- What are fleas?
Fleas are small insects measuring approximately 1 to 2 mm. adult fleas live in the hair and bedding of dogs, cats and other animals and feed on their blood. The adult females lay eggs (up to 500 per day per flea) which fall from the animal and spread through its environment, before hatching in the form of larvae. The larvae nest in carpets, upholstery, or small crevices, then form a sticky cocoon and enter the pupa stage. The pupae can remain in this state for two years. The adult flea only emerges when it senses the presence of a favorable host nearby. It is based on signals such as vibrations or carbon dioxide levels. She then uses the power of her paws to jump on the
- How do I know if my dog has fleas?
Carefully examine your dog for these small, black insects that move quickly through your pet’s coat. If few fleas are present, only their droppings will be visible as small black spots. Fleas produce these excrements after sucking blood from the dog. To confirm the presence of fleas, use a fine flea comb and run it over the animal’s hair. Use a piece of damp cotton to pick up the small black packets extracted using the comb. If it is flea droppings, the spots will turn red-brown as the blood pigment dissolves.
Some dogs tolerate fleas well and scratch very little. Others develop a serious allergic reaction to flea saliva and bites. Sometimes they frantically scratch and chew on their necks, ears, thighs, and the base of their tails. Your dog may also spin around quickly to bite when a flea bites him. In extreme cases, your dog’s skin may peel and become discolored. Hair loss and secondary bacterial infections might also take place.
- How to control fleas?
Since most of the flea life cycle takes place in the environment and not on the dog, it is very important to limit this risk factor. Using a preventative topical treatment can kill adult fleas before they produce too many eggs. In addition, a product such as a Program, which interrupts the life cycle by preventing the development of juvenile stages, can be very useful. Environmental sprays also work to eradicate fleas from the environment. On the other hand, remember that nothing can kill the pupae.
- Why shouldn’t we wait for fleas to appear?
Prevention is very important when it comes to flea control. Trying to control and eradicate an existing flea problem can be frustrating, laborious, and expensive. As 95% of the problem is caused by the environment, even giving your dog the best flea treatment will not prevent new fleas from hatching in the environment, jumping on your dog, and biting him. If a flea infestation develops in your home, it usually takes three months to get the problem under control. During this time, administer a good topical treatment each month to all the animals in the house, and use an environmental spray in your home. A fast-acting product like Cap star may help kill the first fleas already present on your dog but will have no lasting effect. You must therefore combine it with a topical treatment.
- What are the dangers of fleas?
Flea bites are irritating. Fleas can also carry the tapeworm, causing flea allergy dermatitis (FPAD), hair loss (due to scratching), and secondary skin irritations. In large quantities, fleas can cause anemia, especially in puppies and kittens where it can be fatal.
- What is the best treatment for dogs with flea allergy dermatitis (FPAD)?
If your dog suffers from a skin condition, only your veterinarian will be able to establish a diagnosis and suggest a treatment. He may need to perform tests to determine the cause of the condition. If a diagnosis of DAPP is made, you must be extremely vigilant to avoid any flea infestation. Since the goal is to prevent bites, you should use a product that kills adult fleas and removes as many phases of flea development as possible. Combine a product that kills adult fleas with an insect growth regulator (IGR) or insect growth inhibitor (ICI) These simple topical treatments kill adult fleas and prevent the formation of eggs and larvae.
If your dog participates in a flea control program and still suffers from occasional attacks, you can calm the itching with products recommended by your veterinarian.
- Do fleas only live in dirty homes?
The only way to prevent fleas from occurring is to use year-round preventative flea treatments on your dog. Unfortunately, even a well-kept home can become infested with fleas if the dog does not receive proper treatment. The larvae can lodge so deeply in cracks and crevices that even careful suction cannot dislodge the pupae.
- How do I use a flea comb to check for fleas?
Start by combing the dog’s hindquarters and head, areas where fleas tend to nest. Also, look for flea droppings in these areas.
- What is the difference between insect growth regulators (IGRs) and insect growth inhibitors (ICIs)?
RCIs and ICIs are used in some monthly flea preventative products to eliminate the flea in its immature form.
An RCI mimics the flea’s juvenile growth hormone. This hormone prevents the flea from growing to its mature form. Normally, the larva develops as the level of juvenile growth hormone drops. Because the RCI keeps growth hormone levels from dropping, the young flea never reaches adulthood. Her molt fails and she eventually dies. ICIs inhibits the synthesis of a substance called chitin (the outer “envelope” of the insect, which protects it). Chitin is necessary for the formation of the hard skin envelope (cuticle) of the flea.
RCI and ICI do not kill adult fleas. For optimal effectiveness, they must be combined with an adulticidal product (which kills adult fleas). Because RCIs and ICIs mimic insect hormones or alter a process unique to insects (chitin production), they are very safe for humans to use.
- What is the lifespan of the chips?
Normally, the complete life cycle of the flea, from egg to larva, pupa, and then adult form, lasts about 15 days. However, under inhospitable conditions (cold temperatures or absence of a host, for example), the pupal stage may go dormant. This period can extend the life cycle of the flea to over a year. When the pupa senses vibrations, carbon dioxide, or warmth indicating that an animal host is near, it completes its maturation and emerges from its cocoon.
- What are ticks?
Ticks are small, round, light gray insects that feed on the blood of animals. Their size varies. When engorged with blood, they can reach the size of a pea. They can be lodged all over the dog’s body, but most often cling to the ears, face, or abdomen, where the layer of hair is relatively thin. Ticks only feed during a certain period of their life. Their peak activity is from March to June and from August to November. They mainly live outdoors in tall grass and moorland, but they can also survive in cracks and crevices in the walls or floor of a doghouse.
- How do I know if my dog has ticks?
Adult ticks attach themselves to your dog’s skin. They look like a small, smooth wart or blister containing blood. If your dog only has a few ticks, they may have very little effect on him. Occasionally, his skin may become irritated in response to an allergy to the sting. In case of severe infestation, anemia may occur. embedded fully ticks on dogs can be vectors of diseases, which they transmit to the dog by biting it.
- What diseases can a tick transmit to my dog?
Ticks are responsible for transmitting diseases to dogs. These illnesses may vary by geographic area.
Lyme disease, or borreliosis, is a disease transmitted by ticks to humans, dogs, and cats. The disease tends to spread more often and in more places. Therefore, all dog owners should learn to recognize its symptoms:
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Anemia
- Jaunice
- blood in urine
Ticks can transmit diseases to animals and humans. The main disease transmitted to dogs by ticks is babesiosis. Babesia, a parasite, gets into red blood cells. Symptoms of the disease are shortness of breath, fever, red urine, and sudden death.
- How to control ticks?
When you remove a tick from your dog’s body, you need to be careful that its mouthpart does not stick to your pet’s skin. Otherwise, irritation, infection, or abscess may occur. To avoid it, it is better to use special tick tweezers or ask your veterinarian to remove the tick. There are many preparations that kill ticks on the market. By using them regularly on your dog, you will be able to avoid an infestation. You can also use a tick remover for dogs to get the job done.
- How can I reduce my dog’s risk of exposure to ticks?
Avoiding walking dogs in the forest reduces their risk of exposure to fleas and ticks. You can also rake leaves and cut tall grass in your garden to reduce the number of insects. However, a dog playing outside can easily pick up fleas and ticks, so we recommend the preventative approach. Also, remember that in heavily infested areas, prevention cannot be 100% effective. It is therefore important to examine your dog’s coat for ticks after each walk.
- Can I stop worrying about fleas and ticks as winter approaches?
Flea and tick prevention should be practiced all year round. In winter, fleas thrive in homes with central heating, and although ticks are easier to catch in warm weather, they are also present in spring and fall.
