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Bean Town Dogs
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Flea and Tick Prevention

The return of spring brings with it new buds on the trees and unfortunately "bugs".
Some of these are not simply pesky but may harmful to our pets and the people
who care for them as well. Parasites can be divided into 2 groups external and
internal. The focus of today's article will be on external parasites or those that
infest the "outside" of our pets.

Pet owners in New England are no strangers to fleas - they love our wet and warm
summers. Luckily recent studies on fleas have brought about a better
understanding of the biology of the flea and have enabled us to design much more
effective flea control programs. It is important for us to understand how the flea
lives and survives in order to combat them. Adult fleas lay eggs while on the host
(that would be Princess!). These eggs then fall off your pet and are deposited
anywhere your animal travels. The largest burden of eggs will be where your pet
spends the most time. Prime examples of these hot spots are sofas, chairs, rugs
and beds. Fleas have an extremely high reproductive capacity and may lay up to
hundreds of eggs per day. The flea eggs develop into larvae. Nourishment for the
larvae is provided by adult fleas in the form of partially digested blood deposited
as reddish-black fecal pellets, otherwise known as "flea dirt". The larval stage
usually lasts 1-2 weeks then it produces a cocoon in which to develop further. The
cocoons are very hardy and resistant to insecticides. Before the fully developed
adult flea emerges from the cocoon it can remain there for several weeks until a
suitable conditions present themselves - in which case it can emerge in a matter of
moments. I'm sure many of us have experienced this "syndrome" when moving into
a new apartment or home!!

Fleas are definitely a case of "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".
Aside from the bites that they give Fido and some of the "sweeter" people in your
home, some pets are allergic to flea saliva and can have an intense reaction to
even a single flea bite every couple of weeks. There are many products available
on the market today to help prevent infestations. They are aimed at either killing
the adults or killing the eggs/larvae. Most are effective when used as directed.
Please consult your veterinarian for the product that will be work and be safe for
your pet. Please remember to use caution and a healthy dose of common sense
when choosing flea products. Never use a product intended for dogs on cats - this
can cause serious problems such as seizures, coma or even death. Remember
that there are often age restrictions with different products - be extra careful with
young animals. Sick animals and exotic pets should not be treated without advice
from your veterinarian.

Just a quick note on ticks which are an emerging problem particularly in the
wooded areas. Certain species of ticks can be vectors for disease in certain parts
of the world; Lyme Disease, for example, is a disease that is caused by a bacteria
that can be transmitted by the deer tick. Most of the ticks we are seeing tend to be
primarily wood ticks. While they are generally not carriers of disease, they can
infest your pet, especially in wooded areas. There are many effective products
available and your veterinarian is excellent source of information on tick
prevention. So happy and parasite-free spring!

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it's

flea and tick

season