Ahhh, the warm weather. I do love it. I could do without the back-and-forth of spring weather and winter weather, but when the days are nice, many does it do my heart good.
Nice weather is also good for our pesky friends, the flea and the tick.
I grew up in the country, so my siblings and I were riding bikes and running around in the yard until we almost couldn’t see. At the end of the day, we’d have to do a “tick check” to make sure we were free from the little bloodsuckers.
It’s also important to keep our pets protected from fleas and ticks as well because they can cause all kinds of problems.
There are a number of products on the market that will help keep fleas and ticks (and even mosquitos) off your pet. Talk to your vet about which one would be best for you. The topical solutions, like Frontline and Advantage, which are put between the shoulder blades, seem to work incredibly well.
I have also heard some folks have found success with natural flea and tick repellants, such as tea tree and lemon oil. Research the natural flea and tick repellants – you might be surprised what you find.
A word of caution, however, for felines. Cats can be very sensitive to some oils; in fact some citrus oils can be toxic to cats. To be safe, check with your vet to see what he or she would recommend for natural repellants.
If you’re out and about with your pup, it’s a good idea to check him (and your two-legged family members) over when you get home. The best way to check for ticks is to use your fingertips to comb through the hair of your dog or cat. Begin at the head and work your way down to the tail – make sure you get all the way to the skin. When you feel an odd bump, take a peek at what it is.
If you find a tick that’s already bitten in, don’t fear. You can remove it with tweezers, just be certain to remove the entire tick – head and all. Ticks have an annoying tendency to break off when you pull, leaving the tiny – still very much alive – head. The head of a tick can continue to burrow into the skin despite the fact that its body has already been destroyed.
Make sure you get the whole critter, or the problem won’t really be gone.
Itchy yet? Hold onto something, now we’re gonna talk fleas.
To check for fleas, a flea comb can be a pet owner’s dream. These nifty devices show you whether your animal suffers from the itchy affliction. To use the comb, simply sweep it through your pet’s hair from the middle of the back to the base of the tail – be sure to get down into the skin, so the comb can work its magic. Fleas get caught in the teeth of the comb and are pulled out of the hair.
Remember, although they are small, fleas are elusive, so if you don’t find any on the first try, continue to comb through your pet’s hair.
Another sure sign of a flea infestation is black specks on the teeth of the comb that resemble pepper. These little flakes could be flea dirt. To determine if they are, indeed, flea excrement, tap the comb onto a white paper towel until the dirt falls onto it. Sprinkle a few drops of water onto the towel and if the dirt turns a reddish color, it means fleas have set up residence in your furry friend.
Remember, fleas and ticks can come into the house in a variety of ways. Don’t be fooled into a false sense of security that since your pet stays indoors most of the time he is free from the threat of fleas and ticks. Human beings can be a conduit for transmitting these creatures to our animals by bringing in the parasites on our clothes from the outdoors. Ticks have also been found on clothes left to dry on a clothesline.
I know every once in a while my cats at home will have a flea on them and they never set foot in grass. I can only imagine I’m carrying them in or perhaps they’re coming through the screens on the windows (my felines love to sleep in open windows).
Fleas and ticks can be a real source of irritation for pets and owners alike, but with some knowledge and preventive measures, we can work to keep ourselves and our homes free from the pesky parasites well into the glorious summer months ahead.
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Jennifer Vanderau is the public relations coordinator for the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter and can be reached at [email protected]. The shelter accepts both monetary and pet supply donations. For more information, raders may call the shelter at 717-263-5791 or visit the website www.cvas-pets.org. CVAS also operates a thrift store in Chambersburg. Help support the animals at the shelter by donating to or shopping at the store.
