How to treat pets for ticks and lice
A time of impossible green, blossom hailstones, and fingers of sunlight dappling new oak leaves. Unfortunately, a time also when the various pet parasites are on the move.
In addition to the flea and lice threat, when you live in a rural area you may well have the deeply unpleasant tick threat to deal with as well.
The tick, which starts its cycle as a tiny flat grey blob, latches onto an animal with a vice-like grip and in a spectacularly short space of time, gorges itself on blood until it resembles a sizeable beige blob. If left undetected, it will eventually become bloated, die and fall off its unwitting host.
If this happens in the house and you tread on it, it’s not a pleasant experience.
The whole process is a bit like a scene out of Alien, an image not improved by the knowledge that the tick can also survive quite happily on humans. To make matters worse, some species carry unpleasant infections such as Lyme disease. I’ve always believed that this is a good time of year to get ahead of the game, particularly when there’s a St Bernard in the equation. And Daisy is a dog whose broad expanses must have the local parasite population convinced they’ve discovered a whole new continent to colonise.
It’s not just that her deep pile tan and white coat looks fabulous after it’s all over although it definitely does. It’s also that this is a good time to assume the defensive position. A medicated bath followed by one of the pour-on products and careful and regular grooming is, I have found, the best line of defence against assorted parasites.
Not to do this is to condemn your pet to irritation, infection and what must be a huge amount of discomfort during the summer months. To say nothing of the fact that if your animals spend time indoors, then you may well end up with some uninvited guests, the sort who don’t always want to leave.
I decided to seek some advice from vet Fachtna Collins.
>>That’s true, 95% of the flea problem is, unfortunately, hidden in your home, under your sofa, beds, skirting and floorboards, and on your pet’s bed. And if there’s a cat or a dog in your house, chances are there are also fleas. They are not only irritating to humans, they can cause allergic skin diseases in both cats and dogs, even severe blood loss and anaemia. And fleas can transmit tapeworms to your pets
>>Well, first you need to understand the flea life cycle. Adults live on your pet, feeding and laying up to 50 eggs a day, which are deposited wherever your pet goes. Larvae develop from eggs in one to three weeks and feed on human skin scales and flea faeces. Pupae are the silky cocoons from which fleas eventually hatch. And pupae can hatch as long as a year after formation. Regular grooming, bathing and applications of an appropriate pour-on and washing of dog bedding at 60 degrees is essential, as is vacuuming daily, if you suspect a problem. And remember, one flea can become 1,000 in only 21 days.
>>Ticks like to latch onto your pet from places like parks, woods and moorlands. And they are second only to the mosquito in transmitting infectious diseases to humans and animals. If you find one, you can try pulling it out with a pair of tweezers, or a new device that’s on the market, the Tick Twister. That works really well, it’s a fork-type device with a thong. And of course, you can always get help from your vet.
Lice are tiny, hard to detect, and can cause irritation and discomfort. But they are more common on farm animals
>> Absolutely. And if you have any concerns or need advice on what products are best for your pet, talk to your vet. With a bit of advance preparation, summer will be a lot more comfortable for everyone.
