The soft, warm fur of dogs and cats provides the perfect environment for fleas and ticks, and ears are a favourite for ear mites.
Fleas are the most common cause of skin disease in dogs and cats. When a flea bites, it injects saliva into your pet’s skin. This may trigger an allergic reaction. Signs include intense itching, hair loss (especially just in front of the tail), scabs, and red irritated skin, which may lead to skin infections.
Fleas are small and move fast, so can be hard to see. The easiest way to find fleas on a cat or dog is to use a special fine-toothed flea comb, which can scoop up fleas and their dirt. Check under their neck, around the base of the tail and belly especially.
Other signs your pet has fleas include:
If you see one flea, then you have a flea problem. Knowing the flea life cycle helps us to understand how cats and dogs can continually get fleas, as adult fleas are just a small portion of the flea population.
There are four stages of the flea life cycle:
Therefore, it is important to regularly vacuum your house, wash your pet’s bedding, and treat the environment and your pets.
Containing an insect growth regulator to break the breeding cycle, flea bombs offer a simple, fast, and long-lasting solution for killing eggs, larvae, and adult fleas in your home.
Flea bombs are recommended if you have a serious infestation of fleas which also means that you and members of your household will also be being bitten along with your pets.
You and your pets will need to stay outside of your home while the product works. Read the directions to know when it is safe to return inside.
There is a range of options available, including spot-on flea treatment, flea collars, flea shampoo, flea powder, flea tablets and chews.
Choosing a flea treatment depends on the age of your pet, whether they are pregnant or lactating, do they swim regularly, how frequently you want to give the treatment, what format will your pet best tolerate or is easiest for you to give, and do you want one that also kills worms, ticks, and ear mites?
There is a range of fantastic and effective options available, if you are needing any further advice or have any questions then don't hesitate to get in touch.
Ticks crawl on tall grass and shrubs and wait for a host, like your dog or cat, to pass by. They can wait for a year without feeding and are more common in Spring and warmer climates.
You can feel ticks when you stroke your cat or dog and you can see them. They most often attach near the head, neck, ears, eyes, or paws.
Tick bite symptoms include irritation, anaemia and may lead to an abscess.
If you see a tick on your pet, do not pull it off, as that leaves the head behind. To remove a tick at home, try a little Vaseline to suffocate it, causing the tick to drop off. Call us if you need help.
The most convenient tick treatment is one combined with a pet’s flea treatment.
Ear mites are usually found in the ear canal, but they can also live on the skin's surface. Ear mites are highly contagious, and animals become infested by direct contact with another infested animal. The mite is small and barely visible to the naked eye.
Infestations are a common problem in puppies and kittens, although pets of any age can be affected.
Many flea treatments are also effective for controlling ear mites.
The above information is provided as an educational guide only and is not a substitute for advice from your pet’s healthcare professionals. If your pet’s symptoms continue, you are concerned about them, or want further information, please don’t hesitate to contact us!
