Often too tiny to be seen, ticks attach to pets and feed on blood until they are engorged. They thrive in high humidity and moderate temperatures, but can be found all over the country. Ticks may carry and transmit diseases , including Lyme disease, that can cause serious health problems for pets and people. FRONTLINE Brand flea and tick control kills up to 100% of ticks on dogs and cats within 24-48 hours.

Flea Life Cycle

Although fleas can be a problem for your pets all year, flea populations typically explode about 5–6 weeks after the weather starts to warm up.

EGG STAGE
A female lays about 2,000 eggs in her lifetime. In one day, a single female flea can lay up to 50 eggs. The eggs aren't sticky – they quickly fall off your pet and into areas of your home. In 2-10 days, the eggs hatch.

LARVAL STAGE
After hatching, the larvae head toward dark places around your home and feed on "flea dirt" – flea feces containing partially digested blood from your pet. The larvae grow, molt twice, then spin cocoons, where they grow to pupae.

PUPA STAGE
Immature fleas spend approximately 8–9 days in their cocoon. During this time, they continue to grow to adulthood, waiting for the signals that it is time to emerge.

ADULT STAGE
Full-grown adults detect heat, vibrations and exhaled carbon dioxide from inside their cocoons, telling them a host is nearby. The adults leave their cocoons, hop onto a host, find a mate and begin the life cycle all over again.

The entire life cycle can be as short as 2-4  weeks.

Warning signs that there may be fleas on your pet:

BLACK SPECKS - Black specks on your pet or in your dog's or cat's bed may be "flea dirt" – the fecal matter from adult fleas. There are two easy ways to check for black specks: • 

• Flea Comb – available from your veterinarian (the metal ones are the best). Run the comb over your pet, making sure the comb reaches the skin through the coat. If black specks are on the comb when you pull it off, they might be flea dirt. If fleas are on the comb, drown them in a bowl of soapy water before they can get away or jump back on your pet. • 
• White paper towel – place a white paper towel beneath your pet and rub your hands across its fur. If black specks appear on the towel, it may be flea dirt.

AGITATION/SCRATCHING - If infested with fleas, your pet may become very nervous and annoyed and may scratch excessively.

If these warning signs appear, contact our clinic for information on how you can control your pet's existing fleas and help prevent them from bothering your pet again.

Fleas can affect your pet's health in the following ways:

Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD) - When a flea bites your dog or cat, it deposits a small amount of saliva in the skin. Your pet can develop FAD in reaction to this saliva, which causes severe itching. In addition to your pet scratching or biting excessively around the tail, groin or backside, scabs or bumps may also appear on your pet's neck or back.

Anemia - Anemia may occur in pets if too many fleas suck their blood. The signs of anemia include pale gums, weakness and lethargy in your pet.

Tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum) - Dogs or cats may become infected with tapeworms by ingesting an infected flea. Pets may have intense anal itching, and tapeworm segments may be seen around the anal area or in the feces.

Tick Life Cycle

Depending on the tick and environmental conditions, the life cycle of a tick can range from a few months to several years. Each free-living stage of a tick's life requires a blood meal in order to reach the next stage. Some species can survive for years without feeding.

EGG STAGE
Female ticks lay eggs in secluded areas where vegetation is dense and several inches high. Adult females of some tick species lay about 100 eggs at a time; others lay 3,000 to 6,000 eggs per batch. Regardless of species, tick eggs hatch in about two weeks.

LARVAL STAGE
After hatching, the larvae move into grass or shrubs in search of their first blood meal. If you or your pet passes by, they attach themselves and crawl upward in pursuit of an area of the skin that they can feed from. Then they drop off the host, back into the environment .

NYMPHAL STAGE
After finding their first blood meal, the larvae molt into the nymphal stage and begin searching for another host. Nymphs are small in size and often go undetected, increasing the chance for disease transmission .

ADULT STAGE
Once the nymph has had its blood meal, it molts into an adult. Adult female ticks feed on a host. In some cases, they will increase to 100 times their original weight while feeding. After feeding, the female will mate, fall off and lay her eggs in a secluded place – beginning the life cycle again.

The following are warning signs that your dog or cat may have a disease that was transmitted by a tick :

• Fever
• Lameness
• Loss of appetite
• Cough
• Sudden onset of pain in your pet's legs or body
• Arthritis or swelling in your pet's joints
• Lethargy or depression

Contact our office immediately to schedule an examination and a blood test if you believe that your pet has been bitten and infected by a tick. If you remove any ticks from your pet, save them in a bottle – we may want to examine them in order to determine what type of ticks they were. Remove ticks with tweezers, never with your hands .

Diseases transmitted by tick bites may affect your dog's or cat's health in the following ways:

Lyme Disease - A bacterial infection that infects both people and dogs, Lyme disease is carried by the deer tick. Signs include lameness, fever, loss of appetite, fatigue and enlargement of the lymph nodes. The signs of Lyme disease often resolve quickly with antibiotics.

Babesiosis - Acute signs may include fever, loss of appetite, and anemia. Shock, coma or death may also occur, especially in puppies. The infection responds to a variety of drug treatments. Blood transfusions and other supportive care may be necessary in some animals.

Ehrlichiosis - An infectious blood disease that attacks your pet's white blood cells. Signs include fever, depression, lameness, and loss of appetite. Antibiotic therapy often results in dramatic improvement within 1-2 days.

Prevention is Key!

At Bingle Veterinary Hospital we offer a variety of products to help prevent fleas and ticks. Please contact us for more details.