Tips For Dealing With Flea And Tick Season

Flea and tick season brings some pesky concerns for your pets and family. These little pests can cause many issues ranging from small annoyances to major health problems. These can include:

-Bites

-Itchiness

-Skin Disorders

-Infections

-Allergic Reactions

-Spread of Tapeworm

-Lyme Disease

-Spread of other Parasites

Many preventative actions can be taken to lower the risk of infestations of fleas and ticks. With a little bit of work upfront, you can stop a much bigger headache later on! These tips will help you both monitor for, and prevent infestation:

-Comb your pet regularly with a flea comb.

-Vacuum often and empty the vacuum after each use.

-Frequently mow the areas of your lawn where your pets visit.

-Walk through your lawn in a pair of long white socks to monitor flea and tick activity.

-Wash pet bedding weekly.

-Regularly bathe your pet with pet-friendly shampoo.

-Keep cats indoors.

-Remove any ticks by using tweezers and pulling straight out. Grip ticks gently and as close to the surface as possible. Consider purchasing a specialized tick removal tweezer to have on-hand during tick season.

Fleas, flea eggs, and ticks can be found all throughout the outdoors. Grass, soil, sidewalks and streets are all potential areas for your pet to pick up these pests. To play it safe, many people treat their pet to help prevent infestation no matter where they go. When you treat your pet make sure to remember these tips:

-Choose the best product type to fit your lifestyle. There are shampoos, sprays, powders, and liquid treatments. These vary in effectiveness and frequency in which they need reapplied.

-Always follow the product’s directions exactly. Some of these treatments can be harmful if not used correctly.

-Never use a dog treatment on cats or a cat treatment on dogs. Some ingredients are harmless for one, but harmful for the other.

-Use a treatment compatible with your dog’s size. Don’t “double up” two small dog portions to equal one large portion or vice versa.

-Check to make sure your treatment is compatible with your pet’s age. There may be concerns treating puppies and kittens or elderly pets.

-Talk to a veterinarian about any treatment questions.