The “scratching” shows that your best friend may be getting some unwanted visitors. We’re talking about fleas and ticks, those little parasites that lodge on the body and can cause serious illnesses for your partner.
Dogs can get them in many ways, especially when they come into contact with other animals or walk in different environments. But how can you rid your pet of this kind of problem and make it happy and ready for new adventures?
In this post, we’ll give you tips on how to eliminate fleas and ticks from your everyday companion. Let’s get to it?
Diseases caused by fleas and ticks
First of all, you should know that fleas and ticks are not to be trifled with, as they can survive outside their host and reproduce very easily. There’s nothing foolish about them. After all, they usually hide around the house and, especially in the summer, reach the adult stage very quickly.
Fleas are small, while ticks are a little larger and easier to see. They usually attack mainly the back, ears, tail, and belly of your pet.
Here are some diseases that these parasites can bring to you and your friend:
intestinal worms: by eating a flea infected with Dipylidium caninum, the dog can start a worm disease in his belly, which will cause pain and anemia;
allergic dermatitis: your partner may present uncomfortable inflammations on the skin;
cat scratch: caused by a bacterium (Bartonella), this disease affects humans and can cause high fever and great weakness. It is transmitted by the bite of a flea;
tick disease: caused by the bacteria Ehrlichia and Babesia, it attacks the blood circulation. The dog presents weight loss, anemia, and apathy.
How to fight fleas and ticks
To keep your companion away from these problems, it is necessary to monitor monthly whether he is receiving these evil visitors. You can adopt some essential precautions. Check them out!
Hygiene
Keep your big friend clean by giving him a thorough bath once a week or every 15 days. At this time, you can use shampoos and flea soaps, which have a strong immediate effect.
Also, take care of cleaning the house. As they usually lodge and hide in furniture corners and dark places, pay close attention to these places. Change bedding, carpets, and curtains regularly. Keep your pet’s clothes clean.
Vacuum to eliminate flea and tick eggs. You should also fumigate your home in case of infestations. A hint about this is that the pupae, which are the flea eggs, can take months to hatch, and in this case, reapply the fumigation after 2 months as a guarantee. You can buy a product suitable for this or call a specialized company to do the job. Attention: leave your pet far away at this time, OK?
Use of medication
There are some products that combat the problem. They are
Pipettes and sprays: they last for a month and are applied to the skin. Remember to protect your friend’s eyes and muzzle during application;
Collars: they last for a few months. The substance spreads in the canine’s body through the oiliness of the skin. Its use does not necessarily hinder the use of other collars;
Pills: they last from 4 to 12 weeks. As the medicine acts in the blood, they kill the parasite the moment it bites.
These items can be combined with each other. Another tip is that you look for dual-action medications, which kill both fleas and ticks.
Removal
Remove fleas and ticks with a glove and tweezers. Pull them out by the head, so they don’t get stuck on your companion’s body. Throw them in absolute alcohol. They are eliminated immediately, with no danger of reinfestation.
Veterinarian’s appointment
Take your dog to the vet to find out the best dosage of products to combat this problem. Do frequent blood tests and see if he has been affected by any of the diseases we mentioned.
