Fleas and Ticks
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©1996, 1997 HomeVet
General
Flea Information
Fleas
are small, brown or black, wingless insects with flattened
bodies. Several types of fleas infest the haircoats
of animals, and some may occasionally feed on people.
These blood-sucking insects cause considerable irritation
and distress to infested pets. Severe infestations may
lead to anemia from blood loss. Fleas spread the common
dog and cat tapeworm, and carry several viral and bacterial
diseases. Flea bites also cause skin allergies, rashes
and sores on both pets and their owners.
The best places
to look for fleas on your pet are the hindquarters,
base of the tail, stomach and groin regions. Sometimes
no fleas are found but only tiny, black granules that
resemble black pepper. This material is flea feces and
consists of digested blood ("flea dirt"). To distinguish
this material from dirt, smudge it on white paper or
add a drop of water to it. If you see a reddish-brown
color, your pet has fleas, even if you can find none.
After taking
a blood meal, fleas drop off the animal and deposit
their eggs in cracks, crevices and carpeting. A single
breeding pair of fleas may produce 20,000 fleas in 3
months.
Eggs hatch after
2-12 days into larvae that feed in the environment.
Larvae molt 2 times within 2-200 days and the older
larvae spin a cocoon in which they remain for 1 week
to 1 year. The long period during which the larvae remain
in the cocoon explains why fleas are difficult to eradicate
from the environment. A hungry adult flea emerges from
the cocoon.
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Flea
Control and Insecticides
Since
both your pet and its environment contain fleas in various
stages of development, a flea-control program must consider
fleas on the pet and in the environment.
We are all concerned
about insecticide exposure to you, your pets and our
environment. The best organic method of flea control
is daily use of a flea comb (a special fine-toothed
comb which can be purchased in any pet store) on your
pet and thorough vacuuming of the environment.. Avon
Skin So Soft, and brewers yeast/garlic change the odor
of your pet's skin, and will help repel fleas. These
natural products however are not useful in flea infestation.
When using insecticides
to eradicate fleas, you must apply them correctly and
at proper intervals. All pets and the environment itself
must be treated to eradicate fleas. In severe infestations,
it is advisable to employ a professional exterminator
for house and yard treatment.
The oral insect
growth regulator Programr is a unique product designed
to prevent flea infestation. Think of Program as flea
birth control. By breaking the flea life cycle it will
prevent infestations in the home. It is not an insecticide
and therefore is not toxic to your pet. It also does
not kill fleas. Adult fleas must be controlled using
previously mentioned techniques.
Your veterinarian
will help you tailor a flea control program for your
individual situation. If you need to use insecticides
be sure to keep them away from children. Read the container's
label carefully when using chemicals and insecticides.
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General
Tick Information
Ticks
are blood-sucking parasites that infest most animals
and sometimes people. Their life cycle is complex and
involves one or more species of animals as hosts. Female
ticks deposit their eggs in the environment after a
blood meal.
Ticks attach
to the skin and feed on the animal's blood. Tick bites
may become infected, and some ticks produce a toxin
that can cause paralysis and even death. Ticks also
spread several serious diseases of animals and people,
such as Lyme disease , [Use
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to this page] ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted
fever.
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How
to Remove Ticks
If only
a few ticks are present on an animal, they may be plucked
off individually. Tweezers should be used to remove
the ticks as ticks may carry organisms infectious to
people. To remove a tick, grab the head firmly while
gently depressing the skin around the tick. Pull straight
out without twisting. After removing a tick swab the
area well with peroxide or alcohol. A red raised area
is normal if the tick was embedded, and does not mean
that your pet will get Lyme disease.
If you are unable
to remove the head along with the body of the tick,
usually your pet will eventually eliminate it as it
would with any other superficial foreign material. Watch
for any signs of infection, e.g. pain, oozing etc, in
the area. Call your veterinarian if the area looks infected.
The Trix Tick Remover is available in the HomeVet.com Online Store!
Please note:
The information provided here is meant to supplement
that provided by your veterinarian. Nothing can replace
a complete history and physical examination performed
by your veterinarian. - Dr. Jeff
I greatly value your feedback. Please let me know what
you think of this site and what you would like to see
on it. drjeff@homevet.com
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Last modified
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