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Fleas
Prevention is better than cure! The climate in New Zealand, especially here in the winter-less north, means fleas can be a year-round problem. When they sense vibration nearby, they jump on board and begin biting, which can cause bad allergic reactions.
Remember that if you find fleas on your pet, your house will also be infested. Only five per cent of fleas actually live on our animals and the rest in the environment. This means you will need to treat your house, too – a flea bomb or spray is the best way. Make sure to wash everything you can and vacuum beforehand to stimulate the eggs to hatch.
Cats and dogs share the same flea species. This means that even if your dog never goes near the cat, forgetting to treat the cat means flea eggs can be shed around the house, develop and then jump onto the dog! Dogs are great at scratching and showing you all the signs of having fleas, but cats can be very subtle. The easiest way to check is to use a flea comb regularly to look for flea dirt. It appears as small dark particles – if you wet this on a white paper towel, it will turn brownish-red if it’s flea dirt (digested pet blood.)
Treating or preventing fleas is easy, however. There are three main options and many products. The first is a spot-on treatment/spray. This works by being absorbed through the skin and distributed throughout the whole body, killing fleas for up to three months. The second is a chewable tablet, again lasting up to three months for dogs or one month for cats. The third is a new generation flea collar (Seresto), which can last for up to eight months.
Worms
Gastrointestinal parasites are nasty and, unfortunately, are commonly found in cats and dogs. Some of these can be transferred to humans, causing skin lesions and sometimes even blindness. Unlike fleas, they are not easily seen. They occur all year round and therefore it is recommended to treat pets every three months (or for puppies under six months, every month.) Worms can infect your pet in many ways, including via uncooked pet meats, rodents, through the skin or by ingesting eggs via grooming, or by eating the wrong things.
Treatment involves using a pill or a spot-on treatment. Again, there are several options, so discuss it with vet clinic staff, who will be able to recommend the best product to suit you and your pet. These products are only available from a vet clinic.
Jenny Wrangham, Wellsford Vet Clinic
www.vetsonline.co.nz/wellsfordvet
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