Pets Most Often Affected by Ticks and Fleas:

All dogs and cats from puppies and kittens to seniors!

Adult fleas are small, flat, wingless, and have three pairs of jointed legs. They have siphon-like mouth-parts and feed on the blood of their hosts by piercing and sucking. Fleas are just about everywhere – everywhere there are animals – including birds and many mammals.

 

In suitable environments, fleas can breed indoors all year. Fleas on dogs & cats can result in obvious irritation and itching. But they can also trigger a variety of more serious allergic reactions, including dermatitis – an inflammation of the skin. Fleas can also transmit tapeworms. Because fleas feed on blood, blood loss can result in anemia, with puppies and kittens at particular risk.

 

Scratching may be the first sign that your pet has a problem with fleas. This scratching can lead to hair loss and skin infections. Look for irritated areas on your pet’s back, abdomen, neck, rump and on the inside of the thighs. If you think your pet has fleas, call Ridglea West Animal Hospital.

 

A single female tick lays 2,000 to 3,000 eggs at a time. A baby tick is the size of the period at the end of this sentence. Baby ticks transmit just as much disease as adults. The American dog tick is probably the most widespread tick species in the U.S. and is the primary carrier of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, a disease that can be fatal to humans in severe cases.

 

What You Can Do to Help Control Fleas and Ticks

Contact Dr. Verwers to prescribe Revolution® (selamectin) as a preventative and treatment for fleas and ticks. With monthly dosing, Revolution® kills any stage of the tick on a dog or a cat.

 

Revolution® kills fleas and prevents flea eggs from hatching. It’s important to remove fleas, not only from your pet, but also from his/her environment.