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FLEAS, FLEAS and OTHER PARASITES
Now that the
winter snows seem to be behind us and all our thoughts are turning to spring we
need to take a moment to consider the needs of our four legged friends at this
time of year. We will be out enjoying
the outdoors more and of course we will have our pets with us. This is the time of year that the external
parasites (fleas, ticks, mosquitoes) all begin to gear up for their yearly
attack against our pets. These insects
are a major nuisance but they can also be deadly.
First let's
consider fleas. The average flea will
live less than 21 days as an adult. Once
she emerges as an adult her only goal in life is to seek out a host (our pets)
and suck blood. When the flea finds a
host she jumps on it immediately and will take a 'blood meal' within 5 minutes
of getting on your pet. She does this
because she needs the blood to produce her eggs. She then will produce roughly 50 eggs a day
(this equals a thousand flea eggs in 21 days).
I have personally seen an adult Boxer die from anemia due to having so
many fleas. There are many way to
prevent and to kill fleas on your pet and around your house. We would be happy to assist you in formulating
a plan to stop these pesky critters.
Ticks will
normally be waiting out in the grass to ambush the next passerby it feels (they
don't have eyes). It will grab whatever
comes by and if it happens to be a leaf they will let go and then wait for you
or your pet. Ticks are the worst to me
because they carry so many different diseases.
The disease that most everyone is familiar with is Lyme disease but that
is only the surface of what these pests carry.
Most of the ticks are transported from place to place by deer. That's right, next time you see that
beautiful deer eating your Hosta realize that it is nothing but a 'Tick
Taxi'. The best way to combat ticks is
by using Frontline monthly on your pet or by using a Preventic Collar. We can certainly assist you in choosing
between the choices.
With the return
of warmer weather the mosquitoes will be back to affect everything we do
outdoors. The most serious thing that
they do will be to carry heartworms to our faithful companions, dogs and CATS. This is easily prevented by having your pet
tested yearly for heartworms and placing and keeping them on monthly
preventative. We carry Interceptor and
Sentinel for dogs and we recommend Revolution for cats to prevent heartworms
(this also does a great job to prevent fleas, but only in cats).
If you would
like more information to combat any of these pests, please ask a staff member
or myself when I am examining your pet.
There are as many different protocols as there are pests so let us
discuss your individual needs and help you set up a plan to keep these insects
at bay. We will be glad to help you
control if not eradicate these potentially deadly nuisances.
Dr. Watts
Newsletter Archives
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2009 Newsletters
FLEAS, FLEAS and OTHER PARASITES
Canine Influenza
Welcome to the season of Ragweed and Goldenrod
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