Wednesday, May 25, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Paw
Prints
Jodi Schneider McNamee
Columnist
Protect your dog
from fleas and ticks
You might have noticed
fleas and ticks on your furry
friends. That’s because flea
and tick season has started
early in Central Oregon.
According to Sisters
Veterinary Clinic, Dr. Carl
Berg has been seeing ticks
since winter. And they see
more fleas on pets every
year.
Pulling your socks over
your pants while hiking can
be enough to deter ticks
when you’re outside, but
Rover probably doesn’t wear
clothing, so you’ll need to
take extra measures to pro-
tect him from these pesky
pests.
Adult ticks are often vis-
ible to the naked eye, so you
may spot them on short-
haired dogs. But with longer-
haired dogs, it’s best to do a
thorough inspection with a
flea comb.
Ticks are parasites that
belong to the arachnid fam-
ily (like spiders and mites)
and live in wooded or grassy
areas where they attach
themselves to unsuspect-
ing dogs walking by. If
you notice that a tick has
already managed to latch on
to Rover you can remove
the pest by using a pair of
tweezers or a tick-removal
tool by grabbing on to the
insect and getting as close
to the skin’s surface as pos-
sible. Get a firm grip, but
don’t squeeze too tightly,
and pull out slowly. Going
too fast can result in part of
the tick being left behind in
your dog’s skin. Once it’s
removed, don’t just step on
the tick. Placing it in rubbing
alcohol is the most effective
way to kill it, according to
PetMD.
If you’ve noticed that
Rover has been scratch-
ing lately, fleas are a likely
culprit.
In her brief 50-day lifes-
pan, a single flea can lay
more than 2,000 eggs.
Fleas are insects that can
start your dog scratching
with just one bite. They have
exceptional jumping skills,
leaping vertically up to
seven inches to hop on a host
to feed and lay their eggs!
And fleas are masters of
their universe. They can hide
in a forest of pet hairs until
your furry friend has more
than just a couple.
Remember that fleas are
small, and just because you
don’t find one on Rover,
doesn’t mean that they’re
not there.
One way to check for
fleas is to look for black
specks on your furry friend
or in his bed. The specks are
fecal matter from adult fleas
and if you add the specks to
a wet paper towel the par-
ticles will turn red.
Flea bites can cause local
skin irritation and swelling
that may cause your furry
friend discomfort. Some
dogs develop an allergic
reaction to flea bites, result-
ing in scratching, which can
lead to hair loss or a bacterial
skin infection known as “hot
spots.” Fleas can also host
tapeworms, and can transmit
bacteria and viruses.
Since fleas and ticks can
cause a variety of health
problems for your dog, it’s
important to treat both your
pet and his environment.
The best thing you can do
is to take regular preventive
measures to protect your dog
from these pests, and the
21
photo by JodI sChneIder MCnaMee
Long haired dogs need a flea comb.
most effective way to do this
is to treat your dog, your liv-
ing areas, and your yard at
the same time.
Flea control in the out-
door area involves keeping
your lawn mowed. And rake
up any debris, such as brush
or clippings.
Regular vacuuming and
steam cleaning indoors helps
remove flea eggs, larvae,
and pupae. Don’t forget to
dispose of the vacuum bag,
as fleas can hatch in the bag
after vacuuming.
And if you must treat
your yard, a pet-friendly
lawn granule application that
will kill flea eggs and larvae
Locally
owned by
a Sisters
family
in addition to adult fleas is
best.
The outdoors is what
Central Oregon is known for
and many folks enjoy tak-
ing their furry companions
along. Hiking on trails usu-
ally means wooded areas
along with the possibility
of ticks. So remember to
use flea and tick prevention
this spring before stepping
on that wooded path with
Rover.
There are many new
products on the market that
work well to either repel
or kill these critters. Check
with your veterinarian as to
which product is the best.
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