It’s official: our pets are full-fledged members of the family. Just like the rest of your family, your goal is to love them but also to keep them healthy and safe. But we do have to remember that they are animals, and will do animal things. They will chase anything from squirrels to butterflies and dig in the dirt. The dog could have a spider hanging out on its back. Your cat could have picked up a tick while exploring and being extra curious. But, those are the least of your worries when you think about the inside of your home. It’s the pest that is naturally attracted to your pet and can wreak havoc on a home that you are most worried about: fleas.
Fleas are the bane of any pet owner’s life. They are small, quick and are a complete nuisance to get rid of. Not only do they move through your dog’s fur, feeding on its blood and causing it untold aggravation, they also infest your home and can transmit diseases to human hosts.
You may suspect your dog has fleas for several reasons. If your pet is badly infested, you will likely see them in its fur and on its bedding. You may even see these fleas on your own bedding and clothes. Cat fleas will be reddish-brown (engorged with blood) and 1-2mm in length. Many describe their appearance as ‘pepper-like.’ You may also notice scabs or red lesions on your dog’s skin where fleas have taken their blood meal.
Other obvious symptoms include:
Fierce scratching and/or biting of the coat. This will be particularly evident in pets with flea allergy dermatitis as over immune sensitivity causes the skin to become inflamed and itchy.
Excessive grooming as dogs try to alleviate the itchiness and clear away the fleas. You may notice your pet excessively grooming its neck, hind legs and the base of its tail where fleas tend to congregate. Hair loss may be evident in these areas as your dog grooms itself bare.
Fleas are more likely to exist in carpets than in other floor surfaces. If you dog starts avoiding the carpeted rooms which it previously visited the most, it’s possible that your dog is being bitten by carpet fleas. Vacuuming regularly can help to alleviate the problem.
Pets with fleas may be more agitated and restless than usual. They may pace, rub themselves hysterically, or dart from one room to another. Pets that are anaemic due to infestation may display pale gums, muscle loss and lethargy. Flea-related aneamia is more common in puppies, older dogs and dogs with existing illness.
So what do you need? Anti-flea tablets and suspensions (fluid containing solid particles) are orally administered to pets and are absorbed into the bloodstream in the gut. They have systemic effects, eradicating fleas over the entire body by traveling in the bloodstream. They are then taken up when a flea takes its bloodmeal.
If you suspect your pet has fleas, please give me a call or email to check them out!