It’s that time of year again. The sun is shining, flowers are blooming, birds are chirping… and fleas and ticks are biting!! Every pet enjoys the outdoors. With the weather warming up, it’s now flea and tick season and it’s time to take precautions to keep your friend healthy.

What are the risks?

As you may already know, ticks can carry harmful bacteria. The most common tick-borne disease that your furry friend may encounter is Lyme disease. This disease is transmitted from a bacteria harbored by the tick. Early symptoms consist of rash and joint pain, yet further complications include kidney and heart failure. Other illnesses include Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Babesiosis, all of which may lead to neurological problems and organ failure.

Fleas are an even more annoying pest. These bugs cause discomfort to both your pet and the entire household. Fleas jump from host to host, so it is imminent that infestation will occur within an entire family of pets. Itching provoked by the fleas may lead to inflammation and infection of the skin. Pets may also be exposed to tapeworms transmitted by the flea. If left untreated, severe cases, or even mild cases in young pets, can cause anemia.

What can I do?

Naturally, a pet lover is going to want to keep his or her pet protected, yet chemical or drug prevention can be harmful to your pet, your family and the environment. Flea and tick “spot-on” treatments, dips, sprays, and collars contain chemicals and pesticides that can make pets and children sick. Some chemicals used in flea and tick products are believed to be carcinogenic if incidentally ingested. A “spot-on” treatment should only be considered as a last resort.

Resources:

• The Whole Dog Journal has an in-depth article on the harmful effects of “spot-on” flea & tick treatments that is a must read.
• A fantastic article detailing the facts you should know about Flea & Tick products can be found on the Humane Society’s website.

5 Steps to Flea and Tick Prevention:

1. Healthy Diet: Most of you have this step covered. A nutritious diet boosts immunity and resistance to parasites such as fleas.
2. Supplements: Garlic and B-vitamins make an animal less tasty. You may have heard garlic isn’t good for dogs but this is only the case if they eat massive quantities. Earth Animal makes a perfectly balanced supplement which we keep in stock.
3. Outdoors: Keep yard raked and grass cut short. Avoid moist, shady, and leaf-covered ground and tall grassy areas when walking your dog.
4. Indoor: Spring cleaning! Vacuum and wash floors regularly during flea season. Flea larve don’t like light so don’t forget under the furniture! It wouldn’t be a bad idea to steam clean the carpet once in a while too.
5. Grooming: After a walk, check the body for ticks. Pay close attention to the armpits, ears, eye area, between the pads of the feet, and the neck area. Comb your pet after being exposed to tick or flea harvesting areas. This can prevent attachment of the tick to the skin. A shampoo with Neem Oil is good for repelling fleas.

Related posts:

1. Natural Flea & Tick Prevention