As the warm spring weather beckons our pets back into the Great Outdoors for a little fun and frolic, it’s important for pet owners to keep in mind that fleas and ticks are hungrily awaiting their arrival as well. These parasites aren’t merely a source of irritation to dogs and cats, but also potential vectors for serious illnesses, some of which can infect people. So, pet owners are well advised to take the following proactive steps to help protect their furry friends—and themselves—from the misery and potential health risks of flea or tick infection:
Keep your lawn and landscaping manicured
Contact with blood-sucking stowaways is most likely in an outdoor environment with tall grass, wooded areas, and/or brush. If your pet spends time outside on your property, you can help reduce its risk of flea and tick exposure by keeping the lawn mowed short, cutting back any encroaching vegetation, trimming shrubbery, and promptly eliminating leaf or debris piles.
Don’t feed wildlife
The pests that feed on our beloved pets also infect common neighborhood wildlife such as raccoons, opossums, deer, foxes, coyotes, skunks, and squirrels, not to mention stray dogs and cats. Drawing these critters into your yard by putting out food (including bird feed, which can attract a wide variety of wildlife in addition to feathered fauna) is just begging for an infestation on your pet.
Practice good indoor “hygiene” To help prevent fleas from gaining a foothold indoors, vacuum your carpets, rugs, hard floors, and furnishings frequently, paying special attention to areas that your pet frequents. Adult fleas can jump right back out and into your home if given the opportunity, so be sure to remove the vacuum bag or empty the canister outdoors immediately after vacuuming. Also, frequently wash your pet’s bedding and soft toys and dry them on a highheat setting to kill any fleas along with their eggs and larvae.
Inspect your pet for pests routinely
It’s important to check your pet for fleas and ticks on a regular basis, especially after it has spent time outdoors or has been walked through a grassy, brushy, or wooded area. To inspect your dog for ticks, the American Kennel Club (AKC) recommends running your hands all its body, checking for small bumps. Focus particularly on the head and ears, the toes, the tail, the groin, the eyelids, the area under the collar, and the site where the front legs meet the body.
If you discover a tick on to your pet, it’s important to remove it promptly because the longer the tick remains attached, the greater the likelihood of disease transmission.
To remove a tick properly, use a fine-point tweezers, grasp the tick as close to your pet’s skin as possible, and slowly and gently pull straight up so the tick’s mouthparts don’t break off in the skin. There are also special tick removal hooks you can use for this purpose.
To inspect for fleas, use a flea comb and comb through your pet’s fur checking for tiny, copper-colored bugs, flea eggs, and droppings. The AKC website (akc.org) advises focusing on areas of the body where the coat is sparse or thin, such as the belly, inner sides of the hind limbs, and the armpits.
Controlling a flea infestation once discovered may involve medicated baths and other treatments/preventatives. Consult with your veterinarian to determine the best and safest approach for your pet.
Use flea and tick preventatives safely and judiciously The aforementioned preventative treatments come in a variety of forms, for example medicated chews, spot treatments, collars, etc. These products can be safe and effective for your pet but only when used appropriately and in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Again, a veterinarian is your trusted source for expert guidance when choosing a flea and tick preventative for your pet.
Practice flea and tick prevention year-round
Though the warmer months of spring and summer are considered peak flea and tick season, these pesky parasites can be problematic yearround. Fleas can thrive indoors during the winter months, and ticks can be active outdoors in temperatures as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit, so don’t assume it’s safe to relax your vigilance against these pests just because it’s cold outside. ✲
