Flea & Tick Treatment

Fleas and ticks are just loving this hot, humid weather, and are experiencing a population explosion here in Connecticut this summer.  Both fleas and ticks not only cause uncomfortable itching and rashes, both for pets and their humans, but can cause even more insidious health issues.  For instance, here in Connecticut, we live in a 'hot spot' for Lyme Disease, which is carried by deer ticks.  Deer ticks are found not only on deer, but also many other wild creatures, including raccoons, skunks and even field mice.  Lyme Disease is often not diagnosed in dogs until the disease is advanced, causing joint pain and lameness.  In some cases, it can lead to kidney and heart problems, both of which are usually fatal.  Deer ticks are very small, abut the size of the head of a pin, and so easily go undetected.  In order to reduce the risk of Lyme Disease and other conditions and diseases caused by an fleas and ticks, it is very important to treat your pets with a good, topical flea and tick treatment on a monthly basis.  Ensure that you choose a treatment that treats ALL the life cycles of fleas and ticks.  I recommend either Frontline (available from your vet) or BioSpot (available from most good pet stores).  Both are effective on all life cycles of fleas and ticks.  I personally use and recommend BioSpot, for a number of reasons:  (1) it seems to have a more gentle formulation, and is thus less likely to cause an adverse reaction when applied to your pet (2) it is available 'over the counter', without a visit to your vet and (3) it is substantially lower in cost.  It is very important to remember that fleas and ticks are very hardy creatures, and their eggs can lie dormant for many months.  This means that there is no 'off season' for fleas and ticks.  Even in the colder months, if your dog has access to the outside (even your own yard) or goes on walks/trips outside your yard, he or she can pick up flea or tick eggs that will hatch once in the warmer environment of your home.  This means that it is adviseable to treat for fleas and ticks on a monthly basis year round, rather than just during the warmer months.  If you take your dog for walks in (or even near) wooded areas, check him AND yourself all over for ticks upon your return.  Lyme Disease affects humans, as well as canines!  In the event that your pet does become infested with fleas, you will need to take a multi-faceted approach to rid your pet AND your house of  these pesky (and very hardy) creatures.  Steps to take:  (1) Give your pet a bath with a good flea and tick shampoo.  Don't miss any areas, and ensure you leave it on the coat for the recommended amount of time.  (2)  Check your pet all over for ticks and remove any that you find.  Be careful to remove the whole tick, not just the outer body.  (3)  Wash all pet bedding, area rugs, sheets, etc.  (4)  Treat all carpeting and upholstery with a flea and tick killer.  (5)  Apply topical flea and tick treatment to your pet, and reapply monthly.  I hope this information helps pet parents to keep their pets and their homes flea and tick free!