Pet Care

Fleas

Despite what many people think fleas spend most of their time in the environment and not on the Cat or Dog that is hosting them. To your average flea animals and people are nothing more than a portable restaurant that they visit at their pleasure. While they are on the Dog/Cat they will mate and the female will lay hundreds of eggs. Within a few days the adult fleas will die, the eggs drop off and hatch in under a fortnight. Fleas breed very fast if your Cat/Dog arrives home with ten fleas within one month you could have up to 250,000 of them living with you. That's some scratching fodder!

A flea infestation can have very serious consequences for your Dog/Cat especially for the hypersensitive individual as flea Allergy causes severe itching and hair loss. The flea is also the intermediate host for tapeworm. Therefore it is important when treating your Dog/Cat for fleas to treat them for worms

If your Dog/Cat shows signs of skin irritation check their coat for fleas or their droppings. To do this place your pet on a white sheet or a white piece of paper and then comb through his coat. Moisten a piece of cotton wool and dab the specks of dirt which fall on to the paper. Wait a few moments and the blood in the flea droppings will stain the cotton wool a brownish red colour. If you find evidence of fleas on your pet you must not only treat him but you must also treat his/your environment as Dog/Cat fleas will bite you while they are waiting for a suitable canine/feline meal. Although they will not stay on humans if you are sensitive to flea bites you will soon know all about it.

Flea treatments are available in many forms: Powders, shampoos, foams, drops, tablets and sprays. The way in which they work differ from product to product. No one product is perfect for all animals in all circumstances. Some products are unsuitable for young pups or kittens and pregnant bitches or queens. As always we recommend that you ask your vet for advice on which product is suitable for your Pet and in your home. He will have access to the most up to date treatments available.

Ticks are eight legged creatures of the same family as the spider . Your pet can pick up ticks from the grass while out hunting or playing . They are visible to the naked eye but are sometimes mistaken for warts when their heads are buried in the animals skin and they can cause some serious consequences such as Skin irritation, Anaemia and hair loss. It is important that you never attempt to pull a tick straight off an animal as the head will be left behind and your pet will be susceptible to septicaemia.

One of the best ways to remove a tick is soak a piece of cotton wool in alcohol or surgical spirit and bathe the tick for a few minutes. This will send the tick to sleep and he will loosen his grip on the Dog/Cat and cat be removed with a tweezers or a tick removers (which is not very expensive and are available in pet shops) as close to the skin as possible. Another solution is to cover the tick with vaseline which suffocates the insect causing it to release its grip on your pet.

Remember that any parasites on your pet are your fault not your pets and they should not be put out of their home as a result. All these ailments are easily treated and are all preventable.