Fleas are small blood-sucking parasites that cause a lot of trouble and inconvenience to both the animals themselves and their owners. The dog constantly itches and scratches itself until it bleeds; fleas can jump from animal fur onto the floor, climb on the floor, and walls. It is important to remember that dog fleas are not contagious to humans.
You can get rid of these annoying insects using pharmaceutical drugs or folk recipes. But will folk remedies be effective?
How do fleas appear on a dog?
Insects easily settle even on a well-groomed dog due to their jumping ability. From one place to another, small insects travel more than 30 cm in both length and height. In this regard, your four-legged friend can become infected in any situation. Often the appearance of bloodsuckers occurs:
- During visits to public walking areas. Infected animals shake eggs and larvae from their fur into the grass, leaves, or onto the ground, from where they then easily stick to the hairs of other carriers.
- After communicating with other brothers. The main carriers are dogs, cats, rodents. Even just sniffing or being nearby can cause harmful insects to migrate. And in the case of general games, there are several times more chances to pass.
- As a result of contact with people. They love to ride on human outer clothing and shoes.
- After visiting an infected premises. If the infection enters the house on a living creature, it begins to quickly multiply on upholstered furniture and carpeting. Then the bloodsuckers will definitely jump onto other residents in search of food.
Pregnant females and males become especially vulnerable during increased sexual activity. During this period, hormonal levels are greatly increased. Blood with huge amounts of corticosteroids and cortisol is very attractive to bloodsuckers.
Puppies with delicate skin, pets with weakened immune systems and elderly individuals are also at particular risk. Puppies can become infected even before their first walk from their owners or parents. Some pests are able to settle on the body immediately after prevention or special treatment.
Bloodsuckers from carrion are very aggressive. They wait for a new owner after the death of the previous animal in entire families, and then begin to bite him with redoubled force.
Review Reviews
Most dog owners note the safety and availability of traditional recipes. Below are the main extracts from real reviews on special sites for dog breeders.
- Veronica from Moscow says that regularly treating an animal's fur with a rich infusion of wormwood helped get rid of large colonies of fleas. The procedure had to be repeated 3 times with an interval of 4 days, but the result was the same as from pharmaceutical poisons, but there was less harm to the animal’s body.
- Victor from Rostov notes that folk products are suitable for small or medium-sized dogs. He is the owner of a German Shepherd, and using homemade recipes is labor-intensive and ineffective.
- Victoria from Orel highlights the benefits of essential oils. Every time you bathe your dog (Labrador), she applies a few drops of various fragrant oils to the pet’s fur. This serves as an excellent flea prevention: the oil kills eggs and larvae.
What is the danger of infection
First of all, bloodsuckers are a source of skin irritation. Multiple bites cause itching, dermatitis and allergic reactions. The four-legged dog constantly itches, shows aggression, and disturbances in the nervous system appear from prolonged stress. The animal scratches itself until there are severe wounds that are difficult to heal.
Danger of diseases
The serious consequences of the appearance of fleas in dogs are considered to be diseases that blood-sucking animals transfer from one animal to another. These include:
- salmonellosis;
- plague;
- anthrax;
- viral encephalitis;
- brucellosis;
- typhoid fever;
- tuberculosis;
- intestinal worms;
- Dipylidiasis.
Many diseases are characterized by severe consequences and even threaten death. A four-legged animal can swallow a flea, which causes tapeworms to settle in the stomach and intestines. Some individuals grow up to 50 cm: they disrupt the dog’s digestion and ultimately lead to death from malnutrition.
If the immunity of an adult animal is able to fight infection, then in children the situation is much worse. Puppies under 2 months of age have an undeveloped immune system, so they become infected much more often. They may suffer from helminthiasis or show a severe allergy even to the enzyme in the infected saliva of the parasite.
Danger to other animals and humans
Dog fleas are no less dangerous for cats and domestic rodents. They do not disdain all animals that may be nearby, and bite everyone who has blood. Despite the fact that fleas are divided into many types, they do not have any special preferences in choosing a host.
Fleas in dogs spread to humans only if they are very hungry. Without fur, it is difficult for them to stay on the skin in order to fully feed. In an apartment or house, they attack a person when he is relaxed or sleeping. If there are a lot of fleas in the house, they can bite a person on the legs. Pests do not live on humans, dogs and other domestic animals, but constantly move, laying eggs. This is the biggest problem.
Tips and warnings
When treating dogs with your favorite folk remedies, it is recommended to adhere to the following tips so that the procedure is safe and does not entail any negative consequences:
- Most methods eliminate parasites, but provide little protection against them in the future, especially if the animal lives in the countryside. Therefore, to increase efficiency, systematic and combined use of different techniques is necessary. Violation of the established regime can lead to the reappearance of fleas in the fur.
- The bedding, kennel and other objects with which the dog has contact must also be carefully processed. This is necessary even if no parasites are noticed on them, since eggs will most likely be laid there.
- All procedures for eliminating insects are best carried out outdoors, since in most cases they are aimed only at scaring away parasites from the dog. After treating the fur, fleas will begin to actively jump off the animal and can spread throughout the house, after which they will probably turn their attention to people.
Signs of fleas in a dog
Some believe that a homebody who lives in an apartment and rarely walks in the fresh air will not become a source of infection with blood-sucking insects. Unfortunately this is not true. Fleas live not only on street animals - they can even feel comfortable on people.
Having discovered a new object for feeding, insects settle on it and quickly multiply in the fur. When biting the skin, saliva is injected into the wound, which causes:
- severe itching accompanied by redness;
- skin and infectious diseases;
- hair loss;
- allergy;
- anemia (anemia).
To be completely sure of the presence of fleas on your pet’s body, you need to carefully observe its behavior. If the dog is concerned about itching, the bites are clearly visible in the form of wounds and redness, and the fur is strewn with white grains, then a severe infection is obvious.
The infection can be detected in an animal when swimming, when the insects are overcome by fear and they begin to jump into the water - or gather on their heads. Their presence can be determined during a routine examination, as well as during hairdressing procedures, when they remain on the teeth of the comb.
Treatment of dogs for parasites
If you use products prepared according to folk recipes and intended for external application to the fur, you should not forget about the general rules for treating your pet:
- Most products, especially those based on garlic, must be applied to hard-to-reach places to avoid possible poisoning.
- All animals kept together must be treated. After this, they must be isolated from each other for several days.
- It is not recommended to pet the animal for one or several days after processing the fur.
- Before full treatment, you can apply a small amount of the product to the animal’s fur and watch the reaction to make sure there is no allergy to any of its components.
What to do if you find a single flea
If at least one bloodsucker is detected, everything necessary must be done immediately to prevent further reproduction. Unfortunately, it is rarely possible to quickly detect insects. This is explained by the unexpressed symptoms of the first infection, so the parasites easily spread throughout the house and penetrate into furniture.
It is quite difficult to remove them, and therefore there will be a high risk of re-infection for a long time. Measures to help prevent the spread must be applied in combination:
- Treat the entire room, booth, enclosure with chemical or folk remedies.
- Choose a flea medication for dogs according to age, size and health characteristics. If difficulty arises, you should seek advice from a veterinarian.
- During treatment, limit contact of the infected person with family members and other pets.
Timely measures taken to prevent reproduction and spread will help save your pet from health problems for a long time. A large number of methods of control and preparations for disinsection will save the house or apartment where the injured dog lives from being completely populated by unpleasant individuals. If you do not carry out the treatment on time, you will have to contact a veterinary pharmacy or veterinary clinic and find out how to get rid of fleas on your dog.
DIY flea shampoo
If you do not trust the composition of the flea shampoo sold in the pet store, or do not want to overpay, prepare your own anti-flea shampoo. For this you will need:
- baby soap;
- medium sized onion;
- egg yolk;
- calendula or chamomile.
The soap is grated using a coarse grater and filled with warm water. The resulting mixture must be brought to a boil to obtain a mass similar in consistency to jelly. You also need to add the grated onion there. Boiled chamomile (can be replaced with calendula) and egg yolk are poured into the finished product and mixed thoroughly. Lather the pet with shampoo, cover it with polyethylene and leave it for half an hour. Then everything is thoroughly washed off.
How to remove fleas from a dog
A huge selection of flea products for dogs is available in specialized departments of clinics and veterinary pharmacies. Despite their effectiveness, each of them can only have a temporary effect. At the end of the guaranteed period of protection, the parasite can reappear on the dog’s body.
In this regard, it is necessary not only to treat, but also to prevent infection. For treatment and prevention, various effective remedies for
fleas in dogs are used:
- shampoos;
- anti-flea collars;
- sprays;
- drops on the withers;
- pills;
- powders, etc.
Each of the above products and drugs has characteristic methods of use and contraindications. When purchasing any of them, you should carefully read the instructions or consult a veterinarian.
Shampoos against insects
Detergents in combination with anti-flea components help destroy pests only if their number is minimal. When the reproduction process is active, this type of treatment is not so effective. Components that contain insecticidal substances such as permethrin allow you to get rid of the infection. Unfortunately, it often causes a negative reaction, manifested in excessive salivation and vomiting.
There are shampoos for disinsection of dogs with herbal ingredients that have antipruritic, anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effects. They help keep the coat in good condition.
The applied washing solution is carefully distributed over the skin, avoiding the penetration of soap into the eyes, nose, ears or mouth of the pet. Then it should be left for a few minutes and washed off. After drying, it is recommended to comb the dog with a fine-toothed comb to remove any remaining dead insects.
Drops on the withers
You can quickly remove uninvited guests from the four-legged body using a special liquid. The validity period of the substances contained in the drops lasts about a month. The liquid preparation should be applied to the skin in a place inaccessible to licking by the tongue. It is usually recommended to drip the substance onto the scruff of the neck at the base of the skull.
The main chemical component is dangerous for parasites, as it penetrates into the body and causes intoxication and death. Drops have side effects and contraindications, so it would be a good idea to consult a doctor before using them. It is better to find out about the side effects in advance than to treat your dog for fleas and then treat it for poisoning.
Sprays for dogs
Aerosol preparations can remove parasites. You just need to apply the spray to the fur on the scruff of the neck. After this, the insects will leave the owner for 1 month. Spraying should preferably be carried out outdoors, and the dog and owner should have their eyes, nose and mouth covered.
The main disadvantage of using the spray is considered to be a very high content of toxins. In addition, there is a possibility of the drug entering the pet’s body if it is licked.
Anti-flea collars
Veterinary pharmacies sell a variety of dog collars with flea repellent effects. There are products soaked in essential oils - they are the least harmful, but they also have a weak effect. Collars based on plant components are used for preventive rather than therapeutic purposes.
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Chemically impregnated collars are more powerful, but they have a number of contraindications. They should not be used on puppies up to six months, on pregnant and lactating females, elderly dogs, dogs with digestive disorders and allergies.
The best option: drip the dog with drops, and after 1-2 days put on a collar with natural impregnation.
Powder and tablets
Insecticidal powder for fleas is not widely used among four-legged lovers. This is caused by the need to apply the powder to the hair with your hands, which significantly increases the risk of poisoning. The powder is not used for puppies, pregnant, lactating or sick individuals.
The owners also did not like the tablets. Chewable medicines do not greatly reduce the number of parasites, but they cause poisoning or allergies.
However, powders and tablets make it possible to remove fleas from a dog at home if drops, collars and shampoos are for some reason not suitable for use.
Vaccines against parasites
Most owners would prefer to have their pet vaccinated against this problem. Unfortunately, an anti-flea vaccine has not yet been invented, so vaccination is called the introduction of an insecticidal substance. The injection acts like drops, but, unlike them, the effect of the drug is designed for 6 months, not one.
The mechanism of action of the vaccine is as follows: when the pest bites through the skin, it receives a large portion of the toxin along with the blood. This causes a disruption in the functioning of the insect's nervous system, and then death occurs.
The advantages of vaccinations include ease of use. In order to protect your pet from blood suckers, one single injection is required. In this regard, the possibility of penetration of the drug into the gastrointestinal tract is almost completely excluded. This means that there is no risk of intoxication and poisoning.
Another advantage is that the vaccines are available in versions that include treatment of pets of various ages and breeds.
Not everyone can tolerate such injections. For example, the use of preventive injections is strictly contraindicated for puppies under 2 months of age, weakened pets, or those suffering from allergies. You cannot give the injection yourself. Only a veterinarian can perform it after a thorough examination and calculation of the exact dose. Often used as an anti-flea vaccine: Lufenuron, Eprimek, Ivermectin.
Flea treatment for pregnant dogs and puppies
To remove infection from a pregnant female, it is better to choose traditional methods of disinfestation. However, if there are a large number of fleas, you will have to take chemicals. Collars are contraindicated for expectant mothers, and of the remaining remedies, veterinarians recommend drops on the withers. For example, Frontline or Advocate according to the instructions are suitable even for nursing individuals. If the bitch accepts bathing normally, then you can use medicated shampoo to remove it.
How to remove fleas from a puppy? This is much more difficult than carrying out the procedure on adults, because the bulk of the funds are prescribed only from 6 months. Vet pharmacies offer several medications that can be used for babies:
- Bars and Stronghold sprays;
- medicinal shampoos Celandine and Phytoelite based on herbs;
- drops on the withers Celandine and Frontline;
- Beafar collar.
It is important to read the instructions before using any veterinary product. This will help you understand how to destroy the infection and not cause poisoning in the puppy. It would be ideal to consult a specialist or experienced dog breeder.
How to remove it from pregnant and lactating women?
Pregnant and lactating bitches are allowed to use almost all folk remedies. But you need to use caution (or better yet abstain for a while) from recipes containing aggressive ingredients.
- Compositions based on hydrogen peroxide. There is a risk of burns to the mucous membranes, and the substance also has a bad effect on the coat, it becomes lighter and duller.
- Hellebore water, since it is based on the poisonous herb hellebore and alcohol (dangerous, since the liquid can be absorbed into the skin).
- Ammonia and kerosene.
- Any compositions based on table vinegar.
Folk remedies
You can get rid of the problem using well-known methods among the people. The main advantages of using folk remedies for fleas on dogs are their environmental safety, general availability and low price. However, it must be taken into account that individual components of the treatment may cause allergic reactions or other side effects due to individual intolerance.
Fragrant herbs
One of the most common means of fighting fleas in dogs is the use of herbs. For example, the bitter aroma of common wormwood is good at repelling insects. The herb should be brewed, infused, and the pet’s fur should be rinsed with this decoction after bathing. The high efficiency of this method and its safety make it possible to use wormwood even for treating puppies against fleas.
“Essential oils contained in tansy and eucalyptus have a similar spectrum of action. However, we must not forget about contraindications due to individual intolerance.
Hellebore water
Another effective measure is hellebore solution, which can kill not only fleas and ticks, but also cope with intestinal worms. The liquid is also dangerous for the dog itself, because it is slightly toxic and can cause poisoning if overdosed.
Garlic and onion
An infusion of ordinary garlic helps get rid of blood suckers. The cloves are crushed into a paste, poured with a glass of warm water and kept in this form for 7-8 hours. After this, the infusion is moistened with the fur in those areas where the animal cannot reach it - for example, the scruff at the base of the skull. It is necessary to use garlic with great caution, as it contains substances that can cause poisoning of your four-legged friend, and in difficult cases lead to the death of the pet.
Onions have a detrimental effect on insects. To prepare the mixture, add chopped vegetables to an aqueous solution with laundry soap and leave for 15-20 minutes. The resulting composition is distributed over the dog’s coat, left for 10 minutes, and then thoroughly washed off with warm water. In case of severe infection, the treatment should be repeated.
The owner must closely monitor the pet's condition during the procedure. Any allergic manifestations become a signal to interrupt the process and thoroughly rinse the body.
Homemade shampoo
Homemade shampoo also helps get rid of parasites. It is made from laundry soap, which is dissolved in an infusion of eucalyptus with the addition of a couple of drops of cedar or tea tree oil. The mixture is applied to the body, foamed, washed off after 5-10 minutes. This product does not contain harmful chemical compounds, so it is suitable for almost all animals.
Homemade sprays
Essential oils of citrus, lavender and eucalyptus have a repellent effect, quickly ridding the dog of annoying insects. Add 2-4 drops of an odorous substance to the water and spray the surface of the four-legged body from a spray bottle. Oils are also added to the water during bathing.
A mixture of apple cider vinegar and water in a ratio of 1:3, applied to the wool, allows you to kill not only adult individuals, but also their larvae with eggs. The solution is left on the body for about 1 hour and then combed out thoroughly.
Bedding with fillers
Bedding made from pine needles or sawdust has proven itself well. They are used in booths or enclosures, and adding twigs of wormwood to them will have a much more effective effect and will help get rid of bloodsuckers for a long time.
Is it safe to treat with these methods?
The main advantage of traditional methods over pharmaceutical drugs is safety. They can be used for puppies, pregnant and lactating bitches, and sick individuals.
But, in comparison with chemical means, folk remedies are less effective. To achieve the result, several treatments will be needed. In the presence of severe infection, folk recipes will be ineffective.
Generalized advantages of folk remedies for fleas:
- variety of recipes and uses;
- availability;
- low price;
- admissibility of carrying out at home without visiting a veterinarian.
Among the disadvantages are painstakingness, duration and regularity of treatments (there is no guarantee for a certain period, like with drops or collars), a sharp unpleasant odor that eats into the wool. Also, in some cases, there is a risk of developing an allergic reaction to the plant or product.
Premises treatment
If the dog lives at home, it is necessary to treat all rooms, furniture and carpets, not forgetting the pet’s belongings (including soft toys). For an animal kept in an enclosure, the booth, bedding and other household items are disinfested. Without treatment, treatment becomes pointless, since flea eggs remaining in the house remain viable for up to two weeks.
Apartment cleaning
There are several ways to destroy insects in a house or apartment :
- Skirting boards, carpets, furniture, and ventilation holes are treated with special sprays. Sometimes re-treatment is required after 7-10 days.
- Folk remedies: wormwood, tansy or lavender are placed around the house. Another option is to wash the floors daily for 10 days with the addition of essential oils of eucalyptus, lavender, and citrus.
- Exposure to low temperatures - in winter, you can leave the windows open for 4-6 hours and leave the house.
- Calling exterminators is an extreme case when fleas have spread throughout part of an apartment building.
After any type of treatment, it is necessary to vacuum furniture and carpets, wash all surfaces and floors, and boil textiles. This will destroy the surviving larvae and adults.
Cleaning the booth
There are no fundamental differences in the treatment of a booth and an apartment: the bedding is taken out and boiled (although it is better to throw it away and buy a new one), the inside of the house is sprayed with insecticides, and then washed with water and essential oils.
For the first time (up to a month), you can spread fresh tansy or wormwood around the enclosure. If it is winter, then such measures are unnecessary.
Precautionary measures
Chemical poisoning is an extremely unpleasant phenomenon. To avoid it, you need to protect yourself while processing the room:
- wear gloves and cover your face - with a scarf, respirator, medical mask;
- protect your eyes with glasses;
- read the instructions carefully, avoid overdoses and use of expired products;
- remove all household members for a while - it is better if animals, children, elderly people and family members with chronic diseases stay outside the apartment for at least a day;
- after the procedure, take a bath, wash your hands thoroughly;
- Ventilate the room well after treatment and wash all surfaces with clean water.
If an allergy or poisoning occurs due to the use of the products, you must go to the hospital.
What else should I treat to get rid of it?
| Name | Terms of use |
| Table or sea salt | The benefit of salt is that this substance destroys the chitinous membrane of insects The method of control is to bathe the dog in salt water.
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| Camphor, table vinegar and cologne | This is a destructive mixture for any parasites. Combine the components in equal proportions. For better use, pour the resulting liquid into a spray bottle. Spray onto the animal's fur. Wait 10-15 minutes, do not let the animal lick itself. Then rinse well. |
| Boric acid | The fighting mechanism is that the substance disrupts the integrity of chitin, fleas die without their shell. The powder can be scattered around the house or diluted in water and sprayed onto the dog's fur. The product is completely safe for the animal. |
Lice in cats
Lice are one of the most contagious entomotic diseases of cats. The body is parasitized by insects (up to 3 mm in length) that do not have wings and move with the help of a highly developed third pair of limbs with claws for attaching to the skin of the animal. The flattened body is much wider in the chest area than the head. Lice feed exclusively on blood, absorbing up to 10 mg at a time.
Developing in a cycle of incomplete transformation, lice manage to go through the entire life cycle in 24-28 days. After 2 weeks, the nits that are deposited and attached to the fur hatch into larvae that look similar to adult parasites. Over the next two weeks, they feed and molt three times, turning into adult adults. With a total lifespan of 1-2 months, lice cannot remain outside the “host’s” body for more than 7 days.
When this cat disease appears, the symptoms disappear immediately in the form of itchy skin sensations and a corresponding irritable reaction. The movement of insects, the moment of piercing and the subsequent 5-10 minutes of blood sucking make the cat anxious and want to comb out the lice. Scratches from claws often appear at the sites of bites, and roughness and peeling form on the skin. Animals quickly become exhausted and lose weight.
Animals that are not cared for, as well as those that come into contact with infected individuals, are most susceptible to this disease of cats. The number of parasites on the body increases with the onset of cold weather, when the coat becomes thicker.
Diagnosis of entomosis can be made simply by the characteristic symptoms of the disease in cats. Adult lice and nits attached to the fur are identified on the body.
To treat cats with entomosis, adult cats are destroyed by using insecticides: bathing in an aqueous solution of chlorophos in the warm months of the year, thoroughly treating the skin with an emulsion of soap K or a suspension of Sevin.
- If it is already cold and the coat has become thicker, it is necessary to treat it with a dust or aerosol (for example, insectol).
- There are also products in the form of shampoos and powders, which can now be purchased at any veterinary pharmacy.
- After 12-18 days, the procedure must be repeated in order to destroy the new individuals that hatched during this time.
You need to carefully monitor your cat and prevent it from licking its fur, because many drugs are particularly toxic and can lead to poisoning. Therefore, it is best to treat small kittens with less toxic products or simply comb them.
To prevent the appearance of parasites and subsequent treatment of cats, it is necessary to constantly examine the pet’s body and maintain the cleanliness of the skin, disinfect the habitat and care items, and treat the litter with boiling water. For this feline disease, treatment is proven and effective, but it is better to take full advantage of preventive measures and prevent symptoms of the feline disease from appearing.
Prevention of infection
Preventive measures will help to avoid flea infestations and subsequent control of them. Dog owners should inspect and wash their pets more often, as they are outdoors every day and come into contact with other animals. But it is also recommended that owners of domestic cats periodically treat their pets and their resting places with special products.
The house should be wet cleaned regularly - parasitic insects do not like to live in clean areas. It is better not to keep the door to the entrance open, then the fleas will not have time to jump into the apartment. Pet owners should take care of their clothes and shoes and clean them after being outside.
Fleas? Very bad…
The flea is a person’s most faithful and constant companion in life. We have been unable to get rid of this little creature for many millennia. Hordes of her ruthless accomplices occupy our homes to this day, causing a lot of problems and by no means minor troubles for both people and their pets - dogs and cats.
Is it really impossible to get rid of fleas once and for all?
How to protect your pets from fleas?
It turns out that it's not that simple. Ectoparasite insects, which include fleas, are incredibly resilient and adaptable. One destroyed one is replaced by thousands of new blood-sucking creatures. Up to two thousand species of fleas are known, about sixty of which live in our latitudes. They live not only on domestic animals, but also in human homes: in cracks in the floor and walls, carpets, upholstered furniture, clothes, annoying both people and their pets with bites. Such a neighborhood causes a lot of trouble, and in advanced cases, it is possible to evict uninvited tenants only with the help of a complete sanitary treatment of the house.
The first symptom of a flea infestation is that the animal begins to become restless, chewing and scratching furiously in areas where it feels itchy from flea bites. Examine your pet's fur and skin - you will definitely notice, if not the parasites themselves, then traces of their presence: eggs or excrement. In advanced cases, the animal develops dermatitis, weeping eczema that is difficult to treat, and alopecia. Small puppies and kittens are especially affected by fleas.
Pets cannot get rid of fleas on their own
Considering that fleas carry pathogens of up to three dozen diseases dangerous to humans, the question of how to get rid of parasites is very important. Serious infections and parasitic problems are transmitted through the bites of these blood-sucking insects:
- plague;
- encephalitis;
- anthrax;
- listeriosis;
- salmonellosis;
- fungal infections;
- tapeworms.
Even if there is no infection, flea bites are very unpleasant for humans in themselves: they cause itching, redness, and severe allergic reactions.
It's good that they are small...
When magnified many times, the baby flea looks like a monster from a science fiction horror movie.
Imagine for a moment that the flea has grown to at least the size of a cat - it’s better not to think about the scale of a tiger. And if you also take into account the flea’s ability to jump to a height almost three hundred times greater than its own size...
Meet the flea - a scary monster and world record holder in high jumping
The flea does not live long, but it is fruitful: in two years, the female manages to give birth to up to five hundred similar individuals, each of which, within a month after birth, also begins to actively reproduce and reproduce.
The flea's body is ideally designed to hide in animal fur.
The nimble blood-sucking insect has perfectly adapted to a parasitic lifestyle. A flea maneuvers through animal fur like a snake in the jungle. It is very difficult to catch it, and once caught, crush it: the flattened body of the small parasite is reliably protected by a hard chitinous shell. Neither a dog nor a cat is able to cope with the invasion of bloodsuckers. How to help your pet?
What to do with them?
Declare a merciless war on them! There are no and cannot be compromises in the fight against parasites. Or will you continue to provide housing and food for these disgusting little monsters? And in response they will begin to torture you, your children and animals - literally drinking blood, biting painfully and infecting you with all sorts of illnesses...
Patience and steadfastness are your main weapons
Wash, vacuum, freeze. Frequent cleaning of the room with washing and vacuuming is, of course, a preventive measure. But by creating unfavorable conditions for the existence of fleas, it will prevent parasites from feeling at ease on your territory.
And the fact that the territory itself will become much cleaner and more comfortable - well, take this as a pleasant bonus of your war. After all, in everything bad there must be at least something good...
The most important thing is cleaning the house
Ventilate the room more often, especially in winter - these small creatures love not only comfort, but also warmth, and cannot stand the cold at all!
Cold kills fleas
Brush your animals every day. Daily brushing of your pet's fur with a fine comb helps mechanically remove fleas. Of course, this should be done on a walk, not at home. The procedure will not get rid of parasites completely, but in combination with other means, the unpleasant problem will be solved.
And the fur of your dog or cat will look better, more well-groomed, and the house will be cleaner.
It is advisable to comb fleas out of fur daily.
It is better that the comb is metal, and its teeth are hard and as frequent as possible. But even daily combing will not remove all adult parasites and their eggs from the fur, and the procedure will definitely not stop new fleas.
Features of treatment of puppies and pregnant dogs
If treatment is necessary, it is important to discuss the matter with your veterinarian. Independent choice can lead to irreparable consequences. Naturally, all recommendations for use must be followed; puppies under 2 weeks of age are not allowed to be treated.
Low concentration external drops are best suited for treating puppies and pregnant females. The dog can be treated 7-10 days before giving birth. Do not use pills or collars. Shampoo will have the mildest effect.
Fleas are a common problem for all dogs. It is impossible to protect yourself from them; it is difficult to prevent infection. Even the use of barrier drugs does not reduce the potential threat. It is important to notice parasites in time and prescribe comprehensive treatment.
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Symptoms of infection and self-diagnosis
The bites of blood-sucking parasites cause irritation and severe itching of the skin in pets, in some cases accompanied by an allergic reaction. As a result, the animal begins to intensively lick the fur, and some of the fleas are removed. Therefore, it is sometimes difficult to understand that a cat or dog is suffering from fleas - the parasites jump on the animal only while feeding.
If you suspect something is wrong, you need to monitor your pet’s condition. If he is attacked, he begins to itch frequently and sharply, most of all in the area of the head and tail. The animal tries to bite insects, sometimes directly biting into itchy places on the body.
The skin in the affected areas becomes irritated and small red bumps and crusty areas may appear along the back and neck. The hair begins to fall out more intensively, and in advanced cases, bald patches appear. Fleas are carriers of helminths, so the presence of worms in an animal's feces indirectly indicates infection by insects.
Signs of fleas on an animal.
Having appeared in the house, parasites spread throughout its territory - they hide in carpets and other woolen products. The pet cannot hide from them anywhere, and its behavior changes. Owners of a cat or dog can recognize attacks by blood-sucking insects by the following signs:
- the animal avoids its usual sleeping place;
- becomes irritable and restless;
- shakes his head vigorously;
- suddenly jumps up;
- makes plaintive sounds or growls.
You can detect insects using a white cloth and a special comb, the teeth of which are arranged in such a way that fleas get stuck in them, or a comb with fine teeth. The pet is placed or laid on a cloth and its fur is combed from head to tail.
Increased attention is paid to areas on the inside of the paws, the back of the neck and at the base of the tail, where insects most often hide.
During the procedure, either fleas themselves are found in an infected animal - brown insects with a flattened body 2-4 mm long, or their eggs and excrement, which look like a mixture of white and black grains. A drop of water should be applied to the suspicious material. If it contains flea excrement, then when wet, the black grains will turn dark red because they contain blood cells. If there are no signs of infection, but the symptoms do not disappear, you should consult a veterinarian.
Lice eaters in cats
Lice eaters Felicola subrostratus and Trichodectoses canis are considered, together with lice, to be permanent ectoparasites of cats. These wingless insects are recognized by their characteristic features:
- flattened body up to 3 mm;
- a quadrangular head with a gnawing type mouthpart, which is much wider than the chest;
- the nine-segmented abdomen is longer than the head and thorax;
- Unlike lice, lice eaters feed on hairs, secretions from the sebaceous glands and the upper layer of the epidermis.
With this enthymic disease of cats, infection occurs through direct contact with the infested individual and items caring for it. Both homeless animals that live in unfavorable conditions and pets that are walked on the street are susceptible to this disease of cats.
Lice eaters develop in 4 weeks according to a cycle of incomplete transformation, multiplying intensively at low temperatures. Female lice eaters lay eggs directly on the animal’s fur, securing them with uterine secretions in the root part.
Adult insects mechanically and biologically transmit pathogens of invasive and infectious diseases of cats. Like the presence of all enthymic parasites on the body of an animal, the appearance of lice eaters causes typical symptoms of cat disease - itching due to the insect crawling on the skin in search of food, subsequent dermatitis after scratching the itchy areas with its paws.
With an intense attack by lice-eaters, the areas of ruffled fur become bald over time, as cats begin to tear out tufts of hair along with parasites with their teeth. With enthymic diseases of a cat, the symptoms are similar to those of scabies, the animal becomes restless. If treatment for the disease is not started on time, cats quickly become exhausted, because the favorite places for parasitism are the head and neck, where it is difficult for the animal to reach.
Treatment begins immediately by treating the skin when lice eaters and their larvae are detected on the animal. The most common insecticides are chlorophos or karbofos, diphos (abat), soap K, diazinol in the form of solutions and emulsions in the summer and in the form of dust in the winter. Aerosol dermatosol and insectol are often used; synthetic pyrethroids; microbial preparations such as thuringin-B and gomelin.
Due to the weaker effect on eggs, re-treatment is done after two weeks or initially insecticides with a long residual effect are used. To treat kittens infected with lice, the repellent oxamate is used in the form of an emulsion, since it is less toxic. Treatment of the animal's body is not limited to - it is necessary to clean the cat's sleeping area from fallen eggs and adult individuals, treat the care products with boiling water, and subsequently maintain the cleanliness of the animal's body and conduct periodic inspections of the skin, and avoid contact with infected individuals. In the case of enthymoses, prevention is better and cheaper than subsequent treatment in cats.
