Protect Your Dog - Fleas & Ticks

How To Protect Your Pets From Fleas And Ticks?
A flea infestation in their pet is every dog owner's nightmare. Fleas are notoriously hard to get rid of, although they can easily find a home in your dog's thick fur. They also breed easily, and a female can lay eggs just 48 hours after her first blood meal. That's not all. A female flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day! By the time you notice a flea, there could be a full blown infestation on your hands.

Getting rid of fleas isn't the equivalent of delousing for humans. Fleas have no wings, but have incredibly powerful legs that allow them to jump as far as 16 inches at a time!

If you find your dog furiously scratching himself, and fidgety, or has trouble sleeping, you might want to check him for fleas. If you notice sores or bare patches of skin on him, you can be sure it's a flea infestation. Fleas don't adapt well to light, so you might find it hard to look for them in your dog's thick fur. Check his belly and inner thighs - you'll have a better chance of catching them in these areas. Also, check for flea dirt. Basically, these are flea droppings, and resemble crushed pepper. If you see a blackish powdery substance on his skin, pick it and crush it between your fingers. Fleas drink blood and your flea dirt should stain your fingers red.

Once you have confirmed your dog's flea attack, consult your vet about a topical application for his flea infestation. Also, consult him about the use of a flea collar. Flea collars make for an inhospitable environment for fleas, and can be quite effective for the prevention of fleas in the future. These are meant to be used judiciously because they contain toxic chemicals. Flea shampoos are also beneficial in eliminating fleas. A flea comb will allow you to comb through and look for fleas manually, but these aren't that effective. Plus, you risk cross contaminating other areas in the house or yard because fleas tend to jump such long distances and are hard to pin down.

TicksTicks belong to the arachnid family, and are blood sucking mites that leech themselves to your dog's skin, and gorge on his blood. In doing so, they can grow in size, a whopping hundred times. Unlike fleas, ticks are much harder to catch especially if your dog has a thick coat of fur. The only way to look for a tick infestation is to comb through with a comb, and look for black mites. The head, ears, feet and neck are the most popular haunts of the tick. Ticks can carry Lymes disease, and can cause severe anemia in a dog, if the infestation continues over a period of time. Tick paralysis can also result from the mite feasting on your dog's blood over a long period of time.

Ticks are fond of dampness, grassy areas and wet areas. If your dog has been out playing in the grass or woods, give him a tick check when he returns. Use tweezers to catch hold of a tick, and drop it in rubbing alcohol to kill it. Don't flush it down the toilet or throw it out - ticks are survivors!

Tick control products come in both herbal and chemical varieties. Consult your vet about the right kind of tick product to use on your dog.