Protecting your Pets: Combating Ticks and Fleas in the UK During June

Sunny days are perfect for walking the dog. Your cat probably loves to lounge in a sunny spot in the garden too. But warmer weather and the great outdoors can mean your pets pick up some unwanted house guests; ticks and fleas. Here’s how to protect your pets from ticks and fleas in the UK during June.

Does my pet have ticks?

If you often walk in grassy areas with your dog, it pays to check them for ticks. Ticks tend to sit on blades of grass and wait for passing pets. Ticks are tiny when they first latch onto your pet, but they will grow to the size of a pea as they feed. When you are checking your pet’s fur, you may see something that resembles a skin tag or random lump. If it’s a tick it will appear round, shiny, brown, pink, purple, or bluish grey. Look closely and you’ll be able to see eight legs, just behind its head.

Where is my dog most likely to come into contact with ticks?

If you want to protect your pet from ticks and fleas, be extra vigilant if you walk them in these kinds of areas:

Woodlands

Moorlands

Anywhere with long grass

Farmland or anywhere where wildlife roam

Can I prevent my dog from getting ticks?

It’s almost impossible to completely reduce the chances of your dog getting ticks. However there are things you can do to make a tick invasion less likely.

· Avoid walking your dog in areas with long grass during June and the rest of the warmer months. Open spaces and paths are a better option. · If you’re venturing to somewhere you’ve never walked your dog before, check a tick risk map to see if where you’re going is risky.

· After dog walks, check your pet’s head, ears, armpits, groin, and tummy for signs of ticks. Remove any ticks you see so there’s less chance of your dog contracting a nasty illness.

· Talk to your vet about repellents or invest in a repellent collar. Repellents are a great way to protect your pets from ticks and fleas. Many tick repellents work on fleas as well.

Am I at risk from ticks?

Yes. Even though we aren’t their preferred food source, they’ll still attach and feed from humans. As well as causing irritation, humans can contract Lyme disease from ticks. If you find a tick or remove one from your body and feel unwell, get medical advice.

Does my pet have fleas?

Most cats and dogs will get fleas in their lifetime. The classic sign your pet has fleas is constant scratching. They might also groom themselves excessively which can cause bald patches in their fur. As well as fleas passing diseases onto your pet, a bigger worry is that a flea infestation can be life-threatening for a kitten or puppy. Too much blood loss as the fleas feed on them can cause anaemia.

How did my dog or cat get fleas?

They could have caught fleas from another pet, picked them up in the garden, or come into contact with an infested item that’s brought into the home. A flea infestation can soon get out of hand. Consider this, a female can lay up to 50 eggs per day and over 1000 in her lifetime!

Eggs become larvae which remain hidden in carpets, furniture or pet bedding. In warm conditions, they become adult fleas and will jump onto a host, which is usually your cat or dog.

Can I prevent my pet from getting fleas

If you want to completely protect your pet from fleas and ticks, it’s not easy. Though there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of a flea invasion.

· Treat your pet for fleas all year round. Fleas do thrive in the summer months, but they also like our central heating in the winter.

· Groom your pets often. Regular grooming won’t stop your pets from getting fleas, but it may mean you spot a problem sooner rather than later.

Don’t forget to protect your home!

If your pet has fleas, don’t forget to treat your home as well as treating them. Remember to:

· Vacuum daily to remove eggs, larvae, and adult fleas. Focus on carpets, sofas, armchairs, between floorboards, and any other forgotten nooks and crannies.

· Consider steam cleaning your carpet as this will target fleas at all stages of their life cycle.

· Wash pet bedding in hot soapy water and repeat this every few weeks.

· Use a flea comb on your pet on areas where fleas tend to gather including their neck and around their tail.

Got a tick or flea problem in your home?

Protect your family and your pets by calling in the professionals. Contego’s expert pest technicians have the know how and the products to eliminate a flea or tick problem fast.

Don’t leave pest control to chance this summer, call Contego.