Fleas are the most common parasite that will try to attack you dog. Pets get fleas while coming into contact with other animals, or staying outside for too long. In other words, sooner or later, it will be inevitable that your dog will have a flea or two pestering it. This is true for all dogs, regardless of breed, gender or age group. Fleas it seems, are not at all discriminatory! These dark brown insects love bothering your pet, as they tend to do with most warm blooded mammals. They have strong back legs, meaning that they can hop around from one host to the other. If left untreated, your pet?s flea problem could even extend to you or your family members. This is something to be taken quite seriously.
Luckily, fleas are not microscopic, which means that you can easily see them running over the surface of your dog?s skin. Most of them inhabit the furrier areas of your pet, as they dislike light. Some fleas also leave ?flea dirt? on the dog?s skin. This ?dirt? is actually feces and contains your dog?s blood. If you wipe the area with a wet towel and it spreads like a bloodstain, then your dog most likely has fleas.
When spotting these insects, it is a good idea to use flea removal formulas. These can be both chemical and non-chemical. If you use chemical ones and your dog?s body reacts negatively to it, consider non-chemical options instead. Chemical flea removers come in the form of sprays or pills that your dog ingests. Non-chemical removers are mostly shampoos that you use to wash your dog?s skin. No matter your option, it is important to note that removing fleas requires effort and time, as such a problem cannot be solved in a day or a few hours.
Ticks on the other hand can be much worse. Their bite is very painful and can produce a nasty rash. The worst thing about ticks however is that they can carry a host of diseases. You have probably heard about Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever. These are very dangerous to humans, but can affect your dog as well. If you spot symptoms that seem to indicate your dog has been bitten by a tick, contact your local vet immediately, as they can vaccinate your pet or provide antibiotic treatment.
Make sure your dog is always safe when summer time comes!
