Keeping an eye on your dog’s demeanor, and carrying out simple health checks on a regular basis, will enable you to monitor his state of health. If your dog scratches himself constantly, check his coat for signs of fleas.
Fleas bite the dog’s skin in order to feed off their blood, with the resulting bites causing intense itching that can lead to severe dermatitis. Heavy flea infestation can cause anaemia, leading to death if left untreated.
Ticks are blood-sucking parasites that cause itchiness, infection and even paralysis in some countries. Never try to pull a tick off the skin or its head may be embedded, which lead to infection. A dab of surgical sprint or flea spray that also kills ticks will make them release the grip.
Dogs can suffer from fleas and ticks all year long, but the summer season is a particularly crucial time for our canine friends.
Dr. Leslie Gellatly, a veterinarian at the Chicago Center for Veterinary Medicine, part of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, recommends treating dogs and cats with topical flea and tick control once every 30 days year-round.
“Fleas and ticks are bothersome to pets, and they can carry diseases,” Gellatly says. “When the flea bites a pet, this is not only painful to the animal; but if swallowed, the flea can transmit parasites.” – source
That’s why flea and tick awareness for pet owners is a must. Pawnation compiled a number of information that every pet owner needs to know about this parasite nightmare. Here a couple information note-worthy:
There are thousands of kinds of fleas.
All fleas are not alike. In fact, there are over 2,000 species of fleas, from cow fleas to cat fleas. They vary around the world, but some are more common than others, especially those that affect your pets. While they are all different, they feed, grow and multiply in the same manner. In other words, they all hop to high heights and feed on the blood of their hosts.
Fleas can bite up to 400 times a day.
Fleas are good at what they do, and when they start, there’s no stopping them. During their nonstop feast, they can suck more than their weight in blood from your pet’s body. What’s more is that a female flea will not stop there. She’ll then lay hundreds of eggs on your pet before she goes.