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Fleas
Ounce-for-ounce, few creatures can inflict
more discomfort than fleas. These tiny pests can hop onto
your dog unobserved to feed on its blood and lay eggs, producing
yet another generation. Fleas can make life miserable for
people and dogs alike, disrupting your household with a nasty
cycle of biting and scratching and in some pets causing flea
allergy dermatitis or anemia.
- Where Fleas Hide: Fleas
eggs, larvae and pupae can hide in a number of flea-friendly
locations around your home like furniture, carpeting and
shaded areas. Take a look at some of their favorite hideouts!
These are also the same places your dog spend most of its
time.
- Flea Life Cycle: The
flea life cycle can be as short as a few weeks or can last
several months - plenty of time to be mighty irritating
to you and your dog. Here are the four stages of a fleas
development.
- How Fleas Affect Dogs: Fleas
don't just make your dog itchy - they may actually make
it ill. Fleas aren't choosy - dogs of all ages and breeds
are susceptible.
How Fleas Can "Bug"
Your Pets
Flea Infestation Warning Signs
Be aware of the following warning
signs that indicate the presence of fleas on your dog:
Black specks- Black specks
on your dog or in your dog's bed could be what's commonly
called "flea dirt," which is actually adult flea feces.
Here are two easy ways to check for black specks:
- Use a metal flea comb, available
from your veterinarian.
Run the comb over your dog, making sure the comb reaches
the skin through the coat. If you see black specks on
the comb when you've finished, they could be flea dirt.
If there are actually fleas on the comb, drown them in
a bowl of soapy water before they can hop away or jump
back on your dog.
- Use a white paper towel. Place
a white paper towel beneath your dog and rub your hands
across its fur. If black specks appear on the towel, they
may be flea dirt.
Agitation and scratching- Dogs
infested with fleas may become unusually nervous and agitated
and will scratch excessively.
Don't delay - If
you observe black specks or agitation and scratching, be
sure to consult your veterinarian immediately. Used as directed,
FRONTLINE® Plus (fipronil/(S)-methroprene)
from Merial can eliminate your pet's existing fleas and
keep fleas from reinfesting your dog.
Flea-Bite-Related Illnesses
Fleas are responsible for flea allergy
dermatitis, or FAD, and anemia.
Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD)- Your
dog may develop FAD as a reaction to the small amount of
saliva fleas leave in the skin after biting an animal. Dogs
suffering from FAD scratch and bite excessively around the
tail, groin, or backside and may also develop scabs or bumps
on the neck or back.
Anemia- Puppies,
older dogs, and dogs with pre-existing illnesses maybesusceptible
to flea-bite-induced anemia. Symptoms include pale gums,
weakness and lethargy.
Regular applications of FRONTLINE
Plus may lower your dog's risk of facing fleas which can cause
flea-bite-related ailments. If you see signs of FAD or anemia
in your dog, don't wait - consult your veterinarian right
away.
Ticks
Ticks attach to dogs to feed. You might
not even notice these minute pests on your doguntil the ticks
have fed so much that they've become engorged. Worse yet,
ticks may transmit diseases that can cause potentially serious
dog-health problems.
- Tick Life Cycle: A
tick's existence is a hungry and hardy one. They can actually
live for several years. Take a look below to follow the
surprisingly long life cycle of a tick!
- How Ticks Affect Dogs: If
your dog is bitten by a tick, the results can be serious.
Listed below are many ways tick bites can endanger your
dog!
Tick-Borne
Diseases Can Affect Your Dog's Health
Tick-borne diseases such as Lyme
disease, ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever can
vary in severity from mild to fatal in dogs.
- Lyme disease in dogs can be
characterized by fever and lameness and they may become
chronic. Neurological, cardiac, kidney, and reproductive
signs may also occur. The deer tick is a vector which may
carry Lyme disease.
- Ehrlichiosis in dogs is typically
characterized by an acute phase that may be followed by a
chronic phase. Signs may include: loss of appetite, depression,
stiffness, coughing, difficulty breathing, and swelling
of the scrotum or limbs. Dogs can recover spontaneously
or the disease may become chronic and may affect the dog's
bone marrow and organs. Signs are consistent with the particular
organs affected. A principal vector is the brown dog tick.
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
(also called tick fever) in dogs typically affects dogs
that are outdoors frequently. Signs may include: fever,
loss of appetite, arthritis, coughing, difficulty breathing,
and swelling of the face or extremities. Neurological and
vascular signs may also occur. The disease is transmitted
by the American dog tick.
Talk to your veterinarian about the best
way to remove ticks you find on your dog. You'll also want
to discuss how to protect your dog from ticks that may transmit
potentially serious diseases.
Prevention:
the Best Way to Keep Fleas and Ticks from "Bugging" Your Household
When used monthly, FRONTLINE Plus kills
fleas and ticks on your dog and prevents reinfestation. FRONTLINE
Plus is easy to use and highly effective. Research has verified
that 98-100% of fleas are killed within 24 hours of FRONTLINE
Plus application.
It's simple to stay on top of your dog's
application schedule for FRONTLINE Plus- click here
to sign up for Reminder Services, free from Merial.com!
You can limit your dog's exposure to
fleas by taking a few simple steps to eliminate as many immature
fleas (eggs, larvae, and pupae) as possible:
- VACUUM frequently
wherever your dog has been, especially your car, carpeted
areas, and any furniture your pets climb on. (Admit it,
the dog does jump up on that sofa when you're not looking).
- Wash your
dog's bedding, blanket and other washable items regularly
in the hottest water possible. Check the laundering instructions
for appropriate water temperatures for your dog's washables.
- TAKE CARE OF YOUR YARD by
mowing your lawn and raking up leaves, brush and clippings.
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