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Why Regular Tick and Flea Checks Are Crucial for Your Dog's Health
Looking to make sure your beloved dog is living their happiest and healthiest life? While it's not always top of mind, regular dog tick and flea checks are crucial for your dog's well-being. Ticks and fleas can cause a range of issues, including discomfort, and more seriously, infections and diseases. To help you better protect your dog, we've put together a guide to dog flea and tick treatment and control.
The Risks of Ticks and Fleas for Your Dog's Health
Ticks and fleas can cause a range of issues for your dog. While there are the well-known ones, like discomfort and itching, they also transmit a range of diseases and infections.
These include:
-Lyme disease, which can cause lameness/joint pain, lethargy, weight loss, reduced appetite, fever, swollen lymph nodes, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure
-Tick-borne fever, which can cause a range of symptoms, including fever, reduced appetite, joint inflammation, vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, breathing difficulties, abdominal pain, swollen lymph nodes, and central nervous system impairments in severe cases
-Flea allergy dermatitis, which can cause itching and hair loss in some cases
Through their blood-sucking, fleas and ticks can cause anaemia, as blood loss drops your dog's red blood cell count. This is particularly an issue for puppies, though all dogs can be at risk. Dogs with tick/flea-induced anaemia may have pale white gums, an increased heart rate, and be more lethargic than usual.
Being on constant tick/flea watch is important, because they're more common than many dog owners think. A 2020 study of dog owners across the US, UK, and Australia found that between 24%-50% of dog owners surveyed had found fleas on their dogs, while 18%-35% had found ticks. If your dog spends a lot of time outside, you'll want to be especially vigilant, as you never know what may be hidden in your pooch's coat when they return home.
How Regular Tick and Flea Checks Can Prevent Health Problems?
Ticks and fleas are effective spreaders of harmful bacteria and viruses, which can severely harm your dog. Regular tick and flea checks, including taking preventative measures (we'll talk about those in more detail later on) can help you stop any infestations from occurring.
Routine checks for ticks and fleas can also keep your dog's coat and skin more healthy overall. Regular grooming, including detangling and dematting (if your dog has a long-haired coat), is important for their well-being. It's a win-win all-round.
When to Conduct Tick and Flea Checks?
While there's no limit to how frequently you should check your dog for ticks and fleas, these checks should be a regular part of your dog's grooming routine. Every time you groom your dog, you should be brushing their coat, and this is a great time to check for any visible ticks and fleas.
You may also want to check your dog after any outdoor activity, especially during the warmer months. The hotter weather is a great time to go on walks and hikes, but it's not just us that love the heat — ticks and fleas do too. Whether you've got a bit of a couch potato, or an active, athletic dog, regular fleas and dog checks should be done daily, using a comb to look for ticks and fleas, as well as digested blood, also known as flea dirt.
How to Perform a Thorough Tick and Flea Check?
Looking to perform a thorough tick and flea check on your dog? Here's what you'll want to do:
- Run your fingers through their fur, all across their body. Focus on areas like their ears, underbelly, between their toes, their neck, and their collar area. Ticks and fleas love to hide in these hard-to-reach areas. Make sure you move slowly, as you're checking for any bumps and lumps. These could be ticks and/or fleas.
- Comb through your dog's fur using a fine-toothed metal comb. While this won't remove any parasites, this will help you determine whether there are any on your dog.
- If there are any ticks or fleas, grab a pair of tweezers, and carefully remove the tick/flea from your dog's skin. Don't twist it, instead try to pull it off in one slow but steady motion.
- Once the tick is removed, give the affected skin area a wipe with a pet-friendly antimicrobial spray. You may also want to hold onto the tick/flea in case symptoms develop, as it will help your vet better identify what's made your pup sick.
How to Prevent Tick and Flea Infestations?
Wondering what's the best flea and tick treatment for dogs? We recommend using oral or topical treatments. NexGard Spectra works as a monthly topical treatment, applied directly to your dog's skin, while Bravecto Chews offer 3-month protection against ticks and fleas. You may also want to consider using a Seresto Flea and Tick Collar, if fleas and ticks are proving to be a regular issue. They offer months-long protection for your dog, and can be used in conjunction with an oral or topical treatment.
You can further reduce the risk of infestations by keeping your home clean, including using tick and flea bombs to kill off any critters that might be hiding. You may also want to limit your dog's exposure to high-risk environments. Ticks and fleas thrive in long grasses, dog parks, on hiking trails, and wooded areas. If you do visit these areas, regular grooming can help you pick up on any ticks and fleas that hitch a ride to your pooch.
Signs of Tick or Flea Infestations in Dogs
If you're worried about tick or flea infestations, then there are a few things you'll want to keep an eye out for. A tick/flea infestation on your dog can cause excessive scratching, hair loss, and sores. You may also spot fleas and ticks amongst their coat/skin, which is why regular brushing of their coat is so important.
If your dog has a tick or flea-borne disease/infection, like the ones outlined above, then they may develop a fever, become less active, and stop eating. They can also develop hot spots, which turn red, get inflamed, and can even ooze. These are very painful if not treated correctly.
Being vigilant and on the lookout for ticks and fleas, especially during the warmer months, where ticks and fleas are at their most common, is important for protecting your dog from parasites. Flea and tick infestations can be hard to get rid of, with medicated shampoos/sprays required to kill them off, so you'll want to catch them as early as possible.
The Importance of Professional Vet Check-ups for Tick and Flea Prevention
Regular vet check-ups can help you prevent tick and flea infestations in your dog, as well as manage any health issues they may cause. While we've tried to give you all the tips and tricks you need to prevent ticks and fleas irritating your dog, your vet can give you professional advice on prevention methods and treatments for your dog's specific needs.
Talking about tick and flea control as a standard part of every vet visit, especially if you have a long-haired/curly-haired dog, or a dog with floppy ears, can help keep both you and your pooch happy and healthy.
Keep Your Dog Safe with Regular Tick and Flea Checks
Regularly checking your dog for ticks and fleas, as well as implementing preventative measures, can help you maintain your dog's health and comfort. Regular grooming is one of the best ways of keeping an eye out for ticks and fleas, while oral or topical treatments can help protect your pup year-round. It's important to be proactive, not reactive, as ticks and fleas can rapidly multiply, and before you know it, you're dealing with an infestation.
If you're looking for professional help managing the risks of ticks and fleas, then we're here for you. At Guard Dog Training, our specialists can keep your dog's coat and skin happy and healthy, while ensuring they don't become a happy hunting ground for any sorts of parasites. Get in touch with us today to book your dog in for a groom!
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