My Fleep:
Pets
Pets
Fleas and Ticks
Flea and tick season is here!
Summer is here, and along with the sunny days and warmer
weather come some less than welcome guests – those nasty
fleas and ticks.
Itchy skin, excessive scratching and the possibility of
serious illnesses such as Lyme Disease or Rocky Mountain
Spotted Fever, are just a few of the annoying (and
dangerous) accompaniments to a flea or tick problem.
Fleas - Fleas are very tiny, black creatures which can
sometimes be seen crawling through your dog's fur. They're
easiest to spot around the eyes, ears and on the tummy. If
your pooch is allergic to the elements of flea-saliva he,
or she, could develop flea-allergy dermatitis. This is a
condition which causes itchy, irritated, sometimes weepy
skin, excessive scratching and the loss of hair in patches
which can sometimes be fairly large.
A flea can bite your dog up to 400 times a day, so just
imagine how bad it is when there are 20, 30 or even 100
fleas crawling around!
Ticks - Ticks can vary in size from very tiny ones, about
the size of a pin-head, to some that can be as large as a
kernel of corn – especially when engorged with blood. They
have tear-drop shaped bodies, 8 legs and can be black,
brown, tan or a dark-red color.
When it comes to nasty parasites such as fleas and ticks,
prevention is definitely better than cure and there are
many different products on the market that have been
designed to repel, kill or prevent fleas and ticks from
making their home in your dog's fur.
Products such as flea collars, sprays or powders are not
usually very effective. The best, most fast-acting and
longest-lasting protection comes from the popular topical
liquids (such as Advantage or Frontline Plus) which are
applied to your puppy's skin on a monthly basis.
You need to consider your dog's level of infestation and
choose carefully when deciding which flea, or flea and tick
medicine to use. Advantage works very quickly (killing all
fleas on your pet within 12 hours) but only kills hatched
fleas. Frontline Plus works almost as fast (killing all
fleas and ticks on your pup within 18 hours) but kills
adult fleas, eggs and larvae PLUS it kills ticks too.
Flea and tick preventatives such as Advantage or Frontline
Plus are very safe and effective if used according to the
manufacturers instructions. However, as with any kind of
medication or drug you need to be sure to follow the
instructions on the packaging very carefully.
Here are a few tips to help you kill your puppy's fleas and
ticks safely :
1. Make sure your pup is at least the min. recommended age
for the product you intend to use.
2. Follow the directions very carefully, paying close
attention to the weight guidelines. Never use a medication
meant for dogs on cats – or the other way around!
3. Wash your hands thoroughly after applying the liquid and
avoid it coming into contact with your skin or eyes.
4. Store the medicines somewhere safe and cool, away from
children or other pets.
5. If you think your puppy seems unwell or is acting in an
unusual way after treatment, seek advice from your
veterinarian promptly.
Once you have your puppy free of fleas and ticks, it's
usually a good idea to treat their bedding, blankets,
crate, carpets and soft furnishings as well. Any live fleas
in your house will continue to multiply and jump back onto
your little pup. The topical medication will then kill them
but it'll be a much faster process if you do a thorough job
of elimination in the first place.
You can buy several different kinds of sprays or ‘bombs'
(pressurized canisters of chemicals that will kill fleas)
and one treatment should be enough, unless your pup had a
severe flea problem. If that's the case, it wouldn't hurt
to do it twice or call in a professional pest control
company to treat your home.
----------------------------------------------------
To find out more about how to protect your puppy from fleas
and ticks this summer, check out our free guide at
http://www.the-puppy-dog-place.com/fleas-and-ticks.html
If you're a puppy parent (or dog owner), make your life a
little esier by taking advantage of all the free
information and resources available on our site at
http://www.the-puppy-dog-place.com
Puppies are our passion and it shows!
Flea and tick season is here!
Summer is here, and along with the sunny days and warmer
weather come some less than welcome guests – those nasty
fleas and ticks.
Itchy skin, excessive scratching and the possibility of
serious illnesses such as Lyme Disease or Rocky Mountain
Spotted Fever, are just a few of the annoying (and
dangerous) accompaniments to a flea or tick problem.
Fleas - Fleas are very tiny, black creatures which can
sometimes be seen crawling through your dog's fur. They're
easiest to spot around the eyes, ears and on the tummy. If
your pooch is allergic to the elements of flea-saliva he,
or she, could develop flea-allergy dermatitis. This is a
condition which causes itchy, irritated, sometimes weepy
skin, excessive scratching and the loss of hair in patches
which can sometimes be fairly large.
A flea can bite your dog up to 400 times a day, so just
imagine how bad it is when there are 20, 30 or even 100
fleas crawling around!
Ticks - Ticks can vary in size from very tiny ones, about
the size of a pin-head, to some that can be as large as a
kernel of corn – especially when engorged with blood. They
have tear-drop shaped bodies, 8 legs and can be black,
brown, tan or a dark-red color.
When it comes to nasty parasites such as fleas and ticks,
prevention is definitely better than cure and there are
many different products on the market that have been
designed to repel, kill or prevent fleas and ticks from
making their home in your dog's fur.
Products such as flea collars, sprays or powders are not
usually very effective. The best, most fast-acting and
longest-lasting protection comes from the popular topical
liquids (such as Advantage or Frontline Plus) which are
applied to your puppy's skin on a monthly basis.
You need to consider your dog's level of infestation and
choose carefully when deciding which flea, or flea and tick
medicine to use. Advantage works very quickly (killing all
fleas on your pet within 12 hours) but only kills hatched
fleas. Frontline Plus works almost as fast (killing all
fleas and ticks on your pup within 18 hours) but kills
adult fleas, eggs and larvae PLUS it kills ticks too.
Flea and tick preventatives such as Advantage or Frontline
Plus are very safe and effective if used according to the
manufacturers instructions. However, as with any kind of
medication or drug you need to be sure to follow the
instructions on the packaging very carefully.
Here are a few tips to help you kill your puppy's fleas and
ticks safely :
1. Make sure your pup is at least the min. recommended age
for the product you intend to use.
2. Follow the directions very carefully, paying close
attention to the weight guidelines. Never use a medication
meant for dogs on cats – or the other way around!
3. Wash your hands thoroughly after applying the liquid and
avoid it coming into contact with your skin or eyes.
4. Store the medicines somewhere safe and cool, away from
children or other pets.
5. If you think your puppy seems unwell or is acting in an
unusual way after treatment, seek advice from your
veterinarian promptly.
Once you have your puppy free of fleas and ticks, it's
usually a good idea to treat their bedding, blankets,
crate, carpets and soft furnishings as well. Any live fleas
in your house will continue to multiply and jump back onto
your little pup. The topical medication will then kill them
but it'll be a much faster process if you do a thorough job
of elimination in the first place.
You can buy several different kinds of sprays or ‘bombs'
(pressurized canisters of chemicals that will kill fleas)
and one treatment should be enough, unless your pup had a
severe flea problem. If that's the case, it wouldn't hurt
to do it twice or call in a professional pest control
company to treat your home.
----------------------------------------------------
To find out more about how to protect your puppy from fleas
and ticks this summer, check out our free guide at
http://www.the-puppy-dog-place.com/fleas-and-ticks.html
If you're a puppy parent (or dog owner), make your life a
little esier by taking advantage of all the free
information and resources available on our site at
http://www.the-puppy-dog-place.com
Puppies are our passion and it shows!
