Dog Parasites - How To Stop Fleas And Ticks from Infesting Your Home

Ticks and fleas in dogs are as natural as having to see frogs and crickets by the pond; or to catch bees and butterflies in our rose patch. But because vermin are not welcome in our home, any person who has or intends to keep a dog in his abode ought to have some basic information about these two parasites that characteristically swarm our furry friends.

Dog fleas are six legged wingless little insects that measure about 1.5 To 3.3 Mm long. It is very agile and can jump either horizontally or vertically up to 200 times its own height. Their body is firm and polished with tiny hairs. They have an armor-like shell that provides defense to finger pricks and pressure. They feed on their hosts' blood by piercing and sucking using their tube-like mouth.

Fleas - Life Cycle and Habitation
Per day, an adult female flea can lay up to 50 eggs. A healthy well fed pair of these micro-monsters living in a very convenient environment and perfect climate can produce around 20,000 nasty fleas in 3 months! They lay the eggs on their host and consequently these eggs hatch after two days or two weeks after. The larvae in order to survive, feeds on tiny food fragments. After some time, it can transform into miniature pupae which, later on, will hatch into a new batch posing health problems to the dog but also to its owner! It is important to keep in mind the life cycle of the flea before considering what kind of preventive measure you are going to undertake. This could give you a better chance of breaking the cycle of procreation.

To find out if your canine friend is infested with fleas, you can check for these common signs:
- Look for flea dirt. Test if these are excreta from fleas by wiping them using a damp paper cloth or towel. A noticeable dash of blood red on your paper towel will confirm infestation.
- Use of flea comb.
- Bald patches due to skin irritation or excessive scratching, redness, and tiny red spots on your dog’s complexion

Once flea infestation is confirmed, your next best move is to consult a professional veterinarian concerning preventive measures that will suit your pet, and will be safe for you and the whole family.

Ticks on the other hand is a close relative of a spider. They are eight legged arachnid that are known to spread diseases like Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Tick paralysis. The most conventional among its genus that feed on dogs are wood tick, brown dog tick, and the deer tick; they all thrive in woods and shrubby areas.

Unlike fleas, ticks are slow movers, in this way they can easily be spotted and removed with the help of cotton buds dipped in antiseptic, and tweezers. They’re frequently found between the dog’s armpits, inside ear flaps, between digits and paw pads, tail, inside thighs, et cetera.
Using the tweezers, grasp the tick firmly, then, gently rock the bug back and forth until it lets go. Avoid contact with the tick’s bodily fluid by wearing surgical accessory or plastic bag. To prevent local infection on the spot where the ticks were removed, a dab of antiseptic is recommended.

To control tick invasion, begin to look for places that are appropriate for them to breed. Trim frequently garden grass or damp bushes. Over-the-counter medicated shampoos and other products in spray and powder form may also help. On the other hand, drop by your certified vet for recommendation on proper dog grooming techniques and home measures to make sure that you and your pet are safe from ticks and fleas.




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