Fleas, Ticks and Worms.

Fleas

Where are they found?

 

Why are they a problem?

Fleas can cause a wide range of signs in your pet. These signs may be minor, such as irritation and itching, though to more severe signs from flea allergy or heavy infestation. Pets with flea allergy are severely itchy and can scratch and bite at themselves until the fur falls out and the skin is raw and inflamed. As well as being painful, this leaves the skin open to infection. In young puppies that are very heavily infested with fleas, anaemia can develop as a result of the amount of blood lost to the fleas feeding.
Fleas can also transmit tapeworms. Infection is picked up by the flea during its development. If an infected flea is swallowed by the pet during grooming, the tapeworm will develop and grow in the pets intestines.
Flea populations can build up very rapidly – did you know that one female breeding can result in 1000 new fleas over 21 days.

How do I detect them?

Sometimes you may see adult fleas moving on your pet, or you may be suspicious of fleas having been bitten yourself. However, 95% of a flea problem is not on the pet it is in the environment in which the pet lives (eggs, larvae and pupae in the bedding, carpets and everywhere the pet has been), so it is often not possible to see the adult fleas on your pet.
The simplest way to check if your pet has fleas is:
• Take a piece of good quality white paper and damp it under the tap.

• Hold the paper near your dog and using a flea comb brush though the coat and onto the paper. It helps to tap the comb against the paper after combing also.

• Look for small black specks that will turn a reddish brown over about a minute. The reddish brown indicated that these are flea dirts which contain blood.

 

How do I treat them?

Treating a flea infestation needs a balanced approach. You need an effective treatment to kill the adult fleas on your pet. Examples of these include Frontline, Frontline Combo, Advantage and Stronghold. It also helps to prevent the development of the eggs and larvae, products that do this include Frontline Combo and program.
The environment must also be treated to remove all the eggs, larvae and pupae. The pupae can be very tough, so it helps to vigorously vacuum, especially under furniture, before using any products. As well as physically removing the eggs, larvae and pupae, vibrations from the vacuuming can stimulate remaining pupae to hatch, making them easier to kill. Washing all bedding at or above 60˚C to remove the eggs and developmental stages. Then use a product designed to treat the home, for example RIP fleas or Indorex.

 

How do I prevent them?

There are many products available to prevent fleas on your pet, in all sorts of formulations (eg spot on, sprays, collars, tablets, oral liquids).
Some are more effective and easier to use than others. It is always important to weigh your dog accurately to ensure the correct dosage of the product is used (you Vet or Vet Nurse can help you with this). A number of products are available that prevent fleas breeding (sometimes in addition to killing adult fleas); this helps with environmental control by preventing a build-up of larvae in the environment.
For advice on the best flea prevention measures for your pet ask your Vet Nurse or Vet.

 

Ticks

Where are they found?

Why are they a problem?

When adult ticks are attached, some saliva is injected into the host during feeding. This can lead to bite reactions (visible as swollen inflamed lumps), abscesses and transmission of infectious diseases (such as Lymes disease- which humans can also get from ticks). We are now also seeing some exotic diseases contracted from ticks in dogs that have travelled abroad, such as babesiosis, which can be very serious.
Signs of tick borne disease can include:
• Fever
• Lameness
• Loss of appetite
• Lack of energy
• Joint swelling
• Sudden pain
• Cough

 

What can I do about them and how do I prevent them?

Products such as Frontline and Frontline Combo (Merial) among others can be used to kill adult ticks. They will kill any adult tick that attaches for the length of activity specified by the manufacturer. Ticks should drop off once they have been killed, but it may be necessary to gently remove them with tweezers or a specialised tick remover. Alternatively you can ask a veterinary nurse or vet to help you.

 

Worms

Where are they found?

One of the important types of worm found in dogs and the one that most commonly affects puppies are roundworms. These appear like thin pieces of string or spaghetti. These can infect puppies either through them swallowing eggs that are found in the environment (they get there from faeces of infected dogs) or by being swallowed by a smaller animal which is then eaten by the dog (eg mice). Immature worms can also pass across the placenta before the puppy is born or to nursing puppies in the milk from their mother.
The other important type of worm found in dogs is the tapeworm. These are ribbon like and shed segments containing the eggs which are passed out in the faeces. These segments look like moving grains of rice. Infection is often passed to dogs through fleas. Immature fleas get infected from faeces of infected dogs and then infect the new dog when they are accidentally swallowed while the dog is grooming itself. Other types of tapeworm live in rodents for part of their life and infect dogs when the dog eats the rodent.

Other worms also infect dogs including hookworm, whipworm, lungworm and occasionally heartworm.

 

Why are they important?

Worms can cause disease in pets and humans. In pets this can be general unthriftiness, poor coat and a pot belly through to more severe signs including diarrhoea, anaemia and dehydration. In very young puppies they can even be fatal if a very heavy infestation blocks the intestine. In humans roundworms can get into the body from the intestine and cause damage to internal organs, such as in the eye where some children have become blind as a result.

 

What can I do about them and how do I prevent them?

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association recommends that dogs are wormed every 3 months. Worming should be carried out more frequently if the dog is a regular hunter or if there is close contact with very young children. Regular worming decreases the number of eggs in the environment that could infect dogs or humans.
There are a wide variety of products available to prevent and treat worms. It is important to know that not all of these products treat all types of worm and some are not as effective as others. It is best to discuss with your vet which wormer is most appropriate for your dog.
Cleaning up your dogs faeces, even in your garden is also helpful in preventing spread of worms. The faeces can be collected in a plastic bag and put in the dustbin or at home you could bury it in your garden.
Hand hygiene is also important in preventing human infection. Always ensure hands are washed thoroughly after handling your dog, particularly before preparing or eating food.
Regular flea prevention can help reduce the chances of infection by those tapeworms that are spread through fleas.