to prevent a flea infestation, by killing any adult ones that hop on. It will also ensure that any ticks that attach to your dog’s skin will die and drop off within 48 hours.
Some flea treatments target both the adult flea and any eggs they might lay, so that you get fewer eggs hatching out in the environment. Ask your vet about the most suitable treatment for your pet.
- How do I get rid of fleas or ticks from my dog?
To tackle fleas, you will need to treat both your dog and your home, as 95% of the flea problem will be in the environment, such as in furniture, carpets, cracks and crevices in floorboards. FRONTLINE Spot On kills new adult fleas within 24 hours as they continue to jump onto your dog from the home environment. You should also turn up your central heating, vacuum the house and wash your dog’s bedding regularly – all these actions will encourage the flea pupae to emerge from their hiding places.
If your pet has one or more live ticks, don’t try to pull them off. The mouthparts are firmly embedded in the skin and pulling will detach the body and leave the head which can then become infected. Treat with a tick-killing treatment such as FRONTLINE Spot On or ask your vet for advice.
- When should I treat my dog for fleas?
It’s best to regularly treat your dog for fleas all year round. And now, with central heating, fleas can happily live in our homes throughout the winter so it’s best to treat your dog for fleas all year round.
- Can fleas or ticks live on me or bite me?
Most of the time, dog fleas will hop onto and bite your pet, but they will sometimes bite people, particularly if there are a lot around. You could be bitten anywhere on your body, but it’s most often around your ankles and lower legs. The skin can be itchy and red around the bite.
Ticks can bite and attach themselves to people too, where they can cause severe reactions and can spread tick-borne diseases. However a tick won’t jump from your pet to you. Most commonly people pick them up walking bare-legged through areas of long grass.
- My dog keeps scratching, but I can’t see any fleas. What might be going on?
Even though you might not see any fleas on your pet’s coat, it might still have them – they are fast moving and can be very hard to spot in the coat. However, there are numerous other causes of itchy skin in pets; if you are fairly convinced there are no fleas about you should take your dog to the vet to see what might be causing the problem.
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