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When it comes to truly elevating a pet’s health and wellness, the lion’s share easily goes to preventive practices. We brush their teeth regularly, exercise them daily, and feed them a balanced diet all in an effort to keep them healthy and happy for as long as possible. Flea and tick prevention works the same way. We not only guard against the irritation parasites inevitably bring, but defend our pets from the terrible illnesses spread by fleas and ticks, too.
Resistance Versus Obstruct
If you’ve never fought a flea infestation or removed a blood-bloated tick from a pet’s skin, you are very lucky indeed. In fact, most pets will face problems associated with parasites at least once. We can assure you that it’s far better, easier, and less expensive to block any potential attacks launched by fleas and ticks than to try to eliminate them.
Common Carriers
Every single year like clockwork, we face challenges brought by fleas and ticks. Cases definitely climb in the summertime, but the reality is that these parasites are year-round threats to pet health.
Spread easily by the hosts including coyotes, raccoons, rodents, turkey, deer, and opossums, fleas and ticks can survive mild winters, and thrive inside the home.
Frightful Ticks
Ticks have earned their terrible reputation because they spread serious diseases like Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Ehrlichiosis, Babesiosis, and canine anaplasmosis. Left undetected, a blood-sucking tick can transmit Lyme disease in less than 2 days.
Luckily, if a pet is up to date with their parasite prevention medication, these ticks won’t make it long enough to infect their host. If you notice a tick on your pet, they must be removed immediately and properly. Please let us know if you need help to fully remove the tick.
Don’t Forget the Fleas
The life cycle of fleas makes it hard to tackle a flea infestation. A single flea that lands on a pet can lay up to 40 eggs a day. These eggs take 2-4 weeks to hatch, but in the right conditions of heat and humidity, flea larvae hatch on carpeting, upholstery, and organic matter in the yard. They develop into pupae for up to 9 months, simply waiting for the right temperatures to claim adulthood status. At this stage, fleas look for prey to feed and lay eggs on, initiating the flea life cycle all over again.
As a result, the best strategy to hinder fleas is a year-round one. Administering your pet’s parasite prevention on a year-round basis can protect them from the unfortunate challenges caused by fleas, including flea atopic dermatitis.
Tick and Flea Prevention
The good news is that there are many choices for pet owners. Some pets don’t abide by oral medications, so there are topical options. Generally, taking one parasite prevention medication can thwart both fleas and ticks from affecting your pet. Plus, they are protected from heartworm disease, ear mites, hookworms, and roundworms, too.
Your team at True Care Veterinary Hospital puts your pet’s health first. If you have any questions about our methods for tick and flea prevention, please call us at (732) 677-2180.