Cures for theSummertime Bug Blues
Dear Tiffani,
IÕve been hearing a lot latelyabout pets having bugs. My friend had to treat her dogs for lice and it seemedlike a real mess. How can I avoid this with my pets?
Signed, Bugged Out
Dear Bugged,
I canÕt blame you for wanting toavoid bugs on your dogs and in your home. Unfortunately, the warm weather weare enjoying increases the likelihood of pets carrying creepy crawlies such asfleas, ticks, and lice. Ideal weather conditions for these pests to reproduceplus spending more time outdoors in the summer combine to increase the chancesof parasite infestation. I, too, have been hearing lately that our region isseeing a rise in pest problems. IÕve had to treat my own dogs for lice in thepast month.
Fortunately, there are preventativemeasures and effective products that can help control these unpleasantoutbreaks. Not surprisingly, it is easier to prevent infestations, than treatand eliminate them after they are living on your pets. Each of these commonbugs have separate life cycles and are different types of parasites. Their lifecycles can be quite complex and the insects often live on different animalsduring each of their larval, young adult, and breeding stages.
Some parasites arefound on a wider range of animals and some are host-specific, meaning they liveand feed off of specific animals. Some will live longer on dogs, say, than theywould on horses, cats and birds. Sometimes, the initial host animals will notbe long-term carriers, and it will be harder to identify the source of your dogor catÕs infestation. Parasites often have to be treated in specific stages,for instance as many as 95% of all fleas are in the cocoon stage, soeliminating them will take months of repeat doses as they continue to hatch.Ticks may live on different species at each life stage or all on one species,as the brown dog tick does, but either way - once the adult females areengorged (fed on the blood) and mated, they fall off and lay hundreds of eggswhich will find other animals to live off of at each growth stage. Most peopleassume mosquitoes are the greatest carries of disease, but it is actuallyticks; which are prevalent in our region. The reason they are so virulent isbecause they feed for longer time periods on a wide range of animals and arecommon in many regions of the country.
If your pets become infested, theywill need specific treatment and youÕll want to have your veterinarian identifythe parasite and recommend the appropriate treatment. For instance (prepareyourself for unsavory details) biting lice are different than sucking licewhich gets under the skin and are more difficult to purge. In addition toirritating your animals as they live on them, these bugs may cause allergicreactions on the animalsÕ skin, and transmit diseases, even occasionally tohumans as with Cat Scratch Fever (transmitted from an itching catsÕ claws tohumans if they scratch them.)
Do let your veterinarian know thefollowing details to determine the appropriate treatment: the number and typesof animals in your household; any visiting animals; places youÕve taken yourpets such as friendsÕ homes, your workplace, doggy daycare, groomers, dogparks, or out of town trips; or if anyone in your household works in anenvironment where they may be exposed to parasite carriers.
Prevention is always more effectivethan treatment, so consider treating your pets even if they show no signs ofinfestation. There are a very wide range of prevention products available andnew innovations continue to be developed, so do discuss options with yourveterinarian. Some further preventive measures at home include: using a vacuumwith a rotating bar; washing animal bedding frequently; mowing lawns regularly;clearing brush, leaves, and tall grass around your home; stacking wood off theground and keeping it dry; and clearing gardens after a growing season.
Ihope this information will help prevent you from having to deal with thesepesky critters.
Havea safe and fun summer, Tiffani
Tiffani Zimmerman is sayinggoodbye as the Behavior Specialist at the Stafford Animal Shelter aftermany years of helping people with pet issues. Further advice columns will bepenned by the Stafford Animal ShelterÕs team, including; contract and localveterinarians, veterinarian technical staff, animal care givers, animal controlofficers and other special guests. You may still email pet questions to:behavioradvice@imt.net or call 406/222-1312 and expect timely, free advice.DonÕt forget to use the search function on the Behavior Advice page ofstaffordanimalshelter.org to access archived Montana