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Tapeworms
Allergies
Infection
Anemia
Diagnosing the flea problem
Treatment
Prevention
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- Fleas can cause your pet tremendous medical problems….even death.
We’ve all seen the misery of a pet scratching at fleas. But the discomfort is only a small part of the problems fleas can cause.
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- Tapeworms
- Fleas may carry immature tapeworms. When your pet is grooming itself, it may swallow some of the fleas. These fleas can then infect the pet with tapeworms. These long, flat, segmented parasites can cause significant weight loss and diarrhea. Worse still, they may be contagious to you and your family.
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- If your pet has fleas, you can often find tapeworm segments on your pet’s coat underneath the tail or on its bedding. The segments look like white rice or, when dry, like sesame seeds.
Allergies
- Fleas are one of the major causes of allergies in dogs and cats. The allergy is caused by the pet’s immune system. The immune system reacts to the flea’s saliva which is injected under the skin when the flea feeds on your pet. The reaction can be mild to serious. The irritation can lead to discomfort, itching and subsequent hair loss and finally infection. Depending on the pet, even one flea bite can cause an intense allergic reaction.
Infection
- The irritation from the flea bites may lead to skin infections from diseases carried by the flea. Infections can also result from the self-trauma of a pet’s constant chewing and scratching.
- Anemia
- Fleas get their nutrition by ingesting blood. Fleas can consume so much blood, the blood loss can cause anemia. In small, young, debilitated or older pets, this anemia can lead to severe medical problems. If left untreated, death can result.
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- Diagnosing the flea problem
If your pet has the symptoms of scratching and chewing itself, if you notice any fleas or their droppings, or any unusual symptoms, come see us. Our doctors may be able to make a diagnosis immediately by finding fleas or their droppings on your pet. However your pet’s diagnosis may require testing. If your pet has diarrhea, a fecal test may be necessary. If the symptoms are of skin allergies, allergy testing may be required. Blood tests are required for flea-related anemias and flea transmitted blood diseases.
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- Treatment
We will treat your pet’s flea-related medical problems immediately. But unless the fleas are eliminated, the problems will recur. We will work with you to find the best strategies to control fleas.
The flea life cycle includes periods on the pet and off the pet in the environment. If a pet is not available or the conditions are not right, a flea’s ‘cocoon’ stage can last for months. In the right conditions, fleas emerge quickly from cocoon. If a flea problem is identified, treatment will probably involve all the pets in the household. The environment will also need to be treated.
We’ll help you arrive at the best method of treatment from the range of available options. All have advantages and disadvantages to be weighed. There are shampoos, oral medications and ‘spot-on’ treatments for pets. Environmental plans include vacuuming 3 – 4 times a week, washing all pet bedding, household flea products and outdoor treatment plans.
Prevention
It’s amazing how something so insignificant as a flea can have such an impact on your pet’s health and happiness. Obviously prevention is the best answer. The moment you see a flea or suspect a problem, take action. Call us. Your quick response will give your pet prompt relief and save you unnecessary financial outlay.
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