Spring has sprung, so it’s time for you and your pet to head outside and explore the great outdoors. Nicer weather means walking the dog is much more enjoyable, and your cat might even venture out to explore the yard.
Unfortunately, spring also means that fleas and ticks are returning and can cause disaster for you and your pet. Remember, fleas and ticks adversely affect both cats and dogs. Read more to find out about:
- Preventative care for flea and tick season
- Preparing your pet for flea and tick season
- Boarding your pet during flea and tick season
Preventative Care for Flea and Tick Season
Knowing when the season starts is one of the best defenses humans have against fleas and ticks for their pets. No matter what area you live in, there is a peak season for both fleas and ticks, and some locations certainly have it worse than others. If you are unsure what timeframe this is in the area that you live in, contact your local veterinarian and find out.
What To Avoid
The nicest places to walk your dog are always in beautiful, scenic landscapes. These places, however, typically include tall grass, weeds, and trees. These areas are perfect breeding grounds for fleas and ticks, and a pet without proper safeguards can become riddled with them.
Concrete paths and sand can become hot to the touch for your pet’s paws, so be mindful of the time of day you venture out with your pet. The best thing is to walk your dog in areas with well-trimmed grass and shrubs.
- Avoid unkempt landscapes
- Avoid venturing off-trails
- Avoid interaction with dogs unknown to you
- Avoid treatments not designed for your pet
- Avoid do-it-yourself treatments
With the hot weather coming to the LA area, it’s much easier for your pet to be exposed to fleas or ticks naturally. It’s also important to only use products intended for your pet. If a flea or tick spray says it’s only for cats, don’t use it on dogs, and vice versa. Talk to your vet about other preventative methods to help your pet stay tick and flea-free for best results.
Preparing Your Pet for Flea and Tick Season
Vets typically recommend three main techniques to prepare your pet for flea and tick seasons.
- Topical treatments
- Oral medications
- Flea collars
Topical flea and tick medication include powders, shampoos, and spot treatments. The duration of the products varies. For example, flea powders can prevent fleas for about a week, while shampoos kill fleas for about a day. On the other hand, spot treatments are very effective and kill adult fleas, larvae, and eggs for about 30 days.
Oral flea and tick medication can kill all adult fleas on a pet in only 30 minutes. These tablets are often flavored to encourage your pet to eat them. Some are prescription-only, and some are available over-the-counter, depending on the strength of medication you’re looking for. Oral medications can prevent and kill fleas anywhere between 30 and 90 days.
Flea and tick collars are intended to prevent fleas or ticks from attaching themselves to your pet in the first place. More often than not, these collars are preventative, though a few exist on the market that can treat a pet infected with fleas. Usually, you can tell which is which by the packaging – it will be labeled as either effective at “preventing” or “killing” fleas.
What Signs To Look For?
One way to check to see if your pet has fleas is to check for “flea dirt.” If you see dark specks on your pet, drop water onto some. If the resulting mixture turns red, it’s likely flea dirt. At this point, you will want to contact your vet immediately to look into flea control methods. The priority is to prevent your pet from any additional suffering and stop the spread of fleas in your house.
What Medicine To Use?
Ultimately, it’s up to you and your vet to determine which method is best for your pet when exploring flea and tick prevention options. Every animal is different, and its skin may react differently to different products. What’s important is to know if your pet is allergic or has reactions to any particular type of method.
Consider risk factors associated with your pet when talking to your vet about medication. Is your animal primarily indoors, with little interaction with other animals? If that’s the case, it may be possible to explore more natural flea and tick prevention options.
Communicate all allergies and medications to anyone watching or boarding your pet. This communication is essential for their well-being.
Boarding Your Pet During Flea and Tick Season
Upon arrival at Kennel Club LA, we meticulously check all cats and dogs for fleas and ticks.
In addition to a thorough evaluation for fleas and ticks, we pay close attention to the way pets behave – if we notice excessive itching, we know we might need to take an even closer look.
If we notice any pet has fleas upon arrival, we ask that the client pays for a flea bath to ensure all pets boarded with us return home flea-free. We have this policy to ensure all the pets’ health and safety at Kennel Club LAX.
In addition to detailed checks and flea baths, we also use other methods to ensure our facility is as clean as possible to prevent outbreaks. Our strategies include:
- Non-toxic sprays
- Medication administration
- Cleaned bedding
- Isolated lodging
If your pet plans on participating in group activities at Kennel Club LAX or elsewhere, talk to your vet ahead of time to determine what’s best for your pet. Come up with a plan and test the medication before scheduled boarding with us to ensure your pet reacts appropriately to the medication. Every pet’s care and comfort are our top priorities.
Boarding With Us?
If your pet is flea-free and ready with their medication, our facility accepts reservations for overnight stays. Make your reservation request to schedule your pet’s stay with us today. You can rest easy knowing your pet will be clean, safe and well-loved during their stay.
