What's bugging your pet?
By Marty Metzger
North Forty News
What's bugging your pet? And, just what are you going to do about it?
"Bugging" refers here to the hordes of nasties standing, crawling or flying
in line to torment cherished family pets.
Dr. Marta Dean of LaPorte Animal Clinic is quite familiar with all manner
of bugs that hound hounds and cats. She provided some valuable information
to recognize exactly what's up, beginning at the top: ear mites.
These miniscule pests cause head shaking and produce a black, coffee-ground-like
discharge.
Also causing ear tip irritation are deer flies, which can bite short-haired
pets elsewhere as well. Bee stings bring on localized swelling at the sting
site and vomiting in dogs allergic to the insect's venom. Lice and mite
infestation both cause hair loss and itchiness. Treatments differ for each
of these creepy crawlies.
The mere mention of fleas makes most pet owners itch, cringe and stare
apprehensively at carpet, couch and bedding. The first signs your pet carries
the uninvited, biting bugs are scratching and hair loss. Close inspection
will detect a black dandruff which, when combed out onto a wet paper towel,
will turn red, said Dr. Dean.
Ticks are clearly visible to the human eye. Watching them suck blood out
of your pet is distressing enough. But for their blood meal they can also
exchange Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Ehrlichia, to name
a few. Two ways to safely dislodge ticks are with removers that look like
miniature crow bars or a good dousing with mineral oil. The latter, Dr.
Dean said, prevents a tick from breathing. It then pulls its head out of
the host animal and falls off.
After contemplating all of the above bugs, the common mosquito might seem
benign by comparison. However, these warm weather vexations spread heartworm,
which can be fatal.
Internal parasites are diverse, and many worms cannot be eliminated by
use of over-the-counter medications. When an owner notes the signs of worms
--pot bellies in puppies or kittens and poor hair coat or weight loss in
all ages--the best course of action, Dr. Dean said, is a trip to the vet
and microscopic examination of multiple, fresh stool samples. She stressed
that pups and kittens should regularly be de-wormed because they can spread
roundworms to children.
Regarding commercially available remedies for fleas and ticks, the doctor
said she finds the most effective to be Advantix for dogs and Frontline
for cats.
Catherine Rios, store manager at Poudre Pet & Feed on North College Avenue
in Fort Collins, said her store carries a large variety of treatments and
repellants against fleas, ticks and mites that attack dogs, cats, horses,
birds, reptiles and chickens. Poudre Pet & Feed also carries sprays to
kill fleas and ticks that have migrated to carpets. Rios said the store
stocks many types of de-wormers for dogs, cats and horses.
She estimated the shop has about 40 customers per month who seek solutions
for all manner of pest problems. Rios mentioned several products:
- Triforce, a flea/tick/mosquito repellant for dogs and cats
- Richard's Organics Neem Oil, a natural remedy for fleas, ticks, ringworm,
eczema and fungal infections
- Halo Cloud Nine Herbal Dip, a blend of aromatic oils that repel pests
- Absorbine Ultra Shield EX, which protects horses and dogs from chiggers,
American dog ticks, brown dog ticks, fleas, lice, gnats and flies
- Tick Twisters, a brand of removal tools
- Natural collars and powders, which repel with scents
Cats and dogs new to a household should be checked immediately by a vet
for possible problems to avoid spreading internal or external parasites
to resident pets, carpeting and other fabrics, or human family members.
Regardless of the newcomer's previous digs (breeder, shelter, rescue group,
private owner), it should be examined and treated before being brought
into the house.
Regular grooming can detect pests like fleas and lice early on, before
they multiply to numbers harder to eliminate.
Baths can help keep itchy critters at bay, as can frequently washing pets'
bedding. The old saying warns that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound
of cure. This includes being especially vigilant if the dog attends doggie
day care or romps elsewhere with other canines.
Be sure, too, to clean up feces daily and provide adequate, clean, year-round
pet shelters away from standing water (mosquito breeding ground) and out
of range of other pests (like bees and flies).
Make it a healthy, happy season for your pets. Then "What's bugging you?"
will only be the quizzical look on your pet's face at your knee-jerk reaction
to its flower burrowing or missing meatloaf capers.
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