Fleas, Ticks & Your Dog: Everything A Responsible Dog Owner Should Know

If you own a dog you’ll appreciate it’s more than just a pet. A dog is a companion, it’s tuned to you and what you’re feeling. Your dog can support you when you’re feeling down and be a playmate when you’re feeling good.

But, owning a dog also means taking on the responsibility of looking after a dog. It’s more than just feeding them occasionally ad perhaps walking them. Dogs need stimulation, you have to play with them. They also need to be periodically checked for fleas and ticks.

If you discover either on your dog it is essential to eliminate them. You’ll probably find it’s easier to do this with the aid of your local pest control company.

Understanding Fleas

Fleas are known as incredible jumpers. They can jump straight up as much as 150 times their height. Granted this means they can jump as high as your knee. But, considering their size that’s an impressive jump.

Of course, fleas are parasites. They attach themselves to your dog and bite the dog to draw blood. The fleas lay their eggs on the skin of your dog, under the fur. These eggs then hatch and add to the collection of fleas on your dog.

Their bite is not generally dangerous but it is usually itchy and can become red and angry looking. This makes your dog scratch, telling you they have fleas. Scratching themselves can actually cause them harm as their claws are sharp.

It can be difficult to trace where the fleas have originated from. They multiple quickly and they are likely to lay eggs in your soft furnishings. This means you can eliminate the fleas from your dog and then have a new infestation shortly after.  It’s the reason you need to treat your dog and your home, and why professional help is useful.

Shampoos and flea treatments are usually very effective against fleas.

Understanding Ticks

Ticks are more dangerous for dogs than fleas. Ticks can live for long periods on a blade of grass. They can’t fly or jump. But, the grass they choose is next to a commonly used track. When your dog brushes past the grass they simply walk onto the dog.

They will then move across the skin, under the fur, and find a soft spot to connect. Ticks bite the dog and latch on, sucking their blood until the tick is full. It will then fall off, ready to reproduce.

The problem with ticks is that they can carry an array of diseases, some of which can be deadly to your dog. This is why, if you think the ticks are in your yard, you should find out more from your local experts and get them eliminated.

To prevent ticks you can give your dog tick repellant. However, if the tick is on your dog it is very important to remove it with tweezers or a special tick remover tool. This allows you to grasp the base of the tick and remove it whole. If you don’t, and any part of the tick is left in the dog, it can become infected.

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