With the melting snow, gorgeous sunshine and warmer temperatures comes those nasty little bugs who love to call your pet their host! An innocent roll in the grass by your pup could mean a huge headache for you, if the proper precautions aren’t taken. Fleas and ticks, however gross and annoying are a part of springtime, and a trip to your vet is necessary around this time of year, should your dog spend any time outside at all. Once they latch onto your pet, they multiply at an alarming rate! Need more incentive to prevent these bloodsuckers? Here are 5 freaky facts about fleas and ticks that will have you running to your clinic!
- A female flea lays eggs within 35 to 48 hours of its first blood meal. If you find a flea on your cat or dog, there could be an infestation on your pets and around your home. Adult fleas are only a small percentage of the total population of a given infestation.
- Your average flea will have a 2 to 3 month lifespan. If it doesn’t have to move around much, a flea can live anywhere between 2 months and 100 days between meals.
- Winter does not always kill fleas. Many larvae can survive short periods of freezing temps as long as they are wrapped snuggly in their cocoons. The lucky ones find warm spots to hide out until temperatures are more hospitable.
- Ticks are sneaky…there are anti-inflammatory and anesthetic compounds in the saliva of hard ticks that make it less likely for their host to notice that they’ve been bitten. The saliva of hard ticks contain proteins with changing compositions, making it difficult for a host’s immune system to detect a threat. This decreases the likelihood that the host’s immune system will even recognize that it’s being compromised.
- While feeding on a host, certain ticks contain a neurotoxin in their saliva that can induce “tick paralysis.” This condition progresses gradually (usually starting 5 to 9 days after they decide to make you their personal buffet), however, the symptoms dissipate soon after the tick is properly removed.
Basically you don’t want them ANYWHERE near you, your furry friends, or your home. Fleas and ticks are bad news. Don’t put the treatment off until it’s too late! Fleas and ticks multiply and survive outdoors at just 4 °C, so make sure you and your pet are staying safe on those beautiful trail walks!
