DO YOU FEAR INVASION OF TICKS AND FLEAS?

WRITTEN BY XENA

CAUTION-THE HIDDEN ATTACKERS FROM THE GRASS

That spring is just around the corner is also shown by pests — unwanted guests who crawl into the fur and skin of our pets, especially cats and dogs. The pests I want to talk about are, you guessed it-FLEA AND TICKS. These parasites do not lurk on our pets only in the spring, as we thought, but they are active all year round if there is no frost. Therefore, it is necessary to adequately protect a dog or cat through all seasons from these pests. By protecting them, we are actually protecting ourselves and our homes.

TICKS love warm and humid weather; your pet can pick them up anywhere in the outdoor environment (park, meadow, or lawn). Otherwise, these are parasites that live on the host: a human, or some other mammal (cat, dog, reptile, or bird) and can stay attached therefor days.

Only one individual can lay 3,000 to 22,000 eggs.

They feed on the blood of their host.

During feeding, the tick takes only nutrients from the blood and the rest is returned to the host, thus transmitting various dangerous diseases.

The most common diseases in DOGS caused by tick bites are:

-PYROPLASMOSIS (DOG BABESIOSIS)

-LYME BORELIOSIS

-MONOCYTIC ERLICHIOSIS

-GRANULOCYTIC ANAPLASMOSIS

Here I will focus exclusively on PYROPLASMOSIS.

PYROPLASMOSIS (DOG BABESIOSIS) is a deadly and as such the most dangerous disease that occurs in dogs but does not affect cats.

The disease manifests itself between 36 and 72 hours after the bite and the incubation lasts 5-7 days, or in some cases 10-21 days.

Therefore, pay attention to the following SYMPTOMS in your DOGS:

- high temperature and fever (40-41 degrees Celsius)

- vomiting

- constipation or diarrhea

- loss of appetite and refusal of food

- rapid breathing and heart rate

- change in urine color

- pale mucous membranes

- marked weakness and fatigue (helplessness, rapid fatigue, reluctance

  movement, depression, the disinterest of the animal)

Suppose you think that your pet has some of the above symptoms, and is infected with a tick. In that case, my warm advice is - VISIT A VETERINARY IMMEDIATELY AND WITHOUT DELAY, because a QUICK reaction is the MOST IMPORTANT in this disease. With timely therapy, you can save the LIFE of your pet.

Except for dogs, are the CATS immune to ticks? One of the diseases your cat can get from a tick and flea bite is HEMOBARTONELOSIS or CAT INFECTIOUS ANEMIA. This disease attacks the red blood cells of cats as well as dogs. In addition to being transmitted by a tick or flea bite, it is possible for kittens to become infected through breast milk if the cat is breastfeeding them.

SYMPTOMS OF THIS DISEASE ARE:

- fever

- pale or yellowish mucosa

- weakness

- depression

- possibly enlarged spleen

Cats infected with feline leukemia (FeLV) and FIV (immunodeficiency syndrome) have a more severe form of HEMOBARTONELOSIS and the clinical picture of the disease depends on the immune status of the animal, the stage of the disease, and the severity of anemia. And in this case, timely therapy saves the life of your pet. It is important to emphasize that feline hemobartonelosis is NOT DANGEROUS TO HUMANS and that humans CANNOT become infected through their pets.

In addition to ticks, the fur and skin of your dog or cat can be inhabited by another "tenant" - FLEA. It is a small, brown, wingless parasite (unable to fly), with very strong hind legs, so it can jump from animal to animal. It feeds on the blood of the host, which can cause severe allergic reactions, so the animal's skin can be red and thickened, and full of scabs, as the animal scratches. 

In addition, the flea leaves its feces on the animal's fur in the form of ground pepper, primarily in the sacral part and the root of the tail. Fleas, with their bite, cause discomfort and pain in pets, but they can also be carriers of serious diseases and "occupy" your living space. In order to avoid this scenario, it is important to take effective preventive action.

In the beginning, I said that prevention is very important in order to protect our pets and ourselves. Here, we can help our pets with various preparations that we can find on the market - from various chewable tablets to sprays and ampoules. Likewise, we ourselves can make a natural repellent that will be effective in fighting fleas and ticks.

Here are some tips:

1. REPLETE SPRAY AGAINST FLEAS AND TICKS

Ingredients:

3 drops of geranium essential oil

3 drops of lemongrass essential oil

3 drops of cedar essential oil

In the prepared bottle (ideally a spray bottle) drip the oils of the mentioned plants and add a teaspoon of alcohol.

Close and shake the bottle to bring the ingredients together.

After the mixture turns white, add apple cider vinegar and water and shake again.

When using the product, avoid applying it to the area around the nose, and take special care not to come into contact with the eyes.

2. APPLE VINEGAR is a great flea repellent.

Mix apple cider vinegar and water in a ratio of 1: 1 and spray this liquid on your pet's hair. After that, rub the liquid as much as possible on the skin with your hands or a brush.

Repeat every few days, until complete elimination of parasites.

3. GERANIUM OIL is one of the best natural repellents. It successfully repels fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes from pets.

Due to its calming effect, it is also known as an excellent antidepressant, so you can use it in moments when your pet is exposed to stress.

 

REMEMBER: it is important to remove ticks, as soon as possible, before the host becomes infected!!!

                                    "We take care of our pets as for ourselves."