April Showers Bring….Bugs?!

By Angel M. Harris, CVA, VDT

Did you know that a female flea can lay 2,000 eggs in her lifetime?  According to one popular flea control, if all 53 million dogs in the United States each hosted a population of 60 fleas, we'd have more than six trillion flea eggs surrounding our pets. Laid end-to-end, those eggs would stretch around the world more than 76 times!  When I read that statement I couldn’t help but shudder. 

Adult fleas are not only a nuisance to pets and their owners, but can cause medical conditions such as flea bite dermatitis, tapeworms, and in cases of severe infestations, anemia. The most accurate way to diagnose a flea problem is to part your pet’s fur in several places and look for tiny, black specks known as “flea dirt”.  Place the specks on a damp piece of white tissue. If a small red spot or halo appears around the speck, it’s apparent you’re looking at flea feces, digested blood, and not plain dirt.

Fleas aren’t the only concern that arises with the coming of spring. Ticks, the tiny, bloodsucking cousins of spiders and scorpions, are carriers of a number of illnesses, such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and canine Ehrlichiosis. On our pets, ticks typically attach themselves in and around the ears, the areas where the insides of the legs meet the body, between the toes, and within skin folds.

While there are many products on the market meant to help eradicate fleas and ticks, some may not be as effective as they claim and may also be harmful for your pet.  It is important to use flea preventative, and a tick preventative if needed, all year round.  Remember to never use a flea product labeled for dogs on or in your cat.  Fortunately there are now several products that combine both safety and efficacy and options on how they are administered or applied.  Ask your veterinarian which products will be ideal for you and your pets before you buy and apply.