Goodnight, may the fleas bite you all night long is a phrase we used to hear every night before bed as little kids, but we didn’t take it seriously until we got a pet at home. We all usually have a pet at home by now, whether it’s a dog, a cat, a reptile, or some small mammal. There are pleasant experiences and everything nice associated with them, but what if unexpected visitors suddenly appear? It could be mosquitoes, flies, or any other insects, but when it comes to pets, it’s fleas that worry us the most. As far as fleas are concerned, prevention is much better than getting rid of them long afterwards. In fact, most fleas are not on the animal itself, but in the environment.
- Diseases transmitted by fleas
- Flea infestations
- Dog treatment
- Household
Flea-borne diseases
In addition to the bite itself, some fleas can carry bacteria and with it diseases such as plague or typhus. Some fleas can also serve as carriers of tapeworms, so it is better to prevent fleas.
Flea infestations
Flea infestations can not only be very annoying, but in worse cases, very dangerous. Problems can range from “normal” itching, to scratching of the skin from which inflammation can arise. If there are a lot of fleas on an animal, the vet will know by taking blood. The animal will be anaemic. The manifestations in humans are similar to those in animals. Humans experience itching, an urge to scratch and an itchy rash appears over the body, most often where the skin is weakest. If an animal is troubled by fleas, they bite most often on the head, neck, groin and around the tail.
Dog Treatment
It is not only the animal that can undergo treatment, but also the environment our pet was in. There are many types of preparations that an animal can be treated with, whether they are chemical or natural based, but beware. It doesn’t mean that because a product is natural it is not toxic as most people believe. For example, there are lavender-based products. There are plenty of chemical based products, most in the form of a pipette that you drop on their backs. It is toxic to fleas and they die within a few days. Such products include Selehold, Credelio, Bravecto, or Frontline spray for example, which are available from every vet and website. We just need to be careful of weight categories so we don’t hurt the animal.
Household
When we fleece the dog, the household comes next. It’s important to think that fleas can be in the bed, on the couch, on clothes…anywhere. It’s also important to remember that fleas can survive without food for months and lay countless eggs. So if you only get rid of adult fleas, the situation will repeat itself over and over again. It is therefore necessary to vacuum thoroughly to get rid of the eggs as well. You also need to change the bags in the vacuum cleaner, as the fleas could jump out. Everything must also be washed thoroughly and a steam cleaner is not to be thrown away. Afterwards, everything is sprayed with disinfectant. One of the best known brands is Bio Kill, but beware. The product contains substances that are toxic to cats, so it is necessary to avoid contact between the cat and this cleaner. Even if you undergo all this, it is still necessary to monitor the pet and check if it starts scratching again and, if necessary, intervene immediately and repeat the same round. As mentioned. Fleas are a carrier of tapeworm, so whenever fleas are present it is also necessary to deworm the dog/cat, either with a deworming paste or a tablet, also available from pharmacies or vets. s