Spring Into Action – It’s That Time of Year!

The snow is finally melting, the ground if finally drying, and sun is finally warming our cold winter souls.  The warmer weather brings with it blossoming flowers, buds on the trees, new grass and wild animals in our neighbourhoods who bring with them, fleas and ticks.

FLEAS are dark brown or reddish brown in colour, they have wingless flattened bodies and can jump about 20 cm vertically and about 40 cm horizontally.  They feed by sucking the blood of mammals and birds.  A female flea can lay approximately 4000 eggs on its host (your dog) at any one time.  Their bites cause mild to severe itching causing a great deal of discomfort and potential for infection.  The bites leave small, hard, red, slightly raised/swollen bumps with a single puncture point in the centre.  They appear in clusters or lines and can remain itchy and inflamed for up to several weeks.  Fleas are a nuisance and can cause a lot of problems for those with or without fur.  You can find products at your local pet store such as collars, washes and sprays, but a trip to your vet for flea prevention will give you the most peace of mind.

TICKS are also blood feeders and like fleas the female adults can lay hundreds to thousands of eggs at a time. There are many different varieties of ticks living in tall brush and grass in wooded areas.  They latch onto you dog and will most likely be found on their head, neck, feet and ear area. In the case of a severe infestation, the ticks will be found on all areas of your dog’s body.  If you do happen to find a tick, treat the area with rubbing alcohol and pluck the tick with tweezers making sure you’ve gotten the biting head and and that you don’t squeeze the body.  Because it can take as little as a few hours for disease to be transmitted, be sure to take your dog to your vet to be tested and, if needed, treated as soon as possible.  Ticks cause blood loss, anemia, tick paralysis, skin irritation and infection as well as diseases such as lyme disease.

OUR JOB as pet owners. As soon as the warm weather arrives, take a quick trip to the vet where you can get the flea and tick prevention that is right for your dog.  Don’t forget about the other pets you have at home that may be indoor pets yet susceptible to fleas and ticks.  There is a chance the flea or tick could be transferred from one to the other.  It’s best to keep everyone protected.  Make checking your dog’s body thoroughly for fleas and ticks a part of your routine when returning from a walk, even if you were just in your back yard.  Try to ensure a tick-free lawn by mowing it regularly, remove tall weeds and keep garbage covered and inaccessible to rodents who are probably carrying fleas and ticks themselves.   Always be careful when using flea and tick prevention products.  Be sure to read and follow instructions as the product may be harmful to you or your pet if not administered properly.

Enjoy the warm weather, long walks and the fresh colours of Spring.  Remember, Mammoth Beds come in all different colours and can put a little Spring in your dog’s area after a long dull dirty winter!